Counties in New Mexico where people spend most of their paycheck on housing

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October 3, 2021
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Counties in New Mexico where people spend most of their paycheck on housing

It's no secret that many Americans are forgoing homeownership in favor of renting. In 2020, renters in the U.S. occupied 43 million housing units.

The Stacker team looked at data from a United States Census survey that revealed an estimated 43,378,800 renter-occupied homes in the United States as of 2017, which makes up 36.1% of all households in the country. In 2019, renting was more affordable than buying a median-priced home in 59% of the counties; in 2021, the opposite was true: Owning was more affordable than renting in 63% of U.S. counties.

Stacker compiled a list of counties in New Mexico where people spend the highest percent of income on rent using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Of course, saving money by owning a home is unattainable for many Americans who don't have savings that could cover a down payment, those who are denied a mortgage, or both. Keep reading to see where in your home state most of people's take-home pay goes to their monthly rent.

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#33. Catron County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 10.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 72.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 11.8%
- Total occupied households: 1,325
- Median household income: $41,910
- Median monthly housing cost: $363

#32. Los Alamos County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 11.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 71.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 10.6%
- Total occupied households: 7,931
- Median household income: $121,324
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,162

#31. Cibola County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 12.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 58.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 17.4%
- Total occupied households: 8,708
- Median household income: $39,413
- Median monthly housing cost: $407

#30. Hidalgo County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 12.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.1%
- Total occupied households: 1,679
- Median household income: $42,526
- Median monthly housing cost: $450

#29. Socorro County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 13.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 58.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.9%
- Total occupied households: 4,520
- Median household income: $42,083
- Median monthly housing cost: $465

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#28. McKinley County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 13.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 59.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 17.5%
- Total occupied households: 20,942
- Median household income: $33,834
- Median monthly housing cost: $390

#27. Rio Arriba County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 13.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 19.1%
- Total occupied households: 12,730
- Median household income: $39,952
- Median monthly housing cost: $461

#26. Lea County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 14.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 61.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 18.4%
- Total occupied households: 22,523
- Median household income: $60,546
- Median monthly housing cost: $721

#25. Eddy County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 63.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 17.0%
- Total occupied households: 21,251
- Median household income: $65,328
- Median monthly housing cost: $825

#24. Union County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 14.8%
- Total occupied households: 1,395
- Median household income: $35,884
- Median monthly housing cost: $468

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#23. San Juan County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.4%
- Total occupied households: 43,387
- Median household income: $50,518
- Median monthly housing cost: $719

#22. Harding County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 19.4%
- Total occupied households: 211
- Median household income: $29,375
- Median monthly housing cost: $422

#21. Lincoln County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.3%
- Total occupied households: 7,566
- Median household income: $46,216
- Median monthly housing cost: $676

#20. Mora County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.9%
- Total occupied households: 1,713
- Median household income: $28,446
- Median monthly housing cost: $424

#19. Colfax County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.4%
- Total occupied households: 5,853
- Median household income: $36,302
- Median monthly housing cost: $544

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#18. Guadalupe County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 16.3%
- Total occupied households: 1,384
- Median household income: $24,798
- Median monthly housing cost: $374

#17. De Baca County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.0%
- Total occupied households: 672
- Median household income: $31,625
- Median monthly housing cost: $481

#16. Taos County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.8%
- Total occupied households: 12,103
- Median household income: $38,329
- Median monthly housing cost: $584

#15. Chaves County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.8%
- Total occupied households: 23,284
- Median household income: $43,359
- Median monthly housing cost: $665

#14. Grant County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.6%
- Total occupied households: 11,851
- Median household income: $37,843
- Median monthly housing cost: $606

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#13. Valencia County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.3%
- Total occupied households: 27,010
- Median household income: $48,945
- Median monthly housing cost: $785

#12. Sierra County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.8%
- Total occupied households: 5,555
- Median household income: $29,755
- Median monthly housing cost: $478

#11. Otero County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.9%
- Total occupied households: 23,634
- Median household income: $41,988
- Median monthly housing cost: $678

#10. Quay County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.9%
- Total occupied households: 3,040
- Median household income: $29,035
- Median monthly housing cost: $475

#9. Luna County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.6%
- Total occupied households: 8,904
- Median household income: $29,360
- Median monthly housing cost: $488

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#8. Santa Fe County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.2%
- Total occupied households: 61,921
- Median household income: $61,200
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,039

#7. Sandoval County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.9%
- Total occupied households: 51,001
- Median household income: $63,802
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,089

#6. Roosevelt County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.2%
- Total occupied households: 6,814
- Median household income: $42,702
- Median monthly housing cost: $738

#5. Torrance County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.8%
- Total occupied households: 5,644
- Median household income: $36,120
- Median monthly housing cost: $627

#4. San Miguel County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.1%
- Total occupied households: 11,609
- Median household income: $30,946
- Median monthly housing cost: $538

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#3. Curry County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 31.2%
- Total occupied households: 18,548
- Median household income: $45,092
- Median monthly housing cost: $787

#2. Doña Ana County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.3%
- Total occupied households: 77,842
- Median household income: $40,973
- Median monthly housing cost: $729

#1. Bernalillo County

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 43.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.2%
- Total occupied households: 267,699
- Median household income: $53,329
- Median monthly housing cost: $957

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