Median Income
$61,083
household / year
Median Home Value
$171,300
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$940
gross / month
Cost of Living
93
national avg = 100

Is Happy Valley, NM a Good Place to Live?

Happy Valley is a small town of 629 in New Mexico, with a median household income of $61,083 and a 23.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.

Strengths: Happy Valley stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Happy Valley is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Happy Valley city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 93.4

Happy Valley's overall cost of living index is 93.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Happy Valley costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.

Metric Happy Valley, NM National Avg
Median Home Value $171,300 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $940 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 78.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $61,083 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Happy Valley's violent crime rate is 501.2 per 100,000 residents — 32% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
501.2 /100k
Property Crime
2612.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric Happy Valley, NM National Avg
School District N/A —
Elementary Schools N/A —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio N/A 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 7.6% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 85.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Happy Valley sees average highs of 58.3°F in January and 95.4°F in July, with 13.7 inches of annual precipitation and 2.7 inches of snow per year.

MetricHappy Valley, NM
Average High — January58.3°F
Average High — July95.4°F
Annual Precipitation13.7"
Annual Snowfall2.7"

Demographics

MetricHappy Valley, NMNational Avg
Population629—
Median Age45.338.9
Unemployment Rate23.0%3.7%
Avg Commute Time25.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)85.7%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino11.1%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 187.8%22.2%
65 and over12.9%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Carlsbad, NM 3 mi La Huerta, NM 4 mi Livingston Wheeler, NM 6 mi Loving, NM 15 mi Whites City, NM 18 mi

Happy Valley vs Other Cities

Happy Valley, NM vs Carlsbad, NM Happy Valley, NM vs La Huerta, NM Happy Valley, NM vs Livingston Wheeler, NM Happy Valley, NM vs Loving, NM Happy Valley, NM vs Whites City, NM

Frequently Asked Questions

Happy Valley's cost of living index is 93, where 100 is the national average. That makes Happy Valley roughly 7% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $171,300 and median rent is $940/month.
Happy Valley's violent crime rate is 501.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2612.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Happy Valley, NM has a population of 629, a median household income of $61,083, and an unemployment rate of 23.0%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Happy Valley averages 58.3°F in January and 95.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 13.7 inches with about 2.7 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Happy Valley, New Mexico is 629 with a median age of 45.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Happy Valley: cost of living index 93 (100 = US average), median home $171,300, median household income $61,083, crime index 129 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Happy Valley side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.