Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Las Cruces, NM?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.1% of gross income.
Las Cruces rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Mexico state estimate).
About rent and a registered nurse salary
Rent is the single largest fixed cost most renters carry, and the rent-to-income ratio is the simplest measure of whether a city is livable on a given salary. For renters earning a typical registered-nurse income, the 30% rule supports about $2,360 a month in rent. That margin covers comfortable one-bedroom rent in the vast majority of US metros but tightens significantly in the highest-rent coastal cities, where rent can claim 40% or more of an RN paycheck. The per-city pages below show the local rent, the local nurse-pay estimate, and where that combination sits on the affordability scale.
Cheaper rent nearby
These New Mexico cities have lower median rent than Las Cruces, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
Compare with full rent data for Las Cruces
View full rent data for Las Cruces, NM →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Las Cruces, NM?
Median rent in Las Cruces is $1,424 a month. A typical registered nurse in New Mexico earns about $85,032 a year, which makes that rent 20.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Las Cruces?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in New Mexico (~$85,032/yr) supports up to $2,126 a month in rent. Las Cruces's current median rent is $1,424/mo, which leaves a $702/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Las Cruces?
At an hourly equivalent of about $41 an hour, a registered nurse in New Mexico works roughly 34.8 hours a month to cover Las Cruces's median rent of $1,424.
Where is rent cheaper than Las Cruces for a registered nurse?
Nearby New Mexico cities with lower median rent include Hobbs ($1,400/mo), Roswell ($1,399/mo), Hobbs ($1,398/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.