Is North Valley, NM a Good Place to Live?
North Valley is a small city of 11,256 in New Mexico, with a median household income of $59,421 and a 4.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.
Strengths: North Valley stands out for an affordable cost of living, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether North Valley is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All North 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: 93.0North Valley's overall cost of living index is 93.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in North Valley costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.
| Metric | North Valley, NM | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $278,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $887 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $59,421 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
High CrimeNorth Valley's violent crime rate is 1086.7 per 100,000 residents — 186% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
| Metric | North 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 | 25.7% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 90.3% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
North Valley sees average highs of 51.9°F in January and 94.9°F in July, with 10.7 inches of annual precipitation and 12.1 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | North Valley, NM |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 51.9°F |
| Average High — July | 94.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 12.1" |
Demographics
| Metric | North Valley, NM | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,256 | — |
| Median Age | 45.6 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 23.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 67.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 2.9% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 24.8% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 21.1% | 16.8% |