Los Alamos County, New Mexico Income Statistics
Los Alamos County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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A+
Los Alamos County Top gradeWealthiest county in New Mexico
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Los Alamos County | New Mexico Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $146,398 | $64,523 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $109,613 | $52,404 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.3% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 38.2% | 10.2% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 29.9% | 7.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Los Alamos County is about 127% higher than in New Mexico. Income has been growing slower in Los Alamos County (4.3%/yr) than in New Mexico (4.4%/yr).
About 38% of adults in Los Alamos County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the New Mexico average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Los Alamos County, New Mexico grew by 45.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $146,398 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Los Alamos County
| Metric | Los Alamos County | New Mexico Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.467 | 0.567 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $125,992 | $60,037 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $89,625 | $51,390 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 28.9% | 14.4% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Los Alamos County, it is 0.467, lower than New Mexico's 0.567, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 41% more than women's income in Los Alamos County, New Mexico. Over a 35-year career, a 41% wage gap accumulates to roughly $1,272,845 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Los Alamos County, New Mexico has narrowed from about 44% to 29% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 48% in 2012, and was narrowest at 20% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $4,858 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Los Alamos County | New Mexico Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 1.0% | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 15.6% | 12.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 15 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 66 people are unemployed in Los Alamos County, New Mexico.
The average commute time in Los Alamos County is 15 minutes, shorter than the 18 minutes in New Mexico.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Los Alamos County, New Mexico has fallen from 4.1% to 1.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 4.1% in 2012.
Los Alamos County, NM Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Los Alamos County, NM is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 19,409 residents against a local median of 153,584. The measure that sets Los Alamos County, NM apart most is median household income: $146,398, 110% above the local median of $69,651. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 1.0% against a local median of 5.2%, 81% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Los Alamos County, NM is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves sit within $29,166 of each other on median household income, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Los Alamos County, NM, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Los Alamos County, NM has the highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Alamos County, NM | 19,409 | $146,398 #1/6 | 4.3%/yr #6/6 | 1.0% #1/6 | 0.467 #1/6 |
| Santa Fe County, NM | 155,407 | $79,204 | 4.6%/yr | 5.2% | 0.533 |
| Sandoval County, NM | 153,584 | $85,813 | 4.7%/yr | 5.1% | 0.548 |
| Rio Arriba County, NM | 40,067 | $56,646 | 6.3%/yr | 4.9% | 0.540 |
| Bernalillo County, NM | 672,163 | $69,651 | 4.5%/yr | 5.3% | 0.547 |
| Taos County, NM | 34,542 | $59,024 | 6.7%/yr | 7.6% | 0.535 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Los Alamos County, New Mexico has an overall wealth index grade of A+, making it far better than New Mexico, and far better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Los Alamos County, New Mexico.
How Rich Is Los Alamos County, New Mexico?
Los Alamos County has a wealth index grade of A+. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an A+ grade means it is one of the most prosperous areas in the country. The median household income is $146,398, about 127% higher than the New Mexico average of $64,523.
Are incomes growing in Los Alamos County, New Mexico?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Los Alamos County, New Mexico rose 46%, from $100,500 to $146,398. Over the same years, income here lagged behind New Mexico as a whole: +46% against +50%.
What was the median household income in Los Alamos County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Los Alamos County, New Mexico was $141,396, up 3% from $136,996 in 2022. The New Mexico median that year was $62,406.
What was the median household income in Los Alamos County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Los Alamos County, New Mexico was $118,035. By 2024 it had risen 24% to $146,398.
Do many residents of Los Alamos County, New Mexico earn over $100,000?
Yes. 38% of adults in Los Alamos County, New Mexico earn $100,000 or more a year (about 1 in 3), against 10% (about 1 in 10) in New Mexico. 30% of households have a combined income of $200,000 or more, compared with 8% in New Mexico.
Is unemployment high in Los Alamos County, New Mexico?
Unemployment in Los Alamos County, New Mexico is only 1.0%, well below the New Mexico rate of 5.9%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Los Alamos County, New Mexico?
The Gini coefficient in Los Alamos County is 0.467. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Los Alamos County, New Mexico?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Los Alamos County, New Mexico has narrowed from about 44% to 29% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 48% in 2012, and was narrowest at 20% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $4,858 since 2009.
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