Is Los Alamos County, NM good for real estate investing?

Los Alamos County has an investment score of 43/100, rated as "Avoid". The county ranks #719 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in Los Alamos?

The rent-to-price ratio in Los Alamos County is 5.53% annually, which ranks in the 38th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Los Alamos?

The median home price in Los Alamos County is $584,419. This ranks #956 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Los Alamos?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Los Alamos County would generate negative cash flow of $1,314/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Los Alamos County

New MexicoPopulation: 19,253

/100

Avoid

#719 of 1,000 counties

#25 in New Mexico (30 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated July 8, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$584,419

Median Home Price

155% above national median

$2,692/mo

Median Rent

86% above national median

5.53%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 62% nationally

-$1,314

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $2,692/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$438,315	-$548/mo	4.8%	-6.5%
Median typical MLS deal	$584,419	-$1,314/mo	3.6%	-11.7%
125% of median newer / premium	$730,524	-$2,080/mo	2.9%	-14.9%

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$584,419

Down Payment (20%)$116,884

Loan Amount$467,535

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,692

Monthly P&I-$3,064

Est. Expenses (35%)-$942

Net Cash Flow-$1,314/mo

3.6%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-11.7%

Cash-on-Cash Return

5.53%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.6% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

43/100

Cash Flow(30%)

53/100

Based on 5.53% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

46/100

Based on -0.9% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

18/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Declining home values (-0.9% YoY)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$1,314/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 3.6% < mortgage rate 6.9%)
-High price-to-income ratio makes financing challenging

Economic Indicators

Population

19,253

Median Income

—

Data pending

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

—

Data pending

Who this market fits

Best for

+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)
−You expect appreciation to carry the deal, but prices have declined year over year
−You rely on FHA-style financing: prices are stretched relative to local incomes

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
ColfaxNM	47	$240,853	Est. pending	—	Hold	View
TaosNM	45	$427,888	$2,163	6.06%	Hold	View
HidalgoNM	45	$87,347	Est. pending	—	Hold	View
CurrentLos AlamosNM	43	$584,419	$2,692	5.53%	Avoid
De BacaNM	42	$94,683	Est. pending	—	Avoid	View
Santa FeNM	39	$543,970	$2,000	4.41%	Avoid	View

The Bottom Line

AvoidLos Alamos may be challenging for traditional rentals. High prices or low rents make cash flow difficult.

Los Alamos County in New Mexico scores 43/100, ranking #719 of 1,000 US counties (top 92%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $1314/month; the 5.53% gross rent-to-price ratio doesn't survive debt service. The thesis here is appreciation, value-add, house hacking, or all-cash.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-1,314/mo

Cap Rate

3.6%

Cash-on-Cash

-11.7%

Related markets

Markets like Los Alamos with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Los Alamos

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in New Mexico →

Rent vs buy in New Mexico cities

Rent vs buy in Albuquerque, NMMedian $339,865 · rent $1,478/mo Rent vs buy in Las Cruces, NMMedian $285,598 · rent $1,459/mo Rent vs buy in Rio Rancho, NMMedian $366,487 · rent $1,917/mo Rent vs buy in Santa Fe, NMMedian $543,970 · rent $2,000/mo Rent vs buy in Farmington, NMMedian $259,732 · rent $1,415/mo All New Mexico citiesFull rent-vs-buy directory for the state

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Los Alamos?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties.

Single Family1-4 unit rentals, BRRRR House HackOwner-occupied strategy Multifamily5+ unit properties

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Scenario comparison

Same $2,692/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$438,315	-$548/mo	4.8%	-6.5%
Median typical MLS deal	$584,419	-$1,314/mo	3.6%	-11.7%
125% of median newer / premium	$730,524	-$2,080/mo	2.9%	-14.9%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$584,419

Down Payment (20%)$116,884

Loan Amount$467,535

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,692

Monthly P&I-$3,064

Est. Expenses (35%)-$942

Net Cash Flow-$1,314/mo

3.6%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-11.7%

Cash-on-Cash Return

5.53%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.6% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

43/100

Cash Flow(30%)

53/100

Based on 5.53% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

46/100

Based on -0.9% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

18/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Who this market fits

Best for

+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)
−You expect appreciation to carry the deal, but prices have declined year over year
−You rely on FHA-style financing: prices are stretched relative to local incomes

County

Verdict

ColfaxNM

$240,853

Est. pending

—

Hold

View

TaosNM

$427,888

$2,163

6.06%

Hold

View

HidalgoNM

$87,347

Est. pending

—

Hold

View

CurrentLos AlamosNM

$584,419

$2,692

5.53%

Avoid

De BacaNM

$94,683

Est. pending

—

Avoid

View

Santa FeNM

$543,970

$2,000

4.41%

Avoid

View

The Bottom Line

AvoidLos Alamos may be challenging for traditional rentals. High prices or low rents make cash flow difficult.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-1,314/mo

Cap Rate

3.6%

Cash-on-Cash

-11.7%