Rio Rancho receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Rio Rancho
Los Lunas
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 16%
vs28 · Bottom 5%
Growth
56 · Top 40%
vs73 · Top 13%
Climate
71 · Top 45%
vs71 · Top 45%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 44%
vs9 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs79 · Bottom 47%
Access
93 · Top 45%
vs89 · Bottom 38%
Economic stability
65 · Top 41%
vs34 · Bottom 11%
Measured values
| Metric | Rio Rancho | Los Lunas | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 108,515 | 18,618 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $89,596 | $62,330 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,278 | $29,070 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,050/sq mi | 914/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $310,200 | $262,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,514 | $1,110 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.2% | 76.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.5% | -3.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.0% | 25.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.4% | 18.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 814 | 271 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.5 | 14.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -40.3% | 5.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 8.8" | 8.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.1 min | 27.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.5 | 38.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.29 | 18.10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 91.6% | 100.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Rio Rancho
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Los Lunas
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Rio Rancho
68
Your Score
63
Area Score
Los Lunas
55
Your Score
49
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Rio Rancho, NM · Los Lunas, NM · How this is calculated: methodology