Median Income
$33,676
household / year
Median Home Value
$216,700
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$583
gross / month
Cost of Living
91
national avg = 100

Is Santa Cruz, NM a Good Place to Live?

Santa Cruz is a small town of 219 in New Mexico, with a median household income of $33,676 and a 9.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 91 (US average = 100), which is 9% below the national average.

Strengths: Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Santa Cruz 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: 90.7

Santa Cruz's overall cost of living index is 90.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Santa Cruz costs roughly 9% less than the average American city.

Metric Santa Cruz, NM National Avg
Median Home Value $216,700 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $583 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 20.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $33,676 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Higher than Average

Santa Cruz's violent crime rate is 607.2 per 100,000 residents — 60% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
607.2 /100k
Property Crime
3434.5 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Metric Santa Cruz, 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 7.4% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 79.3% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Santa Cruz sees average highs of 48.4°F in January and 91.3°F in July, with 10.8 inches of annual precipitation and 10.7 inches of snow per year.

MetricSanta Cruz, NM
Average High — January48.4°F
Average High — July91.3°F
Annual Precipitation10.8"
Annual Snowfall10.7"

Demographics

MetricSanta Cruz, NMNational Avg
Population219—
Median Age31.338.9
Unemployment Rate9.0%3.7%
Avg Commute Time21.6 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)28.8%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino69.4%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1823.7%22.2%
65 and over11.9%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Cuartelez, NM 1 mi Sombrillo, NM 1 mi La Puebla, NM 2 mi Española, NM 2 mi El Valle de Arroyo Seco, NM 3 mi

Santa Cruz vs Other Cities

Santa Cruz, NM vs Cuartelez, NM Santa Cruz, NM vs Sombrillo, NM Santa Cruz, NM vs La Puebla, NM Santa Cruz, NM vs Española, NM Santa Cruz, NM vs El Valle de Arroyo Seco, NM

Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Cruz's cost of living index is 91, where 100 is the national average. That makes Santa Cruz roughly 9% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $216,700 and median rent is $583/month.
Santa Cruz's violent crime rate is 607.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3434.5 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.
Santa Cruz, NM has a population of 219, a median household income of $33,676, and an unemployment rate of 9.0%. 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.
Santa Cruz averages 48.4°F in January and 91.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 10.8 inches with about 10.7 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Santa Cruz, New Mexico is 219 with a median age of 31.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Santa Cruz: cost of living index 91 (100 = US average), median home $216,700, median household income $33,676, crime index 161 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Santa Cruz side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.