Rent Affordability for An Elementary School Teacher in New Mexico
A typical elementary school teacher in New Mexico earns about $60,372 a year, which supports approximately $1,509 a month in rent under the 30% rule. Below, every tracked New Mexico city is ranked by how local rent compares against that affordability ceiling.
As of May 2026. 7 of 17 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 10 are rent-burdened on this salary.
| City↕ | Median rent↕ | % of income↑ | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portales, NM | $1,008/mo | 20% | affordable |
| Roswell, NM | $1,263/mo | 25.1% | affordable |
| Clovis, NM | $1,315/mo | 26.1% | affordable |
| Silver City, NM | $1,371/mo | 27.3% | affordable |
| Las Cruces, NM | $1,439/mo | 28.6% | affordable |
| Albuquerque, NM | $1,452/mo | 28.9% | affordable |
| Hobbs, NM | $1,484/mo | 29.5% | affordable |
| Farmington, NM | $1,535/mo | 30.5% | stretched |
| Alamogordo, NM | $1,533/mo | 30.5% | stretched |
| Artesia, NM | $1,550/mo | 30.8% | stretched |
| Carlsbad, NM | $1,596/mo | 31.7% | stretched |
| Santa Teresa, NM | $1,684/mo | 33.5% | stretched |
| Ruidoso, NM | $1,700/mo | 33.8% | stretched |
| Rio Rancho, NM | $1,867/mo | 37.1% | stretched |
| Santa Fe, NM | $1,956/mo | 38.9% | stretched |
| Los Lunas, NM | $2,040/mo | 40.5% | rent-burdened |
| Los Alamos, NM | $2,554/mo | 50.8% | severely rent-burdened |