Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety24#698/924
Economy76#224/925
Housing14#800/925
Health82#167/925
Healthcare80#186/923
Environment91#86/917
Education83#162/925
Infrastructure70#275/925
Community68#300/925
Leisure & amenities83#156/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Santa Fe, NM metro area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · low4.2 µg/m³
98/100New Mexico 5.9 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyAggregated from counties
Frequent mental distress · low15.0%
98/100New Mexico 17.5%United States 18.6%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Adult obesity · low25.9%
98/100New Mexico 35.6%United States 38.2%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Mental health providers · high830 /100k
97/100New Mexico 480 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Adult smoking · low10.4%
97/100New Mexico 15.0%United States 16.1%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Preventable hospital stays · low1,349 /100k
97/100New Mexico 2,042 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Drug overdose deaths · high67.3 /100k
0/100New Mexico 46.4 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Home price to income ratio · high5.6×
9/100New Mexico 3.9×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
Income inequality (Gini index) · high0.487
12/100New Mexico 0.477United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
Cost of buying a home today · high42.5%
12/100New Mexico 33.6%United States 34.1%Aug 2026Zillow Research
Severe housing problems · high17.9%
13/100New Mexico 16.5%United States 16.8%2017-2021University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Drought exposure · high82%
13/100New Mexico 84%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAAAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Drought exposureImproving
100% (2021) → 82% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
−18 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Child care cost burdenWorsening
22.8% (2020 & 2021) → 36.7% (2023 & 2024)
+14 pts3 yearsUS 24.5% → 27.9%
Homicide rateImproving
10.9 /100k (2021) → 5.0 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−54%5 yearsUS 7.8 /100k → 4.8 /100k
Firearm deathsImproving
26.4 /100k (2021) → 12.2 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−54%5 yearsUS 14.7 /100k → 12.1 /100k
Access to exercise opportunitiesImproving
73.4% (2010 & 2021) → 83.4% (2022 & 2024)
+10 pts3 yearsUS 79.8% → 84.5%
High ozone daysImproving
2 days (2017) → 1 days (2022)
−50%5 yearsUS 9 days → 7 days

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Santa Fe, NM metro area improved on 11 of 30 measures with a comparison and declined on 8. 6 moved within the margin of error and 5 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved11

Libraries+7.9%0.5 /10k → 0.6 /10k
Weekly wage+29%$957 → $1,238
Bachelor's++5 points41.0% → 46.1%
Suicides−20%20.0 /100k → 16.0 /100k
Uninsured−1.7 points13.8% → 12.1%

Declined8

Overdose deaths+109%32.2 /100k → 67.3 /100k
Price / income+0.9×4.8× → 5.6×
Commute+1.3 min22.5 min → 23.8 min
Traffic deaths+23%11.8 /100k → 14.5 /100k
Rent burden+3.8 points47.3% → 51.0%

All 30 measures

Change of every measure of Santa Fe, NM metro area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	10.1 /10k2020	10.7 /10k2025	+5.8%	Improved	42%
Average commute time	22.5 min2015-2019	23.8 min2020-2024	+1.3 min	Declined	24%
Average weekly wage	$9572020	$1,2382025	+29%	Improved	91%
Bachelor's degree or higher	41.0%2015-2019	46.1%2020-2024	+5 points	Improved	91%
Broadband subscriptions	80.6%2015-2019	90.1%2020-2024	+9.5 points	Improved	56%
Child poverty rate	18.3%2015-2019	17.8%2020-2024	−0.6 points	Within the margin of error	29%
Distance to an airport	54 mi2020	54 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	32.2 /100k2020	67.3 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	+109%	Declined	2%
Effective property tax rate	0.52%2015-2019	0.45%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Little change	31%
Firearm deaths	14.2 /100k2020	12.2 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−14%	Improved	73%
Grocery stores	1.3 /10k2020	1.2 /10k2025	−6.1%	Declined	31%
Gyms and fitness centers	1.5 /10k2020	1.3 /10k2025	−9.8%	Declined	26%
High school diploma or higher	89.3%2015-2019	91.8%2020-2024	+2.4 points	Within the margin of error	69%
Home price to income ratio	4.8×2015-2019	5.6×2020-2024	+0.9×	Declined	16%
Homicide rate	5.2 /100k2020	5.0 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−3.8%	Little change	26%
Income adjusted for local prices	$62,8092019	$83,5032024	+33%	Improved	59%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4882015-2019	0.4872020-2024	−0.001	Within the margin of error	58%
Median household income	$61,2002015-2019	$79,0712020-2024	+29%	Improved	61%
New business applications	17.1 /1k2020	17.2 /1k2025	+0.3%	Little change	5%
Pharmacies	1.3 /10k2020	1.2 /10k2025	−6.1%	Declined	55%
Poverty rate	12.8%2015-2019	12.0%2020-2024	−0.8 points	Within the margin of error	47%
Public libraries	0.5 /10k2019	0.6 /10k2024	+7.9%	Improved	90%
Public transit commuters	1.0%2015-2019	0.8%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	59%
Rent as share of income	28.6%2015-2019	30.7%2020-2024	+2.1 points	Within the margin of error	20%
Rent-burdened households	47.3%2015-2019	51.0%2020-2024	+3.8 points	Declined	26%
Restaurants and bars	11.6 /10k2020	11.6 /10k2025	−0.1%	Little change	45%
Suicide rate	20.0 /100k2020	16.0 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−20%	Improved	87%
Traffic deaths	11.8 /100k2015-2019	14.5 /100k2020-2024	+23%	Declined	25%
Unemployment rate	7.7%2020	3.7%2025	−4 points	Improved	79%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	13.8%2015-2019	12.1%2020-2024	−1.7 points	Improved	81%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 786 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Santa Fe, NM metro area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Santa Fe, NM metro area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Santa Fe, NM metro area itself moved −0.7 points in standing on average over the same 28 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

156,105 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

70,767 households (±567)

Santa Fe, NM metro area
United States share

Under $25k15%10,407
$25k–50k18%12,629
$50k–75k15%10,776

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

70,767 households (±567)

Santa Fe, NM metro area
United States share

Own72%50,603
Rent28%20,164

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

71,640 workers (±1,315)

Santa Fe, NM metro area
United States share

Drive alone68%48,767
Carpool8.4%6,037
Public transit0.8%†592

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The 10 largest occupations in Santa Fe, NM employ 16,180 people. 6 pay a median above the US median and 4 below it.

Above the US median
Below the US median

The largest occupations in Santa Fe, NM by employment, with median annual pay and how it compares with the United States
Occupation	Jobs	Median pay	vs USCompared with the US	Concentration
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive2,410 jobs	2,410	$50,170US $47,540	+6%	3.55×
Retail Salespersons2,320 jobs	2,320	$35,960US $35,410	+2%	1.5×
Fast Food and Counter Workers1,950 jobs	1,950	$30,810US $31,200	−1%	1.27×
Waiters and Waitresses1,680 jobs	1,680	$46,640US $35,230	+32%	1.87×
General and Operations Managers1,630 jobs	1,630	$106,770US $105,770	+1%	1.17×
Home Health and Personal Care Aides1,470 jobs	1,470	$31,540US $35,800	−12%	0.86×
Cashiers1,350 jobs	1,350	$34,900US $32,880	+6%	1.1×
Stockers and Order Fillers1,180 jobs	1,180	$36,200US $37,330	−3%	1.05×
Cooks, Restaurant1,100 jobs	1,100	$37,250US $37,390	0%	1.96×
Registered Nurses1,090 jobs	1,090	$100,790US $97,550	+3%	0.81×

Look up any occupation

Search more than 800 occupations and see what they pay in Santa Fe, NM.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025-05 (all industries and ownerships) bls.gov/oes

Reference period: 2025-05. BLS publishes metro areas, states and the nation (not counties or cities), so a county or city page shows its metro area.
Pay is not adjusted for the cost of living, so a higher median does not mean more purchasing power.
BLS caps the highest wages it publishes: where a figure is shown as “or more”, the real value is at least that much.
Some occupations (teachers, performers) are published by the hour or school year and shown here as an annual figure.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Santa Fe, NM has 4,976 employer establishments, 318 for every 10,000 residents (1.28× the US rate of 248), with 48,934 paid employees at an average annual pay of $52,618. The Census Bureau also counts 17,772 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 4,976; 17,772 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 318; US 248
Paid employees: 48,934
Average annual pay: $52,618; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Santa Fe, NM by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	446	28.5	1.37×More than typical	4,090	$75,286	1,621
Restaurants and other eating places	361	23.1	1.26×More than typical	6,989	$30,565	56
Specialty trade contractors	315	20.1	1.30×More than typical	1,717	$50,511	704
Lessors of real estate	271	17.3	1.41×More than typical	709	$64,157	1,580
Construction of buildings	211	13.5	1.78×More than typical	981	$56,491	476
Full-service restaurants	174	11.1	1.45×More than typical	4,158	$33,813	22
Offices of other health practitioners	154	9.8	1.62×More than typical	443	$49,278	998
Management, scientific and technical consulting	141	9	1.34×More than typical	258	$85,236	952
Clothing and accessories stores	139	8.9	2.45×More than typical	1,000	$31,984	170
Limited-service restaurants	133	8.5	1.06×About typical	2,359	$26,348	22
Building equipment contractors	132	8.4	1.40×More than typical	687	$57,061	165
Services to buildings and dwellings	129	8.2	1.22×About typical	1,240	$34,154	754

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 156,379 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $72.4M on contracts performed in Santa Fe, NM metro area: $461 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $72.4M; −73% vs FY2025
Per resident: $461; US $1,994
Sole-source: 8.7%; US 30%
Single offer: 20%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Federal Emergency Management Agency$19.1M26%
Indian Health Service$18.4M25%
Forest Service$16.3M22%
Department of Veterans Affairs$8.7M12%
Bureau of Reclamation$4.2M5.8%
National Aeronautics and Space Administration$930.7K1.3%
Department of the Army$914.7K1.3%
Bureau of Land Management$895.2K1.2%

Top recipients

IEM INTERNATIONAL, INC.$20.6M28%
DT-TRAK CONSULTING, INC.$5.3M7.3%
A2Z MEDICAL & SAFETY SUPPLY, LLC$5.2M7.2%
CDM CONSTRUCTORS INC$4.1M5.7%
FIORE INDUSTRIES INC$3.2M4.5%

Spending by fiscal year

71.8MFY2017
46.6MFY2018
85.7MFY2019
63.7MFY2020
124.6MFY2021
255.8MFY2022
85.1MFY2023
353.3M

Top industries (NAICS)

Computer systems design and related services · 5415$22.1M31%
Support activities for forestry · 1153$9.3M13%
Employment services · 5613$6.1M8.5%
Other textile product mills · 3149$5.2M7.2%
Offices of other health practitioners · 6213$4.6M6.3%
Investigation and security services · 5616

Largest awards

POJOAQUE BASIN REGIONAL WATER SYSTEM$361.6M
CDM CONSTRUCTORS INC· Santa Fe County, NM· Construction & real property· Feb 21, 2017 – Sep 4, 2026· INR17PC00023
PA-TAC V EAST ZONE - HERMITS PEAK$102.5M
FLUOR FEDERAL SERVICES INC· Santa Fe County, NM· Professional services· Jun 5, 2024 – May 19, 2026· 70FB8024F00000039
THIS REQUIREMENT IS TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL SERVICES SUPPORTING THE HERMIT PEAK CALF CANYON FIRE CLAIMS OFFICE.$94.7M
CH2M HILL - CDM PA-TAC RECOVERY SERVICES· Santa Fe County, NM· Professional services· Feb 14, 2023 – Apr 28, 2026· 70FB8023F00000034
BURIAL FLAGS

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $1.3B in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Santa Fe, NM metro area: $8,291 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $1.3B; −4.5% vs FY2025
Per resident: $8,291; US $12,955
Loan face value: $36.2M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.1%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$932.6M72%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$85.4M6.6%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$55.9M4.3%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$48.7M3.7%
93.224 · Health Center Program$20.7M1.6%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$18.5M1.4%
15.042 · Indian School Equalization$18.3M1.4%
93.600 · Head Start$17.1M1.3%

Top recipients (organizations)

PRESBYTERIAN MEDICAL SERVICES$32.6M2.5%
SANTA FE, NM
SANTA FE INDIAN SCHOOL, INC.$25M1.9%
SANTA FE, NM
CITY OF SANTA FE$17.4M1.3%
SANTA FE, NM
SANTA FE CIVIC HOUSING AUTHORITY, INC.$14.5M1.1%
SANTA FE, NM
PUEBLO OF POJOAQUE$5.3M

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$1.1B81%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$95.5M7.3%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education$36M2.8%
Department of the Interior
Health Resources and Services Administration$21.8M1.7%
Department of Health and Human Services
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing

Assistance by fiscal year

1.2BFY2021
1.1BFY2022
1.2BFY2023
1.3BFY2024
1.4BFY2025
1.3BFY2026

County aggregates

89%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Santa Fe, NM

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Santa Fe CountyCentral county65156,907

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

Santa FePrincipal city89,019

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in New Mexico

Areas based in New Mexico, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/M42140

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved11

Declined8

Metro and micro areas like Santa Fe, NM metro area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Look up any occupation

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Santa Fe, NM

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in New Mexico

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved11

Declined8

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Look up any occupation

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought