Español

Este sitio también está en español. Leer en español

City · 10,473 residents · Rio Arriba County, New Mexico

Española , New Mexico

In Española, a typical home is worth $210,800 and typical rent is $829 a month. Compared with all of Rio Arriba County, typical household income is 17% lower, the typical home value is 14% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 15 points lower.

WhatsApp

  • Typical home value

    $210,800

    14% below the county

    15% below New Mexico

    • Española
    • Rio Arriba
    • New Mexico

  • Typical rent

    $829a month

    12% above the county

    22% below New Mexico

    • Española
    • Rio Arriba
    • New Mexico

  • Typical household income

    $47,667a year

    17% below the county

    26% below New Mexico

    • Española
    • Rio Arriba
    • New Mexico

  • Households that own their home

    65%

    15 points below the county

    5 points below New Mexico

    • Española
    • Rio Arriba
    • New Mexico

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Española is in Rio Arriba County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Rio Arriba County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Española apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. 65% of households in Española own their home, against 80% in Rio Arriba County.

  2. The typical household income in Española is $47,667, 17% less than in Rio Arriba County as a whole ($57,155).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Española

What homes there are in Española, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Española there is a bit of everything: no kind of home reaches half. The most common are detached houses (48%); in Rio Arriba County, 59%.

Year built

In Española, half of the homes were built before 1978; in Rio Arriba County, before 1984.

There are fewer big homes in Española than in Rio Arriba County: 63% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 67%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

About 96% of owner-occupied homes in Española are worth less than the FHA loan limit for Rio Arriba County ($541,287).

Monthly rent with utilities

About 66% of rented homes in Española cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent for Rio Arriba County ($1,014); the rest cost more.

With a mortgage

$1,394 a month

Rio Arriba County: $1,416 a month

Without a mortgage

$397 a month

Rio Arriba County: $354 a month

Owners with a mortgage

33%

Rio Arriba County: 33%

In Española, 33% of owners have a mortgage; their typical cost is $1,394 a month, about the same as in Rio Arriba County.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Española rose 32% since 2015–2019, less than in Rio Arriba County (46%).

Since 2015–2019, the typical rent in Española rose 25%, more than in Rio Arriba County (19%).

Income in Española grew faster than housing: it rose 39%, while home values changed +32% and rent +25%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureEspañolaRio Arriba CountyNew MexicoUnited States
Rental vacancy 5.9%5.2%5.9%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1.0%0.9%
More than one person per room 2.8%3.2%3.3%3.4%
People per household 2.522.542.482.53
Drive alone 86%77%74%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate9%10%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate3%2%3%
Work from home 6%10%12%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%2%
Typical commute 30 to 39 minutesUnreliable estimate10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Much as in Rio Arriba County, the rental vacancy rate in Española is 5.9%.

More than one person per room: that is how 2.8% of households in Española live, near the figure in Rio Arriba County (3.2%).

A household in Española has 2.52 people on average, about the same as in Rio Arriba County (2.54).

The car rules in Española: 86% of workers drive to work alone, and the typical trip takes 30 to 39 minutes.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Española?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Española, worth $210,800, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 42% of the typical household income in Española, which is $47,667 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $71,542 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Rio Arriba County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Española. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $7,378 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,669

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$206,982
Total interest
$297,798
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,560 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,112 a month

  • Tight

    $1,112 to $1,430 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,430 a month

    Your payment · 42%

Compared with the typical household income in Española ($47,667 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,669
Principal & interest$1,402
Property tax$86
Home insurance$88
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$93

You need at least $7,378 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Española and Rio Arriba County

Española is in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Española's own numbers

Typical home value
$210,800
Typical monthly rent
$829
Typical yearly household income
$47,667
Households that own their home
65%
Effective property tax rate
0.49%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Rio Arriba County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,014
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+57%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
7.2%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Rio Arriba County.

Everything about Rio Arriba County

Buying

Buying a home in Española

A typical home in Española is worth $210,800: 14% below the county and 15% below New Mexico. With the typical household income in Española ($47,667 a year), a typical home costs 4.4 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Española 4.4 years
  • Rio Arriba 4.3 years
  • New Mexico 3.9 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Rio Arriba County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Rio Arriba County rose 90% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Rio Arriba County.

Period County New Mexico U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.6% +3.1% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +57% +50% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +90% +82% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Española next to Rio Arriba County, New Mexico and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Española $210,800
  • Rio Arriba $243,700
  • New Mexico $248,100
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Española $829
  • Rio Arriba $740
  • New Mexico $1,067
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Española $47,667
  • Rio Arriba $57,155
  • New Mexico $64,059
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Española next to Rio Arriba County and New Mexico
Measure Española Rio Arriba County New Mexico U.S.
Typical home value $210,800 $243,700 $248,100 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $829 $740 $1,067 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $47,667 $57,155 $64,059 $80,734
Households that own their home 65% 80% 70% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,032 $1,021 $1,731 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.49% 0.42% 0.7% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 46% 34% 50% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Rio Arriba County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Española

For a typical $210,800 home in Española, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Española's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,669a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $7,378
    Cash to close
    $13,702
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $93

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,631a month

    Down payment
    $10,540
    Cash to close
    $16,864
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $100

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,316a month

    Down payment
    $42,160
    Cash to close
    $48,484
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,511a month

    Down payment
    $31,620
    Cash to close
    $37,944
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Española and for Rio Arriba County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Española

0.49%of the home’s value each year

$1,032 a year for the typical owner in Española.

  • Española 0.49%
  • Rio Arriba 0.42%
  • New Mexico 0.7%

What New Mexico publishes 3 percent cap on the yearly increase in your home's taxable value (New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee ("Property Taxes in New Mexico" brief))

Exemptions and deadlines in New Mexico

Flood risk in Rio Arriba County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Rio Arriba County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
7.2%
1,461
Of those, with NFIP insurance
8.1%
County New Mexico U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 7.2% 5.7% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 8.1% 16% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Española

Typical rent in Española is $829 a month: 12% above the county. In Española, 46% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Rio Arriba County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,014 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $19.50 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Rio Arriba County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $822 $15.81 $32,880
1 bedroom $833 $16.02 $33,320
2 bedrooms $1,014 $19.50 $40,560
3 bedrooms $1,387 $26.67 $55,480
4 bedrooms $1,597 $30.71 $63,880

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Española

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Española is in ZIP code 87532.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,520: $506 more than the fair market rent for Rio Arriba County ($1,014).

  • 87532 $1,520$1,910

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Española when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Española

HUD lists one building with rents for lower incomes in Española.

  • Espanola PH 136A W Jonathon Dr, Espanola 87532 178 low-income homes · Run by Santa Fe Civic Housing Authority · Average payment: $403 a month · Average wait: 19 months · Homes at several sites (505) 988-2859

See all 3 buildings in Rio Arriba County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Española

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Rio Arriba County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A man leans over the armchair where a girl is reading a book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Española

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Española or Rio Arriba County. The ones below are statewide in New Mexico: they work in Española the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in New Mexico

  • FirstDown

    Statewide in New Mexico

    New Mexico state agency fixed-rate second mortgage for the down payment and closing costs of first-time buyers, together with the FirstHome mortgage. Offered by Housing New Mexico (New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority, MFA).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

  • HomeNow

    Statewide in New Mexico

    New Mexico state agency fixed $7,000 second mortgage for the down payment and closing costs of low-income first-time buyers; no monthly payments and forgivable after 10 years. Offered by Housing New Mexico (New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority, MFA).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

  • FirstDown Plus

    Statewide in New Mexico

    New Mexico state agency fixed $10,000 third loan at 0%, for the down payment only, added to FirstDown or HomeNow; repaid in monthly installments over 15 years. Offered by Housing New Mexico (New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority, MFA).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Española

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Española, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Homewise, Inc.

    1301 Siler Rd, Santa Fe · 24 miles away · Spanish

    • Budget and credit workshops
    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • and 1 more
    (505) 983-9473

  • Southwest Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc.

    6301 4th St NW Ste 5, Los Ranchos · 67 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 7 more
    (505) 243-5511

  • Homewise, Inc.

    500 2nd St. SW, Albuquerque · 72 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in American Sign Language (ASL).

    • Budget and credit workshops
    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • and 1 more
    (505) 243-6566

All counseling agencies in New Mexico

Help in Spanish near Española

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Española

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Rio Arriba County is named for Española or Rio Arriba County.

One other authority has an office in Rio Arriba County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Española, with the typical home value.

Everything about Rio Arriba County Housing in New Mexico

Neighboring counties

If Rio Arriba County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Española.

All guides
A mother holds her laughing daughter on a grey sofa.

Questions

Housing questions about Española

Short answers with the numbers for Española and all of Rio Arriba County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Española?

The typical home value in Española is $210,800, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Rio Arriba County it is $243,700.

How much does it cost to rent in Española?

Typical rent in Española is $829 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Rio Arriba County is $1,014.

What is the FHA loan limit in Española?

Española uses the FHA limit for all of Rio Arriba County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Española?

The typical homeowner in Española pays $1,032 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.49% of the home’s value; in Rio Arriba County, the rate is 0.42%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Española?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Rio Arriba County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).