La Plata is a small town of 2,063 in New Mexico, with a median household income of $53,056
and a 8.5% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 94 (US average = 100), which is
6% below the national average.
Strengths:
La Plata 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 La Plata is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All La Plata 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: 94.4
La Plata's overall cost of living index is 94.4,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in La Plata costs roughly 6% less than the average American city.
Metric
La Plata, NM
National Avg
Median Home Value
$169,900
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,076
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
87.2%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$53,056
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Near National Average
La Plata's violent crime rate is 612.3 per 100,000 residents
— 61% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
612.3 /100k
Property Crime
1406.9 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
La Plata, 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
16.9%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
85.0%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
La Plata sees average highs of 43.0°F in January
and 93.3°F in July,
with 7.8 inches of annual precipitation
and 10.9 inches of snow per year.
La Plata's cost of living index is 94, where 100 is the national average.
That makes La Plata roughly 6% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $169,900 and median rent is $1,076/month.
La Plata's violent crime rate is 612.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1406.9 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.
La Plata, NM has a population of 2,063, a median household income of $53,056, and an unemployment rate of 8.5%.
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 Plata averages 43.0°F in January and 93.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 7.8 inches
with about 10.9 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
La Plata, NM is covered by 1 ZIP code: 87418.
The population of La Plata, New Mexico is 2,063 with a median age of 45.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in La Plata: cost of living index 94 (100 = US average), median home $169,900, median household income $53,056, crime index 123 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare La Plata side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.