The Town Files

La Villita, New Mexico

Community in Rio Arriba County · population 999 (2020 Census)

Map: where La Villita is in New MexicoLa Villita
Median home
$253,500
Household income
$104,162
Jan low / Jul high
15° / 88°
Snow a year
11 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
41.4

La Villita is a community of 999 people in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $253,500, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks more of a college town than 98% of New Mexico towns, better for families than 85% of New Mexico towns.

How La Villita 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.

La Villita lifestyle rankings vs other New Mexico townsRetirement46th pctFamilies85th pctQuiet39th pctWalkability58th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals37th pctVibrancy54th pctHip & trendy2nd pctCollege town98th pctUpscale67th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving35th 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 La Villita is worth $253,500, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $104,162, which is more affordable than 77% of New Mexico towns. 82.8% of households own their home.

La Villita vs Rio Arriba County vs typical New Mexico townLa VillitaRio Arriba CountyTypical New Mexico townHome value$253,500$243,700$187,400Household income$104,162$57,155$55,614
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New Mexico towns with 500+ people.
HousingLa VillitaTypical New Mexico town
Median home value$253,500$187,400
Median rent—$916
Median household income$104,162$55,614
Home value ÷ income2.4×3.2×
Homeownership82.8%80.1%
Median year built19941984
Seasonal / vacation homes7.5%—

Who lives in La Villita

PeopleLa VillitaTypical New Mexico town
Median age41.439.9
Age 65 and over18.1%19.1%
Under 1830.2%—
Bachelor's degree or higher23.1%18.7%
Below the poverty line4.7%18.0%
Veterans12.0%—
Born outside the U.S.5.3%—
Work from home0.0%8.3%
Average commute29.7 min24.4 min
Homes with broadband100.0%82.9%

Weather in La Villita

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.

La Villita 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 (0.7 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

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

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 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 La Villita itself the ACS puts it at 0%.

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).

Public schools in La Villita

1 public school with 160 students, about 16.0 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
ALCALDE ELEMENTARYPK-616016.0

Towns near La Villita

La Villita questions

Is La Villita, New Mexico a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, La Villita scores better for retirees than 46% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 39%. 18.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.4).

How much does a house cost in La Villita?

The median owner-occupied home in La Villita is valued at $253,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $104,162, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is — a month.

What is the weather like in La Villita?

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 La Villita get tornadoes?

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

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to La Villita's Census boundary (GEOID 3540360). 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.