City profile · New Mexico · Census ACS 2023

Los Chaves, NM

Los Chaves's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

4,641
Residents
$81,320
Median income
$240,500
Median home
$1,129
Median rent (state)
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See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Los Chaves.

Place dossier plate

Sheet NM-LOS-CHAVES-NM · Los Chaves, NM 4,641 pop · income 63rd pct

POP-VILLAGE · INC-HIGH · COL-BELOW · SAFE-UNK · RANK-UPPER · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-MID · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-VILLAGE 4,641
  • INC-HIGH $81,320
  • COL-BELOW 92.2
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-UPPER 63rd
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Forest Park
  • HOME-MID $240,500
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Forest Park, IL (+ $3 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Los Chaves

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Los Chaves on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Los Chaves on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 4,641.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $81,320. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Los Chaves - the verdict

Los Chaves ranks in the 63rd percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

63rd
percentile, household income
54th
percentile, home value
39th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Los Chaves, NM

Los Chaves is a small town in New Mexico, home to 4,641 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Households in Los Chaves report a median income of $81,320 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.9%. Home values in Los Chaves run a median of $240,500, and the median resident age is 46.8 years. 35.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 51.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Living costs in New Mexico run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, New Mexico scores 92.2 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,129 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $167 across New Mexico, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 58.9 out of 100 (Moderate).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Los Chaves's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from housing and income to comparison shortlist to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Los Chaves, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for annual population history, local building permits, matched public-school count, FBI reported-crime rates, within-city Census tract profiles; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

1. Housing and income

How far does income reach against housing in Los Chaves?

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Income and home value move within the same broad scale here. The useful next check is not a generic affordability label, but whether similar-size cities offer a materially different income, housing, or commute trade-off.

The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 3.0 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 9.9%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

Compare the housing trade-off →

2. Comparison shortlist

Which cities make useful reference points for Los Chaves?

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Within New Mexico, the closest population matches are Paradise Hills (4,662 residents, $74,403 income); Lee Acres (4,463 residents, $50,846 income); Crouch Mesa (4,419 residents, $56,676 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Forsyth, GA (4,641 residents); Negaunee, MI (4,641 residents); Columbiana, AL (4,640 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

Question 3

What does the journey to work look like in Los Chaves?

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 71.2%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. No single mode completely explains the work trip here. The mix is more useful than a one-number commute grade, especially when comparing places where transit, walking, and remote work divide the non-driving share differently.

Compare commute patterns →

Population

4,641 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$81,320 /yr

Above median income · poverty 9.9% (Above-median poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

92.2 (US=100)

Affordable · BEA RPP 2024, New Mexico average

City profile score · Los Chaves, NM

61/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Cost of living B+
92.2 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Bachelor's+ share B-
35.3%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Household income C+
$81,320

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Poverty rate D
9.9%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Los Chaves profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Cost of living, Bachelor's+ share, Household income, Poverty rate. Cost of livingBachelor's+ shareHousehold incomePoverty rate 61 C+
Los Chaves profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Cost of living: 77/100 (B+) · 92.2 index
  • Bachelor's+ share: 67/100 (B-) · 35.3%
  • Household income: 61/100 (C+) · $81,320
  • Poverty rate: 40/100 (D) · 9.9%

How does Los Chaves compare to other US cities?

Here's how Los Chaves stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 63% higher than other cities
Home value 54% pricier than other cities
Median rent 39% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Los Chaves against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to New Mexico only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

New Mexico-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Los Chaves near the bottom of New Mexico's cities

Among the 409 New Mexico cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Los Chaves ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Los Chaves only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#79 of 324
76th percentile in New Mexico
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 409
0th percentile in New Mexico
Median Home Value
#102 of 324
69th percentile in New Mexico
Poverty Rate
#227 of 408
44th percentile in New Mexico
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#81 of 409
80th percentile in New Mexico
How in-state ranks are ordered

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within New Mexico only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

63rdIncome percentile
Gauge source note

63rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Los Chaves's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$240,500 46th percentile more affordable than 46% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Los Chaves $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Los Chaves's home-value-to-income ratio: 3.0×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
affordable
< 3.0×
National rank
#6,462 of 15,516
More affordable than 58% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#5,501 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 3.0×, Los Chaves sits in the affordable band: national rank #6,462 of 15,516 and #5,501 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). The multiple is comparatively compact among tracked cities, but a low ratio can still coexist with slow demand or household-level hardship.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$81,320 Los Chaves, NM median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Los Chaves, NM Los Chaves, NM's median household income ($81,320) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Los Chaves, NM-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Los Chaves, NM median $81,320/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Los Chaves, NM median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Los Chaves, NM.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 35.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 51.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
4,641
Median Income
$81,320
Median Home Value
$240,500
Median Age
46.8
Poverty Rate
9.9%
Labor force participation
51.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
35.3%

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
71.2%
Carpool
12.3%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
14.0%
Other
2.5%

Based on 2,009 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

New Mexico statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $167

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across New Mexico at $167 (electricity about $85 , water and sewer about $42 ).

These are New Mexico statewide averages, not a meter reading for Los Chaves. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

New Mexico's BEA cost-of-living index is 92.2 (Below Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Los Chaves is $1,129/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to New Mexico statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 58.9 / 100 (Moderate).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a New Mexico statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Los Chaves sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Los Chaves compares to similar-size New Mexico cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
Los Chaves (this city) 4,641 $81,320
Paradise Hills 4,662 $74,403
Lee Acres 4,463 $50,846
Crouch Mesa 4,419 $56,676
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

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