Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Santa Fe, NM

    Is Santa Fe a good place to live?

    Watch Santa Fe

    Santa Fe ranks #3 of 11 New Mexico cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (65/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 0.7% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $411,500
    +11.0% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,380
    per month
    Household income
    $70,110
    median
    Unemployment
    5.1%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Santa Fe

    The median home value in Santa Fe is $411,500 and median rent is $1,380 a month, against a median household income of $70,110. Homes cost about 5.9× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe, NM

    Santa Fe has about 88,224 residents, 5.1% unemployment and 22% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Santa Fe with

    Santa Fe vs AlbuquerqueSanta Fe vs Las CrucesSanta Fe vs Rio RanchoSanta Fe vs RoswellSanta Fe vs FarmingtonSanta Fe vs HobbsSanta Fe vs ClovisSanta Fe 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