CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

35.51° N · 108.64° W · GEOID 3575605

Sundance

McKinley County, New Mexico · part of the Gallup, NM metro

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

New MexicoSundance, NMSundanceSundance

The short answer

Sundance is home to 585 people. Median household income is $32,000 a year and median rent is $859 a month, 32.2% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). That is above the usual 30% line for cost burden. The median home is valued at $52,800, about 1.6x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$859
37% below the median place
Median household income
$32,000
60% below the median place
Median home value
$52,800
83% below the median place
Unemployment
9.0%
85% 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 Sundance

  • The median home is valued at $52,800, less than in 99% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 46 New Mexico places.
  • 45.1% of residents live below the poverty line, more than in 99% of places its size. It is the highest of 42 New Mexico places.
  • The median household earns $32,000 a year, less than in 99% of places its size. It is the 2nd-lowest of 46 New Mexico places.
  • 0% of residents were born outside the US, fewer than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 42 New Mexico places.
  • Household income has grown -3.1% a year across the last five survey releases, slower than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 46 New Mexico places.
01

Moving to Sundance

McKinley County loses about 15.8 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in1,754
Moved out2,578
Net−824

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within New Mexico, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within New MexicoOther states

Income per tax return

Arrivals$40K
Leavers$43K

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

Who moves here
2.5% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 0.0% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into McKinley County report $39,700 a year in income on average; those leaving, $43,500, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$34,400 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $859 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,319 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $52,800.
Getting to work
27 minutes each way on average; 8.9% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Union, SC matches it on character. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
0.0%
below the median place (median 2.0%)
Income of households moving in6
$39,733
44% below the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people6
-15.8
below the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureSundanceAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure2.5%57% below
Moved from another state10.0%below (median 2.0%)
Net movers per 1,000 people6County figure-15.8below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in6County figure$39,73344% below
Income of households moving out6County figure$43,47038% below
02

What it costs to live here

Renters paying 30%+ is 0.0%, below the median place (median 50.6%).

Sundance32.2%
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
$34,360
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
32.2%
58% above the median place
Home price to income
1.6x
57% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
32%
over the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$21,700
a year, prices not adjusted
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Sundance, $859 a month. It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

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

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Sundance? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Renters paying 30%+1
0.0%
below the median place (median 50.6%)
Median home value1
$52,800
83% below the median place
Property tax rate1
3.0%
227% above the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureSundanceAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1County figure$85937% below
Rent to income132.2%58% above
Property tax rate13.0%227% above
Home price to income11.6x57% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms2County figure$1,14029% below
HUD area median income3County figure$56,40047% below
Property tax paid (median)1County figure$1,57452% below
Median home value1$52,80083% below
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure5.0%57% above
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure38.0%26% below
Homeownership192.7%40% above
Renters paying 30%+10.0%below (median 50.6%)
Owner costs with a mortgage1County figure$1,31930% below
Vacant homes116.4%132% above
Median year built119870% above
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Poverty rate1
45.1%
319% above the median place
Median household income1
$32,000
60% below the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureSundanceAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$32,00060% below
Income per person1$17,67456% below
Unemployment1County figure9.0%85% above
Average annual pay5County figure$49,17725% below
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure4.1%11% above
Jobs5County figure19,35387% below
Poverty rate145.1%319% above
Mean commute1County figure27 min8% above
Works from home1County figure8.9%29% below
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Born abroad is 0.0%, below the median place (median 8.8%).

Born abroad1
0.0%
below the median place (median 8.8%)
Homes with broadband1
47.1%
49% below the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
13.3%
59% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

High school or higher81.4% −12%
Median age45.7 +17%
No health insurance13.0% 2.0×
Household size2.8 +13%
All 8 people measures
MeasureSundanceAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population15856646th largest
Median age145.717% above
Bachelor's or higher113.3%59% below
High school or higher181.4%12% below
Household size12.813% above
Born abroad10.0%below (median 8.8%)
No health insurance113.0%103% above
Homes with broadband147.1%49% below
05

Life in Sundance

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

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars15.2 −27%
Shops30.4 +0%
Arts, recreation and fitness1.0 −76%
Doctors' offices and clinics10.6 −48%

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

Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k7
1.0
76% below the median place
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k7
10.6
48% below the median place
Restaurants and bars per 10k7
15.2
27% below the median place
All 8 schools and local life measures
MeasureSundanceAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools9County figure41356% above
Public school students9County figure14,798202% above
Students per teacher9County figure15.51% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k7County figure15.227% below
Shops per 10k7County figure30.40% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k7County figure1.076% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k7County figure10.648% below
National Register listings8County figure78above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

Hurricane risk is 0.0, below the median place (median 70.7).

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 Sundance. Larger places are fetched first.

Hurricane risk11
0.0
below the median place (median 70.7)
Tornado risk11
4.5
95% below the median place
Annual precipitation10
11.2 in
74% below the median place
All 9 weather and risk measures
MeasureSundanceAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high10County figure86°F0% below
January average low10County figure17°F33% below
Average temperature10County figure50°F9% below
Annual precipitation10County figure11.2 in74% below
Natural hazard risk11County figure78.215% below
Hurricane risk11County figure0.0below (median 70.7)
Tornado risk11County figure4.595% below
Wildfire risk11County figure78.729% above
Heat wave risk11County figure39.556% below
08

Sundance in 2030: where the trends point

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 household income$32,000 (2024)$39,000$33,000 to $46,000+3.4%
Median home value$52,800 (2024)$79,000$58,000 to $109,000+7.1%

The median home would be worth 2.0 years of the median income in 2030, against 1.6 now.

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

09

Places like Sundance

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

PlaceRentIncome
Union, SC$832$31,914Compare
East St. Louis, IL$847$35,700Compare
Richlands, VA$804$37,154Compare
Roxboro, NC$860$36,553Compare
Roxboro, NCRichlands, VAEast St. Louis, ILUnion, SCSundance, NMSundanceUnionEast St. LouisRichlandsRoxboroSundanceUnionEast St. LouisRichlandsRoxboro

Common questions

Is Sundance a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. The median home is valued at $52,800, less than in 99% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 46 New Mexico places. 45.1% of residents live below the poverty line, more than in 99% of places its size. It is the highest of 42 New Mexico places. On cost, space and class size it scores 63 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Sundance expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 32.2% 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 $52,800.

What salary do you need to live in Sundance?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $34,360 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Sundance?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Union, SC, East St. Louis, IL, Richlands, VA and Roxboro, NC.

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. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  3. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  4. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  5. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  6. 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.
  7. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  8. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  9. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  10. 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
  11. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps

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 Sundance with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Sundance itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/sundance-new-mexico

Citytistics. “Sundance, New Mexico.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/sundance-new-mexico/

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