Photo: EFreiboth · CC BY-SA 4.0Measured against area pay, Questa costs less to live in than 66% of U.S. towns
Census 2020–24 home values, rents, tax bills and cost burden, measured against the median household income of the Taos, NM micro area ($59K). 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 Taos-area micro earn ($59K, Census 2020–24). The typical home costs 4.0 years of area income, and 64% of renters pay 30% or more of income for housing.
In dollars
- $1,090a 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$59K, Taos-area income
- 14%of area income goes to the median rent; the typical U.S. town: 18%Census 2020–24
- 64%of renters pay 30%+ of income for housing; across New Mexico: 50%Census 2020–24
- 16%of owners do; the typical U.S. town: 20%Census 2020–24
The short version on homes in Questa
A low property tax rate
Owners pay about 0.32% of a home’s value a year in property tax, against 0.70% across New Mexico. The median bill is $743 (New Mexico: $1,731). Property taxes ↓
New renters pay more than renters already here
HUD puts a standard two-bedroom at about $1,090 a month with utilities, the going rate for someone moving in. Renters already in Questa pay a median of $703. Renting ↓
Written from the data on this page. There’s no Zillow index for Questa, so the typical value is the Census median; incomes, rents paid, taxes and ownership come from the Census American Community Survey.
What’s behind Questa’s grade
Measured against what households in the area earn, Questa is more affordable than 66% of U.S. towns. Home prices pull the grade down most; property tax holds it up.
A typical home costs 4.0 years of area income
The calculator starts from the area income the grade uses. Switch to Questa’s own median, or type yours.
That covers a typical Questa home, with $16K to spare.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,090 a month here, $200 less than owning.
An estimate, not a loan offer: payments of up to 28% of income, a 30-year fixed loan, Questa’s typical property tax (0.32% 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 $1,090
Renters already here pay a median of $703, 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 (Taos County, NM): 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 $743 (New Mexico: $1,731), 0.32% 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+”.
Questa and its neighbors
One source per column.
Cost next door · one source per column
| Town | Cost | Typical home Zillow, latest | Median value Census 2020–24 | Tax rate bill ÷ value | 2-bed rent HUD 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Questa | B+ | — | $234K | 0.32% | $1,090 |
“—” 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 Questa
Is Questa expensive to live in?
Measured against what households in the area earn, Questa costs less than 66% of U.S. towns: a B+ for cost of living. The typical home costs 4.0 years of the median household income of the Taos, NM micro area ($59K).
How much is rent in Questa?
HUD puts a two-bedroom at about $1,090 a month with utilities, the going rate for someone moving in. Renters already here pay a median of $703 (Census 2020–24).
What are property taxes in Questa?
The median bill is $743 a year, 0.32% of the median home value (New Mexico: $1,731, 0.70%), from the Census 2020–24.
Neighbors talk housing
What Questa buyers, sellers and renters are saying.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research. 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.