Median Income
$88,253
household / year
Median Home Value
$282,100
owner-occupied
Median Rent
N/A
gross / month
Cost of Living
93
national avg = 100

Is Ponderosa Pine, NM a Good Place to Live?

Ponderosa Pine is a small town of 1,246 in New Mexico, with a median household income of $88,253 and a 11.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is 7% below the national average.

Strengths: Ponderosa Pine stands out for an affordable cost of living, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Ponderosa Pine is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Ponderosa Pine 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 Pine's overall cost of living index is 93.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Ponderosa Pine costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.

Metric Ponderosa Pine, NM National Avg
Median Home Value $282,100 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent N/A $1,163
Homeownership Rate 93.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $88,253 $74,755

Crime & Safety

High Crime

Ponderosa Pine's violent crime rate is 1086.7 per 100,000 residents — 186% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
1086.7 /100k
Property Crime
4138.6 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Ponderosa Pine is served primarily by ALBUQUERQUE. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Ponderosa Pine, NM National Avg
School District ALBUQUERQUE —
Elementary Schools 99 —
Middle Schools 29 —
High Schools 38 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 12.1:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 57.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 97.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Ponderosa Pine sees average highs of 45.2°F in January and 88.7°F in July, with 17.3 inches of annual precipitation and 23.7 inches of snow per year.

MetricPonderosa Pine, NM
Average High — January45.2°F
Average High — July88.7°F
Annual Precipitation17.3"
Annual Snowfall23.7"

Demographics

MetricPonderosa Pine, NMNational Avg
Population1,246—
Median Age56.038.9
Unemployment Rate11.4%3.7%
Avg Commute Time36.4 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)89.7%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino5.1%18.9%
Asian0.8%6.3%
Under 1814.6%22.2%
65 and over25.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Ponderosa Pine

Ponderosa Pine, NM is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Ponderosa Pine vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Ponderosa Pine's cost of living index is 93, where 100 is the national average. That makes Ponderosa Pine roughly 7% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $282,100 and median rent is N/A/month.
Ponderosa Pine's violent crime rate is 1086.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 4138.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Ponderosa Pine are operated by ALBUQUERQUE. The district has 99 elementary, 29 middle, and 38 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.1:1. 57.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Ponderosa Pine, NM has a population of 1,246, a median household income of $88,253, and an unemployment rate of 11.4%. 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 Pine averages 45.2°F in January and 88.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 17.3 inches with about 23.7 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Ponderosa Pine, NM is covered by 1 ZIP code: 87059.
The population of Ponderosa Pine, New Mexico is 1,246 with a median age of 56.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Ponderosa Pine: cost of living index 93 (100 = US average), median home $282,100, median household income $88,253, crime index 250 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Ponderosa Pine side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.