Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Albuquerque, NM

    Is Albuquerque a good place to live?

    Watch Albuquerque

    Albuquerque ranks #4 of 11 New Mexico cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (53/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.0% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $266,700
    +8.4% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,085
    per month
    Household income
    $65,604
    median
    Unemployment
    5.3%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Albuquerque

    The median home value in Albuquerque is $266,700 and median rent is $1,085 a month, against a median household income of $65,604. Homes cost about 4.1× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Albuquerque crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across New Mexico the 2025 rate was 648 violent and 2,351 property crimes per 100,000 people — #1 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Albuquerque, NM

    Albuquerque has about 562,488 residents, 5.3% unemployment and 21% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Albuquerque with

    Albuquerque vs Las CrucesAlbuquerque vs Rio RanchoAlbuquerque vs Santa FeAlbuquerque vs RoswellAlbuquerque vs FarmingtonAlbuquerque vs HobbsAlbuquerque vs ClovisAlbuquerque vs South Valley

    More: Where to move in New Mexico · Best counties in New Mexico

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report