CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

35.05° N · 106.56° W · GEOID 3536300

Kirtland AFB

Bernalillo County, New Mexico · part of the Albuquerque, NM metro

Limited data population under 5,000, core figures borrowed from county or metro: median_home_value

New MexicoKirtland AFB, NMKirtland AFBKirtland AFB

The short answer

Kirtland AFB is home to 3,413 people. Median household income is $84,884 a year and median rent is $1,794 a month, 25.4% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is moderate. The median home is valued at $292,900, about 3.5x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$1,794
31% above the median place
Median household income
$84,884
6% above the median place
Median home value
$292,900
8% below the median place
Unemployment
5.3%
9% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Kirtland AFB

  • The median resident is 24.4 years old, younger than in 98% of the 2,479 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 46 New Mexico places.
  • Half the homes were built after 2001, newer housing than in 91% of places its size. It is the 2nd-highest of 46 New Mexico places.
  • The median rent takes 25.4% of the median household's income, a bigger share than in 84% of places its size.
  • Household income has grown 8.3% a year across the last five survey releases, faster than in 83% of places its size.
  • 51% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, a larger share than in 81% of places its size.
01

Moving to Kirtland AFB

Bernalillo County loses about 5.3 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in22,818
Moved out25,597
Net−2,779

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Sandoval County, NM3,0334,183−1,150
Valencia County, NM1,1661,768−602
Maricopa County, AZ6701,014−344
Torrance County, NM401

Within New Mexico, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within New MexicoOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$60K
Leavers$69K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Bernalillo County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
27.2% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 21.9% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Bernalillo County report $59,600 a year in income on average; those leaving, $68,900, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$71,800 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,794 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,615 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $292,900.
Getting to work
9 minutes each way on average; 14.9% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Newark, DE matches it on character. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
21.9%
above the median place (median 2.0%)
Moved here in the past year1
27.2%
373% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people7
-5.3
below the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureKirtland AFBAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year127.2%373% above
Moved from another state121.9%above (median 2.0%)
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure-5.3below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$59,63016% below
Income of households moving out7County figure$68,9392% below
02

What it costs to live here

Median year built is 2001, 1% above the median place.

Kirtland AFB25.4%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$71,760
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
25.4%
25% above the median place
Home price to income
3.5x
9% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
25%
just under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$65,500
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Kirtland AFB, $1,794 a month, and local prices for everything else (96.9 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Kirtland AFB, but easier on the budget

Close matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income.

PlaceRent to incomeMore left a year
Collegeville, PA18.9% vs 25.4%$8,500Compare
Nibley, UT18.5% vs 25.4%$25,400Compare
North Logan, UT22.1% vs 25.4%$6,800Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Kirtland AFB.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Kirtland AFB? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Median year built1
2001
1% above the median place
Renters paying 30%+1
40.5%
20% below the median place
Property tax rate1
0.9%
1% below the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureKirtland AFBAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,79431% above
Rent to income125.4%25% above
Property tax rate10.9%1% below
Home price to income13.5x9% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure95.55% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,38414% below
HUD area median income4County figure$100,4006% below
Property tax paid (median)1County figure$2,62919% below
Median home value1County figure$292,9008% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure2.9%8% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure53.0%3% above
Homeownership1County figure64.5%3% below
Renters paying 30%+140.5%20% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1County figure$1,61514% below
Vacant homes1County figure5.7%19% below
Median year built120011% above
03

Work and pay

Mean commute is 9 min, 65% below the median place.

Mean commute1
9 min
65% below the median place
Median household income1
$84,884
6% above the median place
Income per person1
$38,472
4% below the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureKirtland AFBAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$84,8846% above
Income per person1$38,4724% below
Unemployment1County figure5.3%9% above
Average annual pay6County figure$65,8130% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure3.7%0% above
Jobs6County figure347,718131% above
Poverty rate1County figure15.2%41% above
Mean commute19 min65% below
Works from home1County figure14.9%20% above
Commutes by transit1County figure0.8%11% below
04

Who lives here

Median age is 24.4, 37% below the median place.

Median age1
24.4
37% below the median place
High school or higher1
96.3%
4% above the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
51.2%
60% above the median place
All 8 people measures
MeasureKirtland AFBAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population13,4136646th largest
Median age124.437% below
Bachelor's or higher151.2%60% above
High school or higher196.3%4% above
Household size12.36% below
Born abroad1County figure10.5%19% above
No health insurance1County figure8.8%38% above
Homes with broadband195.5%3% above
05

Life in Kirtland AFB

165 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, one of them a National Historic Landmark.

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents35.2 3.5×
Playgrounds per 10k199.2 21.2×
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k14.7 +31%
Libraries per 10k14.7 16.8×
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.7 3.5×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars22.0 +6%
Shops29.1 −4%
Arts, recreation and fitness4.0 −2%
Doctors' offices and clinics21.4 +6%
Child care centers2.7 +17%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Public schools11
205
above the median place (median 9)
Public school students11
84,577
above the median place (median 4,897)
Students per teacher11
12.5
19% below the median place
All 16 schools and local life measures
MeasureKirtland AFBAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools11County figure205above (median 9)
Public school students11County figure84,577above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher11County figure12.519% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure22.06% above
Shops per 10k8County figure29.14% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure4.02% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure21.46% above
Child care centers per 10k8County figure2.717% above
Parks per 10k935.2246% above
Playgrounds per 10k9199.2above (median 9.4)
Grocery stores per 10k90.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k914.731% above
Libraries per 10k914.7above (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails90.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi90.7248% above
National Register listings10County figure165above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

Annual precipitation is 11.7 in, 73% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Kirtland AFB. Larger places are fetched first.

Annual precipitation12
11.7 in
73% below the median place
Good air days14
26.6%
61% below the median place
Median air quality index14
58
35% above the median place
All 10 weather and risk measures
MeasureKirtland AFBAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high12County figure90°F3% above
January average low12County figure22°F14% below
Average temperature12County figure54°F1% below
Annual precipitation12County figure11.7 in73% below
Natural hazard risk13County figure94.42% above
Tornado risk13County figure56.131% below
Wildfire risk13County figure95.055% above
Heat wave risk13County figure95.46% above
Median air quality index14County figure5835% above
Good air days14County figure26.6%61% below
08

Kirtland AFB in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 25% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 25% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,794/mo (2024)$2,320/mo$1,900 to $2,830/mo+4.4%
Median household income$84,884 (2024)$110,000$93,000 to $130,000+4.4%

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Kirtland AFB

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Newark, DE$1,654$76,912Compare
Elon, NC$2,080$84,773Compare
Glassboro, NJ$1,687$87,278Compare
College Park, MD$1,912$69,721Compare
College Park, MDGlassboro, NJElon, NCNewark, DEKirtland AFB, NMKirtland AFBNewarkElonCollege ParkKirtland AFBNewarkElonCollege Park

Common questions

Is Kirtland AFB a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. The median resident is 24.4 years old, younger than in 98% of the 2,479 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 46 New Mexico places. Half the homes were built after 2001, newer housing than in 91% of places its size. It is the 2nd-highest of 46 New Mexico places. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Kirtland AFB expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 25.4% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $292,900.

What salary do you need to live in Kirtland AFB?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $71,760 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Kirtland AFB?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Newark, DE, Elon, NC, Glassboro, NJ and College Park, MD.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  11. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  12. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  13. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  14. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Kirtland AFB with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Kirtland AFB itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/kirtland-afb-new-mexico

Citytistics. “Kirtland AFB, New Mexico.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/kirtland-afb-new-mexico/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.