Rents are 8% below what Albuquerque's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,473 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: August 17, 2026
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Who lives here
Albuquerque, NM is majority owner-occupied, 39.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Albuquerque, NM has changed in 5 years
Rent in Albuquerque, NM has increased 34.6% since 2021, going from about $1,094 per month to roughly $1,473 today. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $56,366 in 2021 to $68,317 more recently. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 13.4 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. About 38.2% of households rent today, against 39.9% in 2021. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Albuquerque, NM market of 2021.
Discussions about Albuquerque
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Can you afford rent in Albuquerque on your salary?
At $1,473/mo, how Albuquerque rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Albuquerque rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Albuquerque. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Albuquerque
Last updated: August 17, 2026
The median rent in Albuquerque is $1,473/mo as of August 2026. A studio apartment averages $949/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,383/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,128/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,939/mo.
At 26% of local median household income ($68,317/yr), Albuquerque ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.4% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
Is Albuquerque an affordable city for renters?
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Which Albuquerque neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Albuquerque rent compare to other cities in New Mexico?
What percentage of Albuquerque residents rent vs. own?
How does Albuquerque rent compare to the national average?
At $1,473/mo, rent takes ~26% of Albuquerque's median household income ($68,317/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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