The Town FilesValle Vista, New Mexico
Community in Santa Fe County · population 928 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $322,600
- Household income
- $36,635
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 39.6
Valle Vista is a community of 928 people in Santa Fe County, New Mexico. The median home is worth $322,600, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 91% of New Mexico towns, more of a college town than 88% of New Mexico towns, better for retirees than 79% of New Mexico towns.
How Valle Vista 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 Valle Vista is worth $322,600, above the typical New Mexico town ($187,400). Homes cost about 8.8 times the median household income of $36,635, which is more affordable than 2% of New Mexico towns. Median rent is $923 a month. 70.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Valle Vista | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $322,600 | $187,400 |
| Median rent | $923 | $916 |
| Median household income | $36,635 | $55,614 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.8× | 3.2× |
| Homeownership | 70.0% | 80.1% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Valle Vista
| People | Valle Vista | Typical New Mexico town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.6 | 39.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.9% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.3% | 18.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.7% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 22.9% | — |
| Work from home | 0.3% | 8.3% |
| Average commute | 18.1 min | 24.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 73.0% | 82.9% |
Weather in Valle Vista
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 19.9°F. About 10.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.2 inches of snow (typical New Mexico town: 10.7 in). Expect about 41 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 153 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Valle Vista since 1950, compared with 3 for the typical New Mexico town. The strongest, an F1, struck on April 15, 1971 about 6.3 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 31 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on June 2, 2019.
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 Valle Vista itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Towns near Valle Vista
- La Cienega, NM3.1 mi · 3,885 people · home $517,100
- Agua Fria, NM5.9 mi · 2,913 people · home $270,400
- Tres Arroyos, NM6.7 mi · 2,123 people · home $678,500
- Santa Fe, NM6.9 mi · 87,505 people · home $444,900
- Sunlit Hills, NM7.8 mi · 736 people · home $1,001,300
- Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM8.0 mi · 6,005 people · home $591,900
- Las Campanas, NM9.1 mi · 1,460 people · home $1,545,800
- Santa Fe Foothills, NM9.5 mi · 1,074 people · home $1,172,000
Valle Vista questions
Is Valle Vista, New Mexico a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Valle Vista scores better for retirees than 79% of New Mexico towns and quieter than 46%. 11.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.6).
How much does a house cost in Valle Vista?
The median owner-occupied home in Valle Vista is valued at $322,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $36,635, so homes cost about 8.8 times income. Median rent is $923 a month.
What is the weather like in Valle Vista?
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 19.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.7 inches of precipitation a year and 20.2 inches of snow.
Does Valle Vista get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Valle Vista 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)