The Town Files

Chamita, New Mexico

Community in Rio Arriba County · population 1,005 (2020 Census)

Map: where Chamita is in New MexicoChamita
Median home
$222,300
Household income
$68,472
Jan low / Jul high
15° / 88°
Snow a year
11 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
38.9

Chamita is a community of 1,005 people in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $222,300, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks better for young professionals than 79% of New Mexico towns, better transit than 79% of New Mexico towns, more vibrant than 78% of New Mexico towns.

How Chamita ranks

Percentile among New Mexico towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Mexico towns.

Chamita lifestyle rankings vs other New Mexico townsRetirement33rd pctFamilies17th pctQuiet31st pctWalkability76th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals79th pctVibrancy78th pctHip & trendy62nd pctCollege town76th pctUpscale36th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit79th pctDriving76th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Chamita is worth $222,300, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $68,472, which is more affordable than 54% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $938 a month. 85.8% of households own their home.

Chamita vs Rio Arriba County vs typical New Mexico townChamitaRio Arriba CountyTypical New Mexico townHome value$222,300$243,700$187,400Household income$68,472$57,155$55,614Monthly rent$938$740$916
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New Mexico towns with 500+ people.
HousingChamitaTypical New Mexico town
Median home value$222,300$187,400
Median rent$938$916
Median household income$68,472$55,614
Home value ÷ income3.2×3.2×
Homeownership85.8%80.1%
Median year built19831984
Seasonal / vacation homes2.1%—

Who lives in Chamita

PeopleChamitaTypical New Mexico town
Median age38.939.9
Age 65 and over20.9%19.1%
Under 1825.5%—
Bachelor's degree or higher12.2%18.7%
Below the poverty line19.8%18.0%
Veterans8.0%—
Born outside the U.S.5.7%—
Work from home16.3%8.3%
Average commute24.2 min24.4 min
Homes with broadband70.1%82.9%

Weather in Chamita

July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 15.3°F. About 11.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.7 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 41 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 182 nights at or below freezing.

Chamita monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing45°15°Jan51°20°Feb60°25°Mar67°32°Apr76°40°May86°48°Jun88°55°Jul86°54°Aug80°45°Sep69°32°Oct55°22°Nov45°15°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue0.52.20.41.50.71.40.70.30.80.81.61.81.31.10.60.71.40.73.3
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Alcalde station (2.5 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Chamita since 1950.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on June 5, 1978.

Severe weather in Rio Arriba County since 1996

Storm events in Rio Arriba County since 1996 by typeHail34Flood2Drought366Wildfire17High Wind32Lightning7Heavy Rain2Heavy Snow155
NOAA Storm Events Database, Rio Arriba County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 3 deaths recorded.

Rio Arriba County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
October 26, 2026FloodEM-3660: Severe Storms And Flooding
June 20, 2024FireDR-4795: South Fork Fire, Salt Fire, And Flooding
April 5, 2020BiologicalDR-4529: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3460: Covid-19
October 6, 2014Severe StormDR-4197: Severe Storms And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Rio Arriba County

Rio Arriba County had 9,291 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,908 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Chamita itself the ACS puts it at 7.7%.

Largest industries in Rio Arriba CountyHealth care & social assistan…1,300 jobs · $63,906Retail1,010 jobs · $32,605Hotels & restaurants897 jobs · $26,287Other services307 jobs · $50,625Construction298 jobs · $68,384Administrative & support273 jobs · $72,317
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Rio Arriba County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Rio Arriba 3.4%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Chamita

Chamita questions

Is Chamita, New Mexico a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chamita scores better for retirees than 33% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 31%. 20.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.9).

How much does a house cost in Chamita?

The median owner-occupied home in Chamita is valued at $222,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,472, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $938 a month.

What is the weather like in Chamita?

July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 15.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.1 inches of precipitation a year and 10.7 inches of snow.

Does Chamita get tornadoes?

No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Chamita in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Chamita's Census boundary (GEOID 3514180). Comparisons use the median of New Mexico towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.