La Mesa is a small town of 650 in New Mexico, with a median household income of $38,693
.
Its cost of living index is 86 (US average = 100), which is
14% below the national average.
Strengths:
La Mesa stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-).
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether La Mesa is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All La Mesa 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: 85.9
La Mesa's overall cost of living index is 85.9,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in La Mesa costs roughly 14% less than the average American city.
Metric
La Mesa, NM
National Avg
Median Home Value
$101,200
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$509
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
77.8%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$38,693
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Higher than Average
La Mesa's violent crime rate is 545.4 per 100,000 residents
— 44% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
545.4 /100k
Property Crime
3165.1 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
La Mesa is served primarily by GADSDEN.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.5:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
La Mesa, NM
National Avg
School District
GADSDEN
—
Elementary Schools
14
—
Middle Schools
3
—
High Schools
5
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.5:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
4.6%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
64.2%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
La Mesa sees average highs of 58.9°F in January
and 95.6°F in July,
with 9.8 inches of annual precipitation
and 1.0 inches of snow per year.
La Mesa's cost of living index is 86, where 100 is the national average.
That makes La Mesa roughly 14% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $101,200 and median rent is $509/month.
La Mesa's violent crime rate is 545.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3165.1 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in La Mesa are operated by GADSDEN.
The district has 14 elementary, 3 middle, and 5 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.5:1. 4.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
La Mesa, NM has a population of 650, a median household income of $38,693, and an unemployment rate of 0.0%.
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.
La Mesa averages 58.9°F in January and 95.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 9.8 inches
with about 1.0 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
La Mesa, NM is covered by 1 ZIP code: 88044.
The population of La Mesa, New Mexico is 650 with a median age of 62.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in La Mesa: cost of living index 86 (100 = US average), median home $101,200, median household income $38,693, crime index 146 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare La Mesa side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.