The Town FilesLa Madera, New Mexico
Community in Sandoval County · population 729 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $762,900
- Household income
- $160,417
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 29 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 60.3
La Madera is a community of 729 people in Sandoval County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $762,900, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks better for retirees than 98% of New Mexico towns, quieter than 96% of New Mexico towns, more upscale than 95% of New Mexico towns.
How La Madera 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 La Madera is worth $762,900, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 4.8 times the median household income of $160,417, which is more affordable than 16% of New Mexico towns. 90.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | La Madera | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $762,900 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | — | $916 |
| Median household income | $160,417 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.8× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 90.7% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 2005 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in La Madera
| People | La Madera | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 60.3 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 40.8% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 3.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 75.9% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.4% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 16.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.2% | — |
| Work from home | 24.4% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 44.5 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 82.9% |
Weather in La Madera
July highs average 91.1°F and January lows 23.9°F. About 10.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.6 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 62 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 118 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of La Madera since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 20, 1956 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 18, 2009.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 12, 2025.
Severe weather in Sandoval County since 1996
Sandoval County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 26, 2026 | Flood | EM-3660: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| May 4, 2022 | Fire | DR-4652: Wildfires, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Mudflows, And Debris Flows |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4529: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3460: Covid-19 |
| June 15, 2017 | Fire | FM-5184: El Cajete Fire |
Jobs and pay in Sandoval County
Sandoval County had 35,653 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,474 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in La Madera itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near La Madera
- Paa-Ko, NM2.4 mi · 818 people · home $714,700
- San Antonito, NM5.4 mi · 989 people · home $370,700
- Sandia Knolls, NM5.5 mi · 1,252 people · home $293,900
- Placitas, NM8.6 mi · 5,041 people · home $562,100
- Cedar Crest, NM8.7 mi · 933 people · home $248,400
- Edgewood, NM9.6 mi · 6,174 people · home $306,400
- Sandia Heights, NM9.7 mi · 3,273 people · home $670,100
- Cedar Grove, NM10.2 mi · 549 people · home $185,000
La Madera questions
Is La Madera, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, La Madera scores better for retirees than 98% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 96%. 40.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 60.3).
How much does a house cost in La Madera?
The median owner-occupied home in La Madera is valued at $762,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $160,417, so homes cost about 4.8 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in La Madera?
July highs average 91.1°F and January lows 23.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.9 inches of precipitation a year and 28.6 inches of snow.
Does La Madera get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of La Madera since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 20, 1956. 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)