The Town FilesRio Rancho Estates, New Mexico
Community in Sandoval County · population 1,801 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $153,500
- Household income
- $91,635
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 8 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 46.5
Rio Rancho Estates is a community of 1,801 people in Sandoval County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $153,500, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks better for families than 92% of New Mexico towns, better for cycling than 87% of New Mexico towns, more upscale than 77% of New Mexico towns.
How Rio Rancho Estates 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 Rio Rancho Estates is worth $153,500, below the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $91,635, which is more affordable than 92% of New Mexico towns. 91.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rio Rancho Estates | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $153,500 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | — | $916 |
| Median household income | $91,635 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 91.2% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1998 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rio Rancho Estates
| People | Rio Rancho Estates | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.5 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.5% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 8.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.0% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.6% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 6.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.6% | — |
| Work from home | 13.2% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 42.6 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.3% | 82.9% |
Weather in Rio Rancho Estates
July highs average 95.5°F and January lows 23.7°F. About 9.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 8.4 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 95 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 116 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rio Rancho Estates since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on August 15, 2020 about 7.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 5, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on May 31, 2021.
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 Rio Rancho Estates itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Towns near Rio Rancho Estates
- Rio Rancho, NM5.7 mi · 104,046 people · home $310,200
- Paradise Hills, NM8.9 mi · 4,329 people · home $254,600
- Corrales, NM10.5 mi · 8,493 people · home $571,500
- Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM12.9 mi · 5,874 people · home $492,400
- North Valley, NM13.3 mi · 11,149 people · home $302,700
- Bernalillo, NM13.8 mi · 8,977 people · home $255,500
- Albuquerque, NM16.0 mi · 564,559 people · home $291,500
- Santa Ana Pueblo, NM16.4 mi · 673 people · home $150,000
Rio Rancho Estates questions
Is Rio Rancho Estates, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rio Rancho Estates scores better for retirees than 28% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 29%. 7.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.5).
How much does a house cost in Rio Rancho Estates?
The median owner-occupied home in Rio Rancho Estates is valued at $153,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $91,635, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Rio Rancho Estates?
July highs average 95.5°F and January lows 23.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 9.5 inches of precipitation a year and 8.4 inches of snow.
Does Rio Rancho Estates get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rio Rancho Estates since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on August 15, 2020. 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)