Rents are 7% below what Las Cruces'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 $1,439 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: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Las Cruces usually run 0.5% below trend in December and 0.5% above it in September, about $14 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Las Cruces is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Las Cruces changed +1.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 12 New Mexico cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.1%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Las Cruces rose 47.4% while median household income rose 28.8% ($43,022 to $55,422). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Las Cruces is 48% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($55,422) is $1,386 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,124); a 3-bedroom is $1,562.
The priciest of 4 ZIP codes in Las Cruces, 88012 ($1,765/mo), costs 1.8 times the cheapest, 88001 ($984/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Las Cruces. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Las Cruces, NM is majority owner-occupied, has a median income below the national average, 36.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Las Cruces, NM has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Las Cruces, NM has increased by $371 per month, settling near $1,439 after starting the period at $1,068. Census figures show median household income at $55,422 today, compared with $47,722 five years earlier. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 18.6 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 109,934 to 114,197 between 2021 and 2024, a 3.9% change. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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At $1,439/mo, how Las Cruces rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Las Cruces rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Las Cruces. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Las Cruces
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Las Cruces is $1,439/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $800/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,124/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,016/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,562/mo.
At 31% of local median household income ($55,422/yr), Las Cruces ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Las Cruces rent compare to other cities in New Mexico?
At $1,439/mo, rent takes ~31% of Las Cruces's median household income ($55,422/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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