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Albuquerque, NM

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Albuquerque, NM is $1,464 per month, ranking #218 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $67,995, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 25.8% of income on housing. Rent in Albuquerque has increased 19.8% year over year. The area has a population of 919K, with 31.3% of households renting.

25.8%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$1,464
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$67,995
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$1,102
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+19.8%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
919K
Population
Census ACS
31.3%
Renters
of occupied housing
$263,500
Median Home Value
6.7%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
15.1%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$1,009
Studio
$1,185
1 Bedroom
$1,464
2 Bedroom
$2,036
3 Bedroom
$2,399
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Albuquerque, NM, a household earning the area median income of $67,995 would spend 25.8% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$58,560
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$28
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$1,102
$362 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+55.7% since 2021
$9402021$9962022$1,1442023$1,2222024$1,3312025$1,4642026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in New Mexico is $12.00/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 93.8 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Albuquerque is 15.1%, near the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$12.00/hr
Hours/Week Needed
93.8 hrs
Poverty Rate
15.1%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Albuquerque is $263,500. At a median income of $67,995, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 3.9x. 6.7% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is below the national average and suggests a tight housing market.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,845 est. mortgage
vs $1,464 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
6.7%
of housing units

Other Areas in New Mexico

Santa Fe
$1,685/mo
2BR FMR · 27.1% burden
Farmington
$1,085/mo
2BR FMR · 24.6% burden
Las Cruces
$1,042/mo
2BR FMR · 22.5% burden

Compare Albuquerque

vs Santa Fe, NMvs Farmington, NMvs Las Cruces, NM

Areas With Similar Rent to Albuquerque

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Albuquerque, NM is $1,464 per month. A studio is $1,009/mo, a 1-bedroom is $1,185/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $2,036/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $1,102/mo.

Albuquerque has a rent burden of 25.8%, meaning a household earning the median income of $67,995 would spend 25.8% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $58,560.

Albuquerque's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,464/mo is $214 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Albuquerque ranks #218 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Albuquerque without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $58,560, or a full-time hourly wage of $28/hour. The area median income is $67,995.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Albuquerque increased by 19.8% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.