Lt. Francisco Mercado, Jr (1943), 1943
Kirtland AFB’s story
85 years in pictures
The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1943 and 5 maps from 1934 on.
- 1941Kirtland AFB is settled
Kirtland AFBNM
This town of 3,413 people was settled in 1941.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Joe Mabel · CC BY 3.0
Population
3,413
Census survey, 2020–24
Household income
$85K
median
Median age
24.4
years
Jobs based here
17,816
A job hub
TownGrade
B−
#8 of 72 in NM
Is Kirtland AFB a good place to live?
A town of contrasts. Its weakest subject is cost of living (D−): the typical home is worth about , years of the Albuquerque metro’s $71K median household income. Overall, Kirtland AFB earns a B−, which places it 8th of 72 in New Mexico. That leaves it better than nearly half of U.S. towns. Where it does best is hazard risk (A+). The town’s mean commuting time is 9 minutes, below both the New Mexico town median (23 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). On walkability, just 3 of New Mexico’s 159 towns do better. On health, just 6 of New Mexico’s 161 towns do better.
Figures: FEMA National Risk Index · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · health, CDC PLACES.
What makes Kirtland AFB stand out
Where Kirtland AFB beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here17,816
Residents who work516
Work
34.5 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 99% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
Natural hazardsA+
Lower risk than 98% of U.S. communities
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 90% of U.S. towns
7.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
A job hub
Every workday, about 17,749 people come to Kirtland AFB for work
Where Kirtland AFB’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
17,816jobs based in Kirtland AFB
13%of working residents work in town
7 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Kirtland AFB grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Mexico), ordered by how far Kirtland AFB is from typical.
Its grades run from A+ for hazard risk (better than 99% of comparable towns) to D− for cost of living (better than 1%), so the B− overall blends very different results.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 2% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA+Open →Cost of livingHome prices against what area households earnD−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 9.7 of 20; 2.4% of households have no carAOpen →HealthUnm Hospital 4.2 miles awayAOpen →Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workBOpen →SchoolsSchools trail most of those comparedC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors5 miles of trails; 2% conserved landB+Open →HistoryIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedD−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 43 attractions →University Stadium and 24 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Kirtland AFB. Close and well known come first.
4 mi Stadium & arenaUniversity Stadium
2 mi MuseumNational Museum of Nuclear Science & History
3 mi Stadium & arenaTingley Coliseum
6 mi TheatreKiMo Theater
11 mi National MonumentPetroglyph National Monument311K visitors a year
13 mi Ski areaSandia Peak Ski Area66 runs · 1,599 ft verticalSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
University Stadium: Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY 4.0 · National Museum of Nuclear Science & History: AllenS, Public domain · Tingley Coliseum: John Phelan, CC BY 3.0 · KiMo Theater: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Petroglyph National Monument: Unknown, Public domain · Sandia Peak Ski Area: Skoch3, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
Moving to Kirtland AFB: who provides what
Kirtland AFB is unincorporated, so Bernalillo County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPNM16.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAlbuquerque Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesBernalillo CountyBernalillo County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn New Mexico you can register online until 28 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereBernalillo County ClerkBernalillo County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Dec 2025
ZIP code8711687116 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 27, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Kirtland AFB.
Kirtland AFB carries less natural-hazard risk than nearly all of New Mexico (mostly inland flooding), has less heart disease than most of New Mexico and draws workers from Albuquerque and beyond.
SchoolsC+
Kirtland AFB’s public schools trail 60% of New Mexico districts
Its public schools are run by the Albuquerque school district. One of its 2 schools is below, with the reason it’s listed. 2 public schools serve Kirtland AFB, with 520 students in all.
40%of NM districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandia Base ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 280 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NM on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Compared with most of New Mexico and the rest of the country, the average trip to work in Kirtland AFB is shorter
17,816 jobs are based in Kirtland AFB, 34.5 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 8.7 minutes, against 23.5 across New Mexico.
Among residents in Kirtland AFB, 13% live below the poverty line. This New Mexico town had 17,816 jobs in 2023, up 6,526 from 2013. Its median household income is $85,000. Half the trips to work are shorter than 7 miles.
13%work in town
| Kirtland AFB | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 9 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 21% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $85,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 13% | 15% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Kirtland AFB13%
Albuquerque50%
Santa Fe6%
Rio Rancho3%
Los Alamos2%
7 mi
median commute distance
17,816
jobs based in Kirtland AFB
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 90% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
The FEMA risk score in Kirtland AFB is lower than in the typical New Mexico or U.S. town
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 100% of New Mexico towns; that rating is what its A+ for hazard risk is built on.
Expected losses in Kirtland AFB break down as 49% from inland flooding and 37% from earthquakes.
2risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthA
On CDC estimates, Kirtland AFB is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns
Its widest gap with New Mexico is heart disease: 1.7% of its 2,688 adults have heart disease, against 7.2% statewide.
Kirtland AFB: just over a fifth of adults binge drink. Against the New Mexico average, Kirtland AFB comes out ahead on 18 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 8. Of the 73 New Mexico towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults who had a checkup this year than Kirtland AFB.
87%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Kirtland AFB | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 3.3% | 14% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 8.8% | 17% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 13% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 35% | 35% |
32 measures vs. New Mexico
18 better6 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Kirtland AFB | NM |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 1.7% | 7.2% |
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 3.3% | 13.2% |
| More binge drinkers | 21.9% | 13.7% |
VA New Mexico Healthcare System
1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
94th
percentile among NM towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsB+
1.8% of the land in Kirtland AFB is protected from building
Across 3 parks and preserves: 5.4 miles of trail. Kirtland AFB’s concentration of trails is 1.0 miles per square mile.
#35for trails in NM
| Kirtland AFB | New Mexico towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 1.0 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.8% | 4% | 4.3% |
1.8%
conserved · 64 of 3,479 acres
5.4 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Marquez Park | — | 4 |
| 2. Pershing Park | — | 4 |
| 3. Millenium Park | 0.2 mi | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
12″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter23–51°
Spring38–72°
Summer59–91°
Fall40–71°
Oct 24
typical first frost
Apr 18
typical last frost
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Kirtland AFB
16pages on Kirtland AFB
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
4 within 15 miles of the center of Kirtland AFB
Central New Mexico Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Albuquerque4.2 mi$2,060 in-state tuitionUniversity of New MexicoUniversity or college · Public · Albuquerque4.2 mi$10,140 in-state tuitionBrookline College-AlbuquerqueUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Albuquerque5.8 mi
About 9 of every 100 Kirtland AFB residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Mexico.
About Kirtland AFB
United States Air Force base in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Kirtland Air Force Base (IATA: ABQ, ICAO: KABQ) is a United States Air Force base. It is located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico, urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator Colonel Roy C. Kirtland. The military and the international airport share the same runways, making ABQ a joint civil-military airport. Kirtland AFB is the largest installation in the Air Force Global Strike Command and sixth largest in the United States Air Force. The base occupies 51,558 acres and employs over 23,000 people, including more than 4,200 active duty and 1,000 Guard, plus 3,200 part-time Reserve personnel. Kirtland is …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1941
- Area
- 81 sq mi
- Elevation
- 5,300 ft
- ZIP code
- 87117
Kirtland AFB’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Kirtland AFB.
AlbuquerqueKirtland AFB
How the neighbors grade
| Town | NM rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kirtland AFB | #8 | B− | D− | — | C+ | A |
| Albuquerque | #44 | C− | C− | D− | C+ | B |
Kirtland AFB reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Kirtland AFB with a neighbor →
Questions about Kirtland AFB
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Kirtland AFB, NM a good place to live?
Kirtland AFB grades B− overall, better than 49% of U.S. towns and #8 of 72 in New Mexico. It grades A for health and C+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.