Taos grades D overall, 66th of 72 graded towns in New Mexico, mostly because of safety and incomes. It reports more crime per resident than 98% of U.S. towns, including 43 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. The median household income is $47K, and 14% of residents live below the poverty line. One bright spot: it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 90% of U.S. towns. 50% of working residents work locally in Taos, above both New Mexico’s towns (13%) and U.S. towns (8%). Its National Register listings include Ernest L. Blumenschein House and Kit Carson House. No town in New Mexico scores higher than Taos on civic life.

StrongestA⁺Civic life AWalkability AHistoryWeakestD⁻Safety DJobs & income CCost of living

What makes Taos stand out

Where Taos beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

Ernest L. Blumenschein House

HistoryA

Established in 1615

15 places on the National Register

A history going back 411 years.

Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents

5.6 times the nonprofits per person

than the typical New Mexico town

Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.

Crimes reported to police

2023415

2025268

Worth knowing · SafetyD⁻

But reported crime fell 35% since 2023

FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.

Ernest L. Blumenschein House · National Register of Historic Places

Taos’s story

411 years in pictures

Ernest L. Blumenschein House is one of 3 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1615, comes before those of 96% of the New Mexico towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 965 in 1940, 6,474 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1865 and 2 maps from 1964 on.

15 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1615Taos is established

Explore the history →

How Taos grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Mexico), ordered by how far Taos is from typical.

How grading works

SafetyD⁻Open →Jobs & incomeDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 9 of 20; 6.3% of households have no car; 8.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitAOpen →Cost of livingCOpen →SchoolsC⁺Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 39% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listC⁺Open →HealthHoly Cross Hospital A Div of Taos Health Systems 3.1 miles awayB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors4 miles of trails; 1% conserved landB⁻Open →HistoryEstablished 1615; 15 notable people born hereAOpen →Civic life13.3 library visits per resident; 18.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA⁺Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

ClimateCold winters, 84° summer afternoons, 28″ of snow–Open →Housing market144 days on market–Open →Who lives here39% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Taos: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Taos, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerKit Carson Electric Coop15.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterTaos Municipal Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet7 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpLos Cordovas Transfer Station (recycle collection center)Drop-offTown site

SchoolsTaos Municipal SchoolsWhich school depends on your addressNCES

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.gov

Who runs elections hereTaos County ClerkTaos County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021

ZIP code8757187571 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 Taos.

Taos draws workers from Ranchos de Taos and beyond and is healthier than towns with similar incomes, but it has homes that cost more against local pay than most of New Mexico.

SafetyD⁻

Taos’ grade for safety is a D−

Reported crimes fell from 415 to 268 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.

The property crime rate in Taos is 34.9 per 1,000 residents. Taos reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 98% report less. The violent crime rate in Taos is 6.7 per 1,000 residents.

2%of U.S. towns report more crimeD⁻Safety Grade

	Taos	New Mexico towns	U.S. towns
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	34.9 per 1,000 residents	16.2	9.9
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	6.7 per 1,000 residents	4	1.6

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Taos6.7

New Mexico6.5

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Taos34.9

New Mexico23.5

U.S.15.5

2nd

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

11th

percentile among NM towns

violent crimes reported in 2025

225

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageTaos’ safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type6.7 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Vs. the neighbors2 bordering towns Questions“Is Taos, NM safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

SchoolsC⁺

On state tests, Taos’ schools trail 60% of New Mexico districts

Its public schools are run by the Taos school district. Three of its 10 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Taos High, with 749 students.

40%of NM districts it outscoresC⁺School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Enos Garcia ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5	Grades PK–5	348	–
Taos HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	749	C⁺
Taos AcademyTop results in townGrades 5–12	Grades 5–12	251	A

Full pageTaos’ schools pageOpen the page

The districtsTAOS Vs. the neighborsBehind its 2 graded neighbors Every school10 schools · Taos High Questions“Are Taos’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within NM on state tests and graduation

Work & commuteJobs & income grade D

About half of Taos’ working residents work in town

5,349 jobs are based in Taos, 2.4 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.

15% of workers work from home in Taos. Jobs based in Taos fell to 5,349 in 2023, 505 fewer than in 2013. The top destinations are Albuquerque (10%), Taos Ski Valley (5%) and Santa Fe (4%).

50%work in town

	Taos	New Mexico towns	U.S. towns
Work from home	15%	8.4%	11%
Median household income	$47,000	$55,000	$80,000
Average trip to work	26 minutes	23 minutes	25 minutes

Where working residents work

In Taos50%

Albuquerque10%

Taos Ski Valley5%

Santa Fe4%

Taos Pueblo2%

2 mi

median commute distance

5,349

jobs based in Taos

A job hub

jobs vs. working residents

Walkability grade: more walkable than 90% of U.S. towns

Full pageTaos’ work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here5,349 jobs based here · A job hub Where people work50% work in Taos Commute times26 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 2 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

HousingCost of living grade C

The typical home in Taos is valued at about $426K

At 7.2 years of the Taos area’s $59K median household income, the typical home (about $426K) costs more against local pay than in 91% of New Mexico towns; that ratio is one input to its C for cost of living. The typical value, about $426K, is 20% below its August 2022 peak.

The typical Taos home is worth about $426,000, down 1.3% in a year, 35% above the New Mexico typical home. 59% of Taos households own their home.

$426KZillow home value

	Taos	New Mexico towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	59%	70%	73%
Median rent	$883 a month	$944 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Taos$426K

New Mexico$316K

Market temperature

144

days on market

−1.3%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pageTaos’ housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsDown 1.3% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 9.0 years of income Rents$883 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsBehind its 2 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Who lives here

Older than New Mexico overall

People 65 and older are 31% of residents (19% statewide); children under 18 are 12% of residents (22% statewide). Taos’ median age is 53.7 years. Among 73 New Mexico towns, just 3 have a lower share of children under 18 than Taos.

53.7median age · NM 39.4

	Taos	New Mexico towns	U.S. towns
Under 18	12%	24%	22%
Median age	53.7 years	37.2 years	40.5 years
Aged 65 or older	31%	17%	18%
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	39%	23%	29%

TaosNew MexicoUnited States

NMU.S.

Ages · share of residents

20%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma11%

High school19%

Some college21%

Associate’s11%

Bachelor’s19%

Graduate20%

Women and men · all residents

46% women, 54% men

That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.6 points. Across New Mexico, 50.3% of residents are women.

Ages and education in Taos
	Taos	NM	U.S.
Under 10	3.4%	11%	11.6%
10 to 17	8.3%	10.7%	10.3%
18 to 24	6.9%	9.3%	9.1%
25 to 34	8%	13.2%	13.7%
35 to 44	14.7%	12.8%	13.2%
45 to 54	10.4%	11.2%	12.2%
55 to 64	17.1%	12.5%	12.7%
65 to 74	19.5%	11.5%	10.2%
75 and older	11.7%	7.8%	7%
No diploma	10.8%	12%	10.4%
High school	18.9%	25.7%	26%
Some college	20.6%	22.2%	19.1%
Associate’s	10.7%	9.2%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	19.2%	17.1%	21.6%
Graduate	19.8%	13.9%	14.1%

Full pageTaos by the numbersOpen the page

Ages53.7 median age · 31% are 65 or older Schooling39% have a four-year degree Homes59% own their home · Homeowners Income$47K a year · Median household income

U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

OutdoorsB⁻

Taos has set aside 1.3% of its land for conservation

4.3 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Taos Eco Park, at 24 acres.

#44for trails in NM

	Taos	New Mexico towns	U.S. towns
Conserved land	1.3%	4%	4.3%
Miles of trail per square mile	0.7 miles per square mile	1.0	0.4

1.3%

conserved · 51 of 3,924 acres

4.3 mi

of trails · 0.7 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Red Willow Park	1 mi	20
2. Taos Eco Park	0.1 mi	24
3. Filemon Sanchez Fairground Park	—	10

Full pageTaos’ outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map4.3 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk1 miles of trail · Red Willow Park Conserved land1.3% conserved · 51 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Taos?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Climate

A typical July afternoon in Taos is 84°F, against 93°F in New Mexico’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns

Among 73 New Mexico towns, just 2 have a lower July high than Taos. Taos has cold winters and warm summers, with very little rain.

28″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter13–44°

Spring29–63°

Summer48–83°

Fall31–65°

Oct 3

typical first frost

May 19

typical last frost

+1.5°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageTaos’ climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 84°, January lows 11°Rain & snow28″ of snow a winter · 13 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.5° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C⁺

Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Taos

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 61% of U.S. communities.

39risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingLightningWildfire

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageTaos’ hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesLow risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters1 federal disaster · Paid out in Taos Get ready0.4 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

HealthB⁻

Taos is less healthy than 51% of U.S. towns

Against the 4,763 U.S. towns with household incomes like Taos’s, it is healthier than 90%, so its B− isn’t only a matter of income. Within New Mexico it is healthier than 71% of the 73 graded towns: much of New Mexico scores lower on these measures.

Taos beats the New Mexico average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. Among 73 New Mexico towns, just 7 have a lower share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Taos.

49%healthier than U.S. townsB⁻Health Grade

	Taos	New Mexico towns	U.S. towns
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)	30%	34%	36%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)	29%	35%	35%
Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES)	72%	69%	79%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)	12%	13%	16%

32 measures vs. New Mexico

5 better21 too close to call6 worse

What stands out	Taos	NM
Fewer adults facing housing insecurity	13.1%	16.5%
Fewer adults without reliable transportation	9.3%	11%
More adults who have had cancer	9.6%	7.4%

Holy Cross Hospital A Div of Taos Health Systems

3.1 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

71st

percentile among NM towns

Full pageTaos’ health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsFewer binge drinkers Hospitals & doctors nearby3.1 miles to an ER · Holy Cross Hospital A Div of Taos Health Systems How adults are doingFewer adults lacking emotional support Every CDC estimateBetter than NM on 5 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Nearby attractions

Wheeler Peak and 10 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Taos. Close and well known come first.

All 30 attractions →

15 mi MountainWheeler Peak 15 mi Ski areaTaos Ski Valley103 runs · 2,468 ft vertical

29 mi National forestCarson National Forest 19 mi Ski areaAngel Fire Resort101 runs · 2,205 ft vertical 4 mi MuseumMillicent Rogers Museum

in town MuseumHarwood Museum of Art

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Wheeler Peak: Davishan99, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Carson National Forest: David Herrera from Albuquerque, NM, Bernalillo, CC BY 2.0 · Harwood Museum of Art: Khlnmusa, CC BY-SA 3.0

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Taos

20pages on Taos

The big questions

SchoolsC⁺Behind 60% of NM districts · 10 schools SafetyD⁻6.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB⁻Better than NM on 5 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingC$426K typical home · down 1.3% in a year Work & commuteD$47K median household income · 5,349 jobs here Natural hazardsC⁺FEMA risk higher than 39% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsB⁻4 mi of trails · 1% conserved land PlacesAttractions30 nearby · Harwood Museum of Art under 1 mi LibraryA⁺13.3 library visits per resident CollegesUniversity of New Mexico-Taos Campus is 4.7 mi away

The story

HistoryAEstablished 1615 · 15 on the National Register Famous people15 born in Taos Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 53 residents Climate84° summer highs · 28″ of snow

Day to day

News9 recent stories about Taos WeatherHandbookZIP code 87571 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

1 within 15 miles of the center of Taos

University of New Mexico-Taos CampusCommunity college · Public · Ranchos de Taos4.7 mi$2,136 in-state tuition

About 5 of every 100 Taos residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New Mexico.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A growing town

Taos has grown 13% since 2010

5,716 counted in 2010 and 6,474 in 2020; an estimated 6,526 in 2025.

Growth has leveled off: within 1% of 2020, after 13.3% in the decade before.

5,7162010

6,4742020

6,5262025 est.

U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025

Landmarks

15 places in Taos on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Ernest L. Blumenschein HouseBuilt 1823 · National Historic Landmark

Kit Carson HouseNational Historic Landmark

Mabel Dodge Luhan HouseNational Historic Landmark

Severino Martinez HouseBuilt 1804

Famous people from Taos

15 notable people were born in Taos.

See all 15 →

Chiara AureliaAmerican actress · born 2002

David HykesAmerican music therapist · born 1953

Chief OurayUte chief · 1833–1880

Benigno C. HernándezAmerican politician · 1862–1954

Ruthanna HopperAmerican writer · born 1972

Joe P. MartinezUnited States Army Medal of Honor recipient · 1920–1943

About Taos

City in New Mexico, United States

Official town website ↗

Taos () is a town in Taos County, in the north-central region of New Mexico. Situated between the Rio Grande Gorge and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, it is located roughly 50 miles (80 km) south of the Colorado border. Taos serves as the county seat of Taos County, of which it is the largest municipality, with an estimated population of 6,567 as of 2021. The town of Taos was incorporated in 1934, although humans have lived in the adjacent Taos Pueblo—a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the town's namesake—for roughly a millennium; the town's name derives from the native Taos language meaning "(place of) red willows". Initially founded by Spanish colonists in 1615 as Don Fernando de Taos, it w…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1795
Area: 5.7 sq mi
Elevation: 6,969 ft
ZIP code: 87571
Area code: 575

Taos’s neighbors

2 towns share a border with Taos.

Explore the map →

Ranchos de TaosTaos PuebloTaos

Ranchos de Taos

SW · 2% of Taos workers commute here

Visit

Taos Pueblo

N · 2% of Taos workers commute here

Visit

How the neighbors grade

Town	NM rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Taos	#66	D	C	D⁻	C⁺	B⁻
Ranchos de Taos	#43	C⁻	C⁺	—	C⁺	B⁻
Taos Pueblo	—	—	C⁺	—	C⁺	C⁻

Taos Pueblo has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Ranchos de Taos and Taos Pueblo report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Taos with a neighbor →

Questions about Taos

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Taos, NM a good place to live?

Taos grades D overall, better than 6% of U.S. towns and #66 of 72 in New Mexico. It grades B− for health, D− for safety and C+ for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D−.

Is Taos, NM expensive?

That is 7.2 years of the area's median household income ($58,950 across the Taos, NM area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.

What is Taos, NM known for?

15 notable people were born here, including Chiara Aurelia and David Hykes.

Post to Taos

Check your email

TaosNM

Is Taos a good place to live?

What makes Taos stand out

Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents

Crimes reported to police

411 years in pictures

How Taos grades

Moving to Taos: who provides what

The data

Taos’ grade for safety is a D−

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

On state tests, Taos’ schools trail 60% of New Mexico districts

About half of Taos’ working residents work in town

Where working residents work

The typical home in Taos is valued at about $426K

Typical home value

Older than New Mexico overall

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

Women and men · all residents

Taos has set aside 1.3% of its land for conservation

A typical July afternoon in Taos is 84°F, against 93°F in New Mexico’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns

Typical low → high °F

Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Taos

Taos is less healthy than 51% of U.S. towns

Wheeler Peak and 10 more within 40 miles

Everything we know about Taos

Colleges nearby

Taos has grown 13% since 2010

Landmarks

Famous people from Taos

About Taos

Taos’s neighbors

Questions about Taos