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Santa Fe, NM

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Santa Fe, NM is $1,685 per month, ranking #151 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $74,689, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 27.1% of income on housing. Rent in Santa Fe has increased 9.8% year over year. The area has a population of 155K, with 29.4% of households renting.

27.1%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$1,685
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$74,689
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$1,318
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+9.8%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
155K
Population
Census ACS
29.4%
Renters
of occupied housing
$416,900
Median Home Value
10.7%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
12.5%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$1,259
Studio
$1,390
1 Bedroom
$1,685
2 Bedroom
$2,122
3 Bedroom
$2,231
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 Santa Fe, NM, a household earning the area median income of $74,689 would spend 27.1% 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
$67,400
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$32
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$1,318
$367 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+57.3% since 2021
$1,0712021$1,1132022$1,2492023$1,5352024$1,6272025$1,6852026

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 108 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 Santa Fe is 12.5%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$12.00/hr
Hours/Week Needed
108 hrs
Poverty Rate
12.5%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Santa Fe is $416,900. At a median income of $74,689, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 5.6x. 10.7% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is near the national average.

Rent vs. Buy
$2,918 est. mortgage
vs $1,685 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
10.7%
of housing units

Other Areas in New Mexico

Albuquerque
$1,464/mo
2BR FMR · 25.8% burden
Farmington
$1,085/mo
2BR FMR · 24.6% burden
Las Cruces
$1,042/mo
2BR FMR · 22.5% burden

Compare Santa Fe

vs Albuquerque, NMvs Farmington, NMvs Las Cruces, NM

Areas With Similar Rent to Santa Fe

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Santa Fe, NM is $1,685 per month. A studio is $1,259/mo, a 1-bedroom is $1,390/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $2,122/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $1,318/mo.

Santa Fe has a rent burden of 27.1%, meaning a household earning the median income of $74,689 would spend 27.1% 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 $67,400.

Santa Fe's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,685/mo is $435 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Santa Fe ranks #151 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Santa Fe without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $67,400, or a full-time hourly wage of $32/hour. The area median income is $74,689.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Santa Fe increased by 9.8% 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.