City profile · New Mexico · Census ACS 2023

Rio Communities, NM

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

4,924
Residents
$46,223
Median income
$200,000
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 Rio Communities.

Place dossier plate

Sheet NM-RIO-COMMUNITIES-NM · Rio Communities, NM 4,924 pop · income 14th pct

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

  • POP-VILLAGE 4,924
  • INC-MID $46,223
  • COL-BELOW 92.2
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-BOTTOM 14th
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Duncan
  • HOME-MID $200,000
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Duncan, MS ( $4 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 Rio Communities

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Rio Communities 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 Rio Communities 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: 4,924.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $46,223. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Rio Communities - the verdict

Nationally, Rio Communities sits in the 14th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

14th
percentile, household income
43rd
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: Rio Communities, NM

4,924 people live in Rio Communities, New Mexico - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Rio Communities brings in $46,223 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 14.7%. Rio Communities's housing stock carries a median value of $200,000, and the median resident age is 49.0 years. About 20.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 35.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 12 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Low Activity).

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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,129 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts New Mexico's average monthly utility costs around $167 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 58.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Rio Communities'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 population change to housing and income to work and mobility to comparison shortlist; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Rio Communities, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares, local building permits, annual population history. No matched row is reported here for 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. Population change

Is Rio Communities growing, shrinking, or holding steady?

The recent population line is broadly flat. That makes the composition of change more important than the headline count: housing turnover, household size, and age structure can shift even when the total barely moves.

Census PEP estimates show the population grew by +20 residents from 2020 to 2025, a +0.4% change. Separately, Census BPS recorded 12 housing units authorized in 2024. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.

See the national growth ranking →

Question 2

How far does income reach against housing in Rio Communities?

The home-value-to-income reference is comparatively stretched: the ACS median home value is 4.3 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 14.7%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

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. Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median. That flags a question for comparison, not a verdict: tenure, household composition, financing costs, and the age of the ACS estimate can all change what a resident actually pays.

Compare the housing trade-off →

3. Work and mobility

What does the journey to work look like in Rio Communities?

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.

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 80.6%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

Compare commute patterns →

Question 4

Which cities make useful reference points for Rio Communities?

Within New Mexico, the closest population matches are El Cerro Mission (5,101 residents, $49,719 income); Paradise Hills (4,662 residents, $74,403 income); Tucumcari (5,197 residents, $39,915 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Herculaneum, MO (4,925 residents); Rocky Mount, VA (4,926 residents); Granite Falls, NC (4,921 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.

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.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

Population

4,924 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$46,223 /yr

Low income · poverty 14.7% (High poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

92.2 (US=100)

Affordable · BEA RPP 2024, New Mexico average

City profile score · Rio Communities, NM

36/100

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 F
20.1%

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

Poverty rate F
14.7%

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

Household income F
$46,223

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

Violent crime N/A
N/A

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

Rio Communities profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Cost of living, Bachelor's+ share, Poverty rate, Household income. Cost of livingBachelor's+ sharePoverty rateHousehold income 36 F
Rio Communities profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Cost of living: 77/100 (B+) · 92.2 index
  • Bachelor's+ share: 35/100 (F) · 20.1%
  • Poverty rate: 23/100 (F) · 14.7%
  • Household income: 15/100 (F) · $46,223

How does Rio Communities compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 14% higher than other cities
Home value 43% 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 Rio Communities 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 Rio Communities near the bottom of New Mexico's cities

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

Median Household Income
#210 of 324
35th percentile in New Mexico
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 409
0th percentile in New Mexico
Median Home Value
#145 of 324
55th percentile in New Mexico
Poverty Rate
#181 of 408
55th percentile in New Mexico
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#175 of 409
57th 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.

14thIncome percentile
Gauge source note

14th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Rio Communities's home value compares nationally

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

$200,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 57% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $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. Rio Communities $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

Rio Communities's home-value-to-income ratio: 4.3×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#11,591 of 15,516
More affordable than 25% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#8,927 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 4.3×, Rio Communities sits in the moderate band: national rank #11,591 of 15,516 and #8,927 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). Income and home value move in the same broad scale; check same-state peers before treating the multiple as an advantage or a warning.

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

$46,223 Rio Communities, NM median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Rio Communities, NM Rio Communities, NM's median household income ($46,223) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Rio Communities, NM-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Rio Communities, NM median $46,223/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%
Rio Communities, 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 Rio Communities, NM.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 20.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 14.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 35.4%

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

Population
4,924
Median Income
$46,223
Median Home Value
$200,000
Median Age
49.0
Poverty Rate
14.7%
Labor force participation
35.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
20.1%

Population Change

PEP vintage

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,900 residents4,920 residents4,940 residents4,960 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,933 residents 4,953 residents ▲ +0.4%
Rio Communities's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.
Read the chart as text
Period Population
2020 4,933 residents
2021 4,956 residents
2022 4,940 residents
2023 4,920 residents
2024 4,938 residents
2025 4,953 residents

Housing Supply

BPS source

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
12
housing units authorized
Single-Family
12
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 12

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
80.6%
Carpool
9.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
9.9%

Based on 1,522 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 Rio Communities. 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 Rio Communities 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 Rio Communities sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Rio Communities 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
Rio Communities (this city) 4,924 $46,223
El Cerro Mission 5,101 $49,719
Paradise Hills 4,662 $74,403
Tucumcari 5,197 $39,915
Census BPS 2024
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census BPS 2024, 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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