The Town FilesSunlit Hills, New Mexico
Community in Santa Fe County · population 736 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,001,300
- Household income
- $126,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 55.7
Sunlit Hills is a community of 736 people in Santa Fe County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $1,001,300, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks better for retirees than 100% of New Mexico towns, more upscale than 98% of New Mexico towns, hipper than 97% of New Mexico towns.
How Sunlit Hills 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 Sunlit Hills is worth $1,001,300, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 7.9 times the median household income of $126,250, which is more affordable than 4% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $1,354 a month. 78.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sunlit Hills | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,001,300 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | $1,354 | $916 |
| Median household income | $126,250 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.9× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 78.0% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.7% | — |
Who lives in Sunlit Hills
| People | Sunlit Hills | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55.7 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 30.5% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68.2% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.3% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 6.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.8% | — |
| Work from home | 20.5% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 19.3 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.2% | 82.9% |
Weather in Sunlit Hills
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 20.5°F. About 14.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.1 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 23 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sunlit Hills since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. The strongest, an F1, struck on April 15, 1971 about 5.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 9, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on May 22, 2021.
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 Sunlit Hills itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Towns near Sunlit Hills
- Santa Fe Foothills, NM2.6 mi · 1,074 people · home $1,172,000
- Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM4.8 mi · 6,005 people · home $591,900
- Santa Fe, NM5.7 mi · 87,505 people · home $444,900
- Cañoncito, NM6.2 mi · 1,003 people · home $387,900
- Agua Fria, NM7.0 mi · 2,913 people · home $270,400
- Valle Vista, NM7.8 mi · 928 people · home $322,600
- Tres Arroyos, NM8.9 mi · 2,123 people · home $678,500
- Glorieta, NM8.9 mi · 511 people · home $438,900
Sunlit Hills questions
Is Sunlit Hills, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sunlit Hills scores better for retirees than 100% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 92%. 30.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 55.7).
How much does a house cost in Sunlit Hills?
The median owner-occupied home in Sunlit Hills is valued at $1,001,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $126,250, so homes cost about 7.9 times income. Median rent is $1,354 a month.
What is the weather like in Sunlit Hills?
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 20.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 14.7 inches of precipitation a year and 28.1 inches of snow.
Does Sunlit Hills get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sunlit Hills since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on April 15, 1971. 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)