Can A Paramedic Afford Rent in Santa Teresa, NM?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 40.1% of gross income.

Santa Teresa rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Mexico state estimate).

Santa Teresa median rent
$1,598/mo
Paramedic salary (New Mexico)
$47,862/yr
Rent as % of income
40.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,989, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,197/mo in rent. Santa Teresa's median rent of $1,598 exceeds that threshold by $401/mo, putting a paramedic salary into the rent-burdened range here. A paramedic works roughly 69.4 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a paramedic salary

Paramedic and EMT base pay sits modestly below the US median household income and is often supplemented by overtime. At the national-average paramedic salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,330 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

These New Mexico cities have lower median rent than Santa Teresa, which improves the affordability math on a paramedic salary:

Carlsbad, NM
$1,578/mo (39.6% of income)
Carlsbad, NM
$1,568/mo (39.3% of income)
Carlsbad, NM
$1,556/mo (39% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Santa Teresa

View full rent data for Santa Teresa, NM

Frequently asked questions

Can a paramedic afford rent in Santa Teresa, NM?

Median rent in Santa Teresa is $1,598 a month. A typical paramedic in New Mexico earns about $47,862 a year, which makes that rent 40.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a paramedic afford in Santa Teresa?

Using the 30% rule, a paramedic salary in New Mexico (~$47,862/yr) supports up to $1,197 a month in rent. Santa Teresa's current median rent is $1,598/mo, which is $401/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a paramedic work to cover rent in Santa Teresa?

At an hourly equivalent of about $23 an hour, a paramedic in New Mexico works roughly 69.4 hours a month to cover Santa Teresa's median rent of $1,598.

Where is rent cheaper than Santa Teresa for a paramedic?

Nearby New Mexico cities with lower median rent include Carlsbad ($1,578/mo), Carlsbad ($1,568/mo), Carlsbad ($1,556/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a paramedic salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived New Mexico state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Santa Teresa, NM. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.