Ponderosa is a small town of 160 in New Mexico, with a median household income of $55,625
.
Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is
7% below the national average.
Strengths:
Ponderosa stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Ponderosa is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Ponderosa 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: 93.0
Ponderosa's overall cost of living index is 93.0,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Ponderosa costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.
Metric
Ponderosa, NM
National Avg
Median Home Value
$157,100
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
N/A
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
100.0%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$55,625
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Ponderosa's violent crime rate is 288.2 per 100,000 residents
— 24% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
288.2 /100k
Property Crime
1134.6 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Ponderosa, 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
22.5%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
95.0%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Ponderosa sees average highs of 47.6°F in January
and 88.6°F in July,
with 15.3 inches of annual precipitation
and 22.8 inches of snow per year.
Ponderosa's cost of living index is 93, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Ponderosa roughly 7% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $157,100 and median rent is N/A/month.
Ponderosa's violent crime rate is 288.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1134.6 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.
Ponderosa, NM has a population of 160, a median household income of $55,625, 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.
Ponderosa averages 47.6°F in January and 88.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 15.3 inches
with about 22.8 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Ponderosa, NM is covered by 1 ZIP code: 87044.
The population of Ponderosa, New Mexico is 160 with a median age of 61.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Ponderosa: cost of living index 93 (100 = US average), median home $157,100, median household income $55,625, crime index 67 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Ponderosa side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.