The Town FilesLos Alamos, New Mexico
Community in Los Alamos County · population 13,179 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $501,800
- Household income
- $141,018
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 38.8
Los Alamos is a community of 13,179 people in Los Alamos County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $501,800, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks more upscale than 99% of New Mexico towns, better for cycling than 99% of New Mexico towns, better transit than 97% of New Mexico towns.
How Los Alamos 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 Los Alamos is worth $501,800, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $141,018, which is more affordable than 40% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $1,359 a month. 66.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Los Alamos | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $501,800 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | $1,359 | $916 |
| Median household income | $141,018 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 66.5% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.9% | — |
Who lives in Los Alamos
| People | Los Alamos | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 69.8% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.1% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 6.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.5% | — |
| Work from home | 16.8% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 12.4 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.5% | 82.9% |
Weather in Los Alamos
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 42.1 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
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Los Alamos since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 10, 1961.
Severe weather in Los Alamos County since 1996
Los Alamos County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| October 29, 2013 | Flood | DR-4152: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| August 24, 2012 | Flood | DR-4079: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Los Alamos County
Los Alamos County had 22,697 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $113,944 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Los Alamos itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.
Public schools in Los Alamos
6 public schools with 3,069 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOS ALAMOS HIGH | 10-12 | 864 | 13.7 |
| LOS ALAMOS MIDDLE | 7-8 | 592 | 11.6 |
| ASPEN ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 444 | 12.0 |
| MOUNTAIN ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 443 | 13.4 |
| BARRANCA MESA ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 422 | 12.4 |
| TOPPER FRESHMAN ACADEMY | 9-9 | 304 | 17.9 |
Towns near Los Alamos
- White Rock, NM7.5 mi · 5,852 people · home $500,700
- San Ildefonso Pueblo, NM9.0 mi · 624 people · home $190,900
- El Rancho, NM11.4 mi · 1,120 people · home $281,400
- Santa Clara Pueblo, NM11.8 mi · 930 people · home $123,900
- La Mesilla, NM13.1 mi · 1,844 people · home $315,800
- Española, NM14.5 mi · 10,526 people · home $210,800
- San Jose, NM14.5 mi · 670 people · home $254,900
- Hernandez, NM14.8 mi · 756 people · home $148,200
Los Alamos questions
Is Los Alamos, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Los Alamos scores better for retirees than 87% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 36%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.8).
How much does a house cost in Los Alamos?
The median owner-occupied home in Los Alamos is valued at $501,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $141,018, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,359 a month.
What is the weather like in Los Alamos?
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 42.1 inches of snow.
Does Los Alamos get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Los Alamos in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)