El Santuario de Chimayo · Photo: Andrea Stawitcke · CC BY 2.5Measured against area pay, Chimayo costs less to live in than 72% of U.S. towns
Up 10.7% in a year, close to the New Mexico typical home.
Census 2020–24 home values, rents, tax bills and cost burden, measured against the median household income of the Española, NM micro area ($57K). How TownRatings grades cost of living
Only 0 sales in September 2026: in a market this size, monthly medians swing a lot, so the typical value is the steadier guide.
The grade compares costs with what households across the Española-area micro earn ($57K, Census 2020–24). The typical home costs 4.0 years of area income, and 30% of renters pay 30% or more of income for housing.
In dollars
- $319Ktypical home, 1% above the New Mexico typical homeZillow, September 2026
- $1,470a month for a two-bedroom, utilities includedHUD Fair Market Rent, 2026
In paychecks the grade
- 4.0 yrsof area income buys the typical home; the typical U.S. town: 3.3$57K, Española-area income
- 18%of area income goes to the median rent; the typical U.S. town: 18%Census 2020–24
- 15%of owners do; the typical U.S. town: 20%Census 2020–24
What stands out about housing in Chimayo
What’s behind Chimayo’s grade
Measured against what households in the area earn, Chimayo is more affordable than 72% of U.S. towns. Home prices pull the grade down most; property tax holds it up.
Values have lagged New Mexico: the typical Chimayo home is up 19.2% in five years, against 25.1% statewide (Zillow).
Up 10.7% in a year
Faster than New Mexico (1.7%).
Show as a table
| January | Chimayo | New Mexico |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $213,000 | $191,000 |
| 2020 | $227,000 | $203,000 |
| 2021 | $264,000 | $228,000 |
| 2022 | $272,000 | $261,000 |
| 2023 | $286,000 | $285,000 |
| 2024 | $300,000 | $299,000 |
| 2025 | $298,000 | $310,000 |
| 2026 | $304,000 | $313,000 |
| September 2026 | $319,000 | $316,000 |
A typical Chimayo home worth $209K in February 2018 is worth about $319K today.
Zillow Home Value Index: the typical value of all homes (middle third), smoothed and seasonally adjusted, through September 2026.
A typical home costs 4.0 years of area income
The calculator starts from the area income the grade uses. Switch to Chimayo’s own median, or type yours.
That’s $79K short of a typical Chimayo home.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,470 a month here, $300 less than owning.
An estimate, not a loan offer: payments of up to 28% of income, a 30-year fixed loan, Chimayo’s typical property tax (0.36% of value a year, from the Census) and insurance of about 0.35%. Mortgage insurance, HOA fees and other debts aren’t included.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,470
Renters already here pay a median of $873, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put.
Fair Market Rent a month, utilities included
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (Santa Fe, NM MSA): the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent and renters: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Property tax runs below the New Mexico norm
The median bill is $822 (New Mexico: $1,731), 0.36% of a home’s value a year, against 0.70% statewide.
Census American Community Survey 2020–24: the median real-estate tax bill homeowners report, and that bill ÷ the median home value. Bills include town, school and county taxes. The Census reports bills over $10,000 only as “$10,000+”.
Chimayo vs. its neighbors
Of the 1 towns here with a Zillow value, Chimayo has the lowest. La Puebla has no Zillow value, so it is in the table only.
Cost next door · one source per column
| Town | Cost | Typical home Zillow, September 2026 | Median value Census 2020–24 | Tax rate bill ÷ value | 2-bed rent HUD 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chimayo | B+ | $319K | $228K | 0.36% | $1,470 |
| La Puebla | – | — | $267K | 0.54% | $1,470 |
“—” under Cost: not graded (too little Census data, or under 1,000 residents). “—” under Zillow: Zillow publishes no value for that town, so it’s left blank rather than mixed with Census figures.
Questions about the cost of living in Chimayo
Is Chimayo expensive to live in?
Measured against what households in the area earn, Chimayo costs less than 72% of U.S. towns: a B+ for cost of living. The typical home costs 4.0 years of the median household income of the Española, NM micro area ($57K).
How much does a house cost in Chimayo?
About $319K, Zillow’s typical value for September 2026, up 10.7% in a year. The New Mexico typical home is $316K.
What salary do you need to live in Chimayo?
To buy the typical home with 20% down at 6.3%, about $76,000 a year, keeping the payment (about $1,770 a month with tax and insurance) at 28% of income. To rent a two-bedroom at 30% of income, about $59,000.
How much is rent in Chimayo?
HUD puts a two-bedroom at about $1,470 a month with utilities, the going rate for someone moving in. Renters already here pay a median of $873 (Census 2020–24).
What are property taxes in Chimayo?
The median bill is $822 a year, 0.36% of the median home value (New Mexico: $1,731, 0.70%), from the Census 2020–24.
Are home prices in Chimayo going up?
Yes: up 10.7% in the past year and 19.2% in five years, against 25.1% across New Mexico (Zillow).
Neighbors talk housing
What Chimayo buyers, sellers and renters are saying.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, September 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, September 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The calculator is an estimate, not a loan offer. Regional price levels: BEA; electricity: EIA. How TownRatings grades cost of living.