City profile · New Mexico · Census ACS 2023

Taos, NM

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Taos - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

6,468
Residents
$46,579
Median income
$432,700
Median home
$1,279
Median rent (state)

Taos - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Taos lands in the 15th percentile for household income and the 1st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

15th
percentile, household income
80th
percentile, home value
44th
percentile, median rent
1st
percentile, safety
📝 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: Taos, NM

New Mexico's Taos is a small town, with 6,468 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Taos brings in $46,579 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 12.5%. Taos's housing stock carries a median value of $432,700, and the median resident age is 52.2 years. Educational attainment runs 36.2% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 50.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Taos's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 6915.4 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Taos's yearly average temperature at 48.5°F with 12.7 inches of precipitation per year and 28.4 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in New Mexico run below the national norm: the state registers 92.2 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,279 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts New Mexico's average monthly utility costs around $167 (state average). The average commute for Taos workers runs 19.6 minutes, with 70.8% driving alone and 12.5% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 74.3 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

6,468 residents

Census ACS 2023 - New Mexico

Median Household Income

$46,579 /yr

Poverty 12.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

92.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, New Mexico average

How does Taos compare to other US cities?

Where Taos sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 15% higher than other cities
Home value 80% pricier than other cities
Median rent 44% pricier than other cities
Safety 1% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to New Mexico alone, Taos ranks #42 of 42 New Mexico cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Taos's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in New Mexico, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

15thIncome percentile
1stSafety percentile

15th percentile nationally for median household income · 1st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Taos's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Taos's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 18 Avg. percentile National median
Taos's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Taos's home value compares nationally

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

$432,700 20th percentile more affordable than 20% of 15,600 US cities

$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%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Taos $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

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Taos, NM Taos, NM's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Taos, NM-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Taos, NM median $46,579/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%
Taos, NM's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Taos, NM. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 36.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 50.9%

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

Population
6,468
Median Income
$46,579
Median Home Value
$432,700
Median Age
52.2
Poverty Rate
12.5%
Labor force participation
50.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
36.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
6915.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
936.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
5978.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
48.5°F
Annual Precipitation
12.7"
Annual Snowfall
28.4"

Schools

Total Schools
9
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
6,450 residents6,500 residents6,550 residents6,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 6,550 residents 6,526 residents ▼ -0.4%
Taos's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.6 minutes
Drive Alone
70.8%
Carpool
7.8%
Public Transit
1.5%
Walk
5.7%
Work from Home
12.5%
Other
1.7%

Based on 2,878 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for New Mexico - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$40
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$167
estimated/month

Estimates reflect New Mexico state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a New Mexico state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Taos sits in

Cost of Living Index
92.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,279/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
74.3 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in New Mexico

Aztec
6,177 people
Zuni Pueblo
6,132 people
Edgewood
6,122 people
North Hobbs
6,099 people
Truth or Consequences
6,026 people
Raton
6,013 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Taos's 6,468 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

East Flat Rock, NC
6,468 people
Milford, MI
6,467 people
Powell, WY
6,466 people
Brookhaven, WV
6,465 people
Latimer, MS
6,474 people
Sheridan, OR
6,462 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Taos's $46,579 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Arlington, GA
$46,571 median income
Richmondville, NY
$46,571 median income
Afton, OK
$46,571 median income
Heflin, AL
$46,569 median income
McLeansboro, IL
$46,589 median income
Dillsboro, IN
$46,591 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Taos, NM Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Taos, NM - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 61.4% 15.7% 19.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 43.3% White 61.4% Black or African American 0.3% Asian 1.8% American Indian 1.2% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 15.7% Two or more races 19.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Taos compares to nearby New Mexico cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Taos (this city) 6,468 $46,579
Aztec 6,177 $42,699
Zuni Pueblo 6,132 $43,021
Edgewood 6,122 $81,227
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NM FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Taos, NM?

What is the population of Taos, NM? +

Taos, NM counts 6,468 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Taos, NM? +

In Taos, the typical household earns $46,579 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Taos? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Taos; the closest available measure is the New Mexico state average, a cost of living index of 92.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within New Mexico vary by metro area.

Is Taos, NM safe? +

Taos has a total crime rate of 6915.4 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Taos, NM? +

Homes in Taos carry a median value of $432,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Taos? +

The average annual temperature in Taos runs 48.5°F, 12.7 inches of precipitation, and 28.4 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, 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.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

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

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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.