South Valley, New Mexico Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
South Valley, NM Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
-
D
Income Well below average
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F
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | South Valley | New Mexico Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,142 | 2,118,085 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1193.6 | 17.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.41% | 0.20% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 42.2 | 38.1 | 37.3 |
| Households | 12,665 | 836,644 | 130,235,071 |
Population in South Valley declined by 5.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 36,142 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in South Valley is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 22.3% of residents. That is 0.7 points above New Mexico as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 8,055 22.3% +0.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 7,156 19.8% -1.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 7,294 20.2% +1.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 6,455 17.9% -0.6 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below New Mexico, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 49.4% of the people living in South Valley and men 50.6%.
- Women 49.4% New Mexico 50.5%
- Men 50.6% New Mexico 49.5%
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100% of everyone living in South Valley
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Economy
South Valley has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | South Valley | New Mexico Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,970 | $64,523 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.59% | 4.42% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 5.9% | 5.2% |
The median household income in South Valley is about 7% lower than in New Mexico.
Housing
| Metric | South Valley | New Mexico Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $300,076 | $204,122 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $957 | $1,067 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.6% | 70.0% | 65.2% |
The median home price in South Valley is about 26.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $957 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in South Valley spend about 47 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 195 hours, about 8.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | South Valley | New Mexico Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 23.4 | 18.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 46.8 | 37.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 195 | 157 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $6,041 | $4,866 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 8.3% | 12.2% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 17,007 | 4,931 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,548 | 619 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in South Valley is 23 minutes, longer than the 19 minutes in New Mexico.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
South Valley has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | South Valley | New Mexico Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.0% | 26.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.82 | 2.49 | 2.53 |
Health
South Valley has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | South Valley | New Mexico Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.7 | 78.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 20.0% | 17.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 17.1% | 18.0% | 19.0% |
South Valley, NM Compared With Nearby Cities
How South Valley, NM compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Valley, NM | 36,142 | $59,970 #2/2 | $300,076 #1/2 | 23.4 min #2/2 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 517,565 | $67,348 | $254,746 | 20.4 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about South Valley, New Mexico.
How many people live in South Valley, New Mexico?
About 36,142 people live in South Valley, New Mexico, in 12,665 households of 2.8 people on average. The median age is 42.2, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 5 years.
Is South Valley, New Mexico mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, South Valley, New Mexico has 1,194 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 14 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in South Valley, New Mexico?
The median home costs 5.0 times the median household income ($300,076 against $59,970), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $957 a month takes about 19% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in South Valley, New Mexico?
Unemployment in South Valley, New Mexico is only 4.1%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in South Valley, New Mexico have a college degree?
13.0% of adults in South Valley, New Mexico hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 8), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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