The Town FilesEl Rancho, New Mexico
Community in Santa Fe County · population 1,120 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $281,400
- Household income
- $80,417
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 26 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 39.1
El Rancho is a community of 1,120 people in Santa Fe County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $281,400, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks better for a vacation home than 87% of New Mexico towns, easier by car than 83% of New Mexico towns, better for young professionals than 76% of New Mexico towns.
How El Rancho 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.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in El Rancho is worth $281,400, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $80,417, which is more affordable than 43% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $1,070 a month. 77.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | El Rancho | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $281,400 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | $1,070 | $916 |
| Median household income | $80,417 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 77.8% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in El Rancho
| People | El Rancho | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.1 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.8% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 25.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.7% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.6% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 7.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.8% | — |
| Work from home | 7.4% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 28.8 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.6% | 82.9% |
Weather in El Rancho
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 20.5°F. About 17.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.0 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 150 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of El Rancho since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. The strongest, an F1, struck on December 26, 1966 about 5.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 26, 1966.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 20, 1990.
Severe weather in Santa Fe County since 1996
Santa Fe County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4529: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3460: Covid-19 |
| October 29, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4199: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| October 29, 2013 | Flood | DR-4152: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3229: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Santa Fe County
Santa Fe County had 61,826 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,218 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in El Rancho itself the ACS puts it at 0.9%.
Towns near El Rancho
- San Ildefonso Pueblo, NM2.5 mi · 624 people · home $190,900
- La Mesilla, NM3.6 mi · 1,844 people · home $315,800
- Pojoaque, NM4.2 mi · 2,071 people · home $165,600
- Cuyamungue, NM4.7 mi · 534 people · home $364,100
- El Valle de Arroyo Seco, NM5.3 mi · 1,431 people · home —
- Santa Clara Pueblo, NM5.5 mi · 930 people · home $123,900
- Nambe, NM6.7 mi · 1,907 people · home $301,500
- Española, NM7.7 mi · 10,526 people · home $210,800
El Rancho questions
Is El Rancho, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, El Rancho scores better for retirees than 56% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 44%. 19.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.1).
How much does a house cost in El Rancho?
The median owner-occupied home in El Rancho is valued at $281,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,417, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,070 a month.
What is the weather like in El Rancho?
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 20.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.5 inches of precipitation a year and 26.0 inches of snow.
Does El Rancho get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of El Rancho since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on December 26, 1966. The typical New Mexico town has had 3.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)