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City · 108,515 residents · Sandoval County, New Mexico

Rio Rancho , New Mexico

In Rio Rancho, a typical home is worth $310,200 and typical rent is $1,514 a month. Compared with all of Sandoval County, typical rent is 6% higher.

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  • Typical home value

    $310,200

    About the same as the county

    25% above New Mexico

    • Rio Rancho
    • Sandoval
    • New Mexico

  • Typical rent

    $1,514a month

    6% above the county

    42% above New Mexico

    • Rio Rancho
    • Sandoval
    • New Mexico

  • Typical household income

    $89,596a year

    3% above the county

    40% above New Mexico

    • Rio Rancho
    • Sandoval
    • New Mexico

  • Households that own their home

    82%

    1 points below the county

    12 points above New Mexico

    • Rio Rancho
    • Sandoval
    • New Mexico

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$360,463
0.7% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,867 a month
1.8% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Rio Rancho is in Sandoval 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 Sandoval County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Rio Rancho apart

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

  1. Rio Rancho has the 2nd highest typical rent of the 43 cities in New Mexico with more than 5,000 people ($1,514).

  2. Nearby, in North Valley, the typical rent is $893: 41% less than in Rio Rancho ($1,514).

  3. Nearby, in Bernalillo, the typical home value is $255,500: 18% less than in Rio Rancho ($310,200).

  4. Rio Rancho has the 5th highest typical household income of the 46 cities in New Mexico with more than 5,000 people ($89,596).

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

The homes here

Housing in Rio Rancho

What homes there are in Rio Rancho, 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 Rio Rancho, 9 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Sandoval County, 8.

Year built

The typical year built in Rio Rancho is 2000, about the same as in Sandoval County (1997).

In Rio Rancho, 83% of homes have 3 bedrooms or more, more than in Sandoval County (79%).

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

The FHA loan limit for Sandoval County is $541,287, and about 91% of owner-occupied homes in Rio Rancho are worth less than that.

Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,651 a month

Sandoval County: $1,671 a month

Without a mortgage

$489 a month

Sandoval County: $475 a month

Owners with a mortgage

70%

Sandoval County: 62%

In Rio Rancho, 70% of owners have a mortgage; their typical cost is $1,651 a month, about the same as in Sandoval 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

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Rio Rancho rose 63%; in Sandoval County, it rose 56%.

The typical rent in Rio Rancho rose 30% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Sandoval County (28%).

The typical household income in Rio Rancho rose 34% over that time; home values changed +63% and rent +30%.

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

MeasureRio RanchoSandoval CountyNew MexicoUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate7.1%5.9%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1.0%0.9%
More than one person per room 1.8%2.8%3.3%3.4%
People per household 2.672.682.482.53
Drive alone 72%71%74%69%
Carpool 9%8%10%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate1%1%3%
Walk or bike 1%1%2%3%
Work from home 16%17%12%15%
Other means 2%2%1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes

More than one person per room: that is how 1.8% of households in Rio Rancho live, less than in Sandoval County (2.8%).

A household in Rio Rancho has 2.67 people on average, about the same as in Sandoval County (2.68).

To get to work, 72% of workers in Rio Rancho drive alone; in Sandoval County, 71%.

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 Rio Rancho?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Rio Rancho, worth $310,200, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 34% of the typical household income in Rio Rancho, which is $89,596 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $108,046 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Rio Rancho. 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 $10,857 (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

$2,521

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$304,582
Total interest
$438,221
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $5,239 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,091 a month

  • Tight

    $2,091 to $2,688 a month

    Your payment · 34%

  • Hard

    more than $2,688 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Rio Rancho ($89,596 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,521
Principal & interest$2,063
Property tax$191
Home insurance$129
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$137

You need at least $10,857 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

Rio Rancho and Sandoval County

Rio Rancho is in Sandoval 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).

Rio Rancho's own numbers

Typical home value
$310,200
Typical monthly rent
$1,514
Typical yearly household income
$89,596
Households that own their home
82%
Effective property tax rate
0.74%

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

Numbers for all of Sandoval County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,384
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+57%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
3.8%

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 Sandoval County.

Everything about Sandoval County

Buying

Buying a home in Rio Rancho

A typical home in Rio Rancho is worth $310,200: about the same as the county and 25% above New Mexico. With the typical household income in Rio Rancho ($89,596 a year), a typical home costs 3.5 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.

  • Rio Rancho 3.5 years
  • Sandoval 3.6 years
  • New Mexico 3.9 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Sandoval County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Sandoval County rose 97% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period County New Mexico U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.0% +3.1% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +57% +50% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +97% +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

Rio Rancho next to Sandoval 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
  • Rio Rancho $310,200
  • Sandoval $313,800
  • New Mexico $248,100
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Rio Rancho $1,514
  • Sandoval $1,427
  • New Mexico $1,067
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Rio Rancho $89,596
  • Sandoval $86,636
  • New Mexico $64,059
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Rio Rancho next to Sandoval County and New Mexico
Measure Rio Rancho Sandoval County New Mexico U.S.
Typical home value $310,200 $313,800 $248,100 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,514 $1,427 $1,067 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $89,596 $86,636 $64,059 $80,734
Households that own their home 82% 84% 70% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $2,293 $2,296 $1,731 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.74% 0.73% 0.7% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 52% 50% 50% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Sandoval 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 Rio Rancho

For a typical $310,200 home in Rio Rancho, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Rio Rancho's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,521a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $10,857
    Cash to close
    $20,163
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $137

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,464a month

    Down payment
    $15,510
    Cash to close
    $24,816
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $147

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,002a month

    Down payment
    $62,040
    Cash to close
    $71,346
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,288a month

    Down payment
    $46,530
    Cash to close
    $55,836
    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 Rio Rancho and for Sandoval County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Rio Rancho

0.74%of the home’s value each year

$2,293 a year for the typical owner in Rio Rancho.

  • Rio Rancho 0.74%
  • Sandoval 0.73%
  • 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 Sandoval County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
3.8%
1,936
Of those, with NFIP insurance
19%
County New Mexico U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 3.8% 5.7% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 19% 16% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Rio Rancho

Typical rent in Rio Rancho is $1,514 a month: 6% above the county. In Rio Rancho, 52% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Sandoval County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,384 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $26.62 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Sandoval 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 $977 $18.79 $39,080
1 bedroom $1,112 $21.38 $44,480
2 bedrooms $1,384 $26.62 $55,360
3 bedrooms $1,902 $36.58 $76,080
4 bedrooms $2,242 $43.12 $89,680

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 Rio Rancho

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Rio Rancho has 2 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,680 in 87124 to $1,990 in 87144.

2 of the 2 are above the fair market rent for Sandoval County ($1,384).

  • 87124 $1,680$2,310
  • 87144 $1,990$2,740

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Rio Rancho 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 Rio Rancho

HUD lists 2 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Rio Rancho. These are the largest.

  • Buena Vista Active Adult Community 1355 Meadowlark Ln SE, Rio Rancho 87124 258 homes, 193 low-income · 1 bd: 180 · 2 bd: 78 · In service since 1999
  • Enchanted Vista Apts 4501 Sprint Blvd NE, Rio Rancho 87144 174 low-income homes · 1 bd: 44 · 2 bd: 111 · 3 bd: 19 · In service since 2005

See all 6 buildings in Sandoval County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Rio Rancho

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 Sandoval County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

Two women and a girl laugh together at the bus stop.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Rio Rancho

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Rio Rancho or Sandoval County. The ones below are statewide in New Mexico: they work in Rio Rancho 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 Rio Rancho

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

  • Southwest Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc.

    6301 4th St NW Ste 5, Los Ranchos · 10 miles away

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

  • Homewise, Inc.

    500 2nd St. SW, Albuquerque · 14 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in American Sign Language (ASL).

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

  • United South Broadway Corporation

    1500 Walter St SE, Albuquerque · 15 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    (505) 764-8867

All counseling agencies in New Mexico

Help in Spanish near Rio Rancho

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves 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 Rio Rancho

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

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

Cities

Other cities in Sandoval County

These cities are also in Sandoval County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Sandoval County Housing in New Mexico

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Rio Rancho, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Sandoval 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 Rio Rancho.

All guides
A family walks a boardwalk trail in the forest; one of them uses a wheelchair.

Questions

Housing questions about Rio Rancho

Short answers with the numbers for Rio Rancho and all of Sandoval 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 Rio Rancho?

The typical home value in Rio Rancho is $310,200, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Sandoval County it is $313,800.

How much does it cost to rent in Rio Rancho?

Typical rent in Rio Rancho is $1,514 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Sandoval County is $1,384.

What is the FHA loan limit in Rio Rancho?

Rio Rancho uses the FHA limit for all of Sandoval 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 Rio Rancho?

The typical homeowner in Rio Rancho pays $2,293 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.74% of the home’s value; in Sandoval County, the rate is 0.73%.

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

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Sandoval 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).