Cost to Own
United StatesNew MexicoLos Alamos CountyLos Alamos Population 13,471 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Los Alamos, New Mexico

A $458,000 home here costs

$3,352

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,355. The real number is $997 higher every month — 42% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Los Alamos median: $458,200
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $366,400 borrowed $2,355
Property tax0.576% effective rate for Los Alamos itself $220
Homeowners insuranceNew Mexico averages $1,229/yr (NAIC), or 0.526% of home value $201
Electricity14.12¢/kWh — New Mexico residential average, EIA $127
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $382
Total monthly $3,352

Los Alamos against Los Alamos County and New Mexico

MeasureLos AlamosLos Alamos County
Median home value$458,200$452,500
Median property tax$2,637$2,591
Effective tax rate0.576%0.573%
Median gross rent$1,304$1,308
Population13,47119,374

The weather behind that power bill

Los Alamos sits in Los Alamos County, which averages a high of 82.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 20.5°F in its coldest, with 17.49" of precipitation a year and 47% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 397 cooling and 5,929 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Los Alamos County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Los Alamos County

Full Los Alamos County cost breakdown · Every county in New Mexico

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Los Alamos?

A $458,000 home in Los Alamos, New Mexico costs approximately $3,352 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,355 principal and interest, $220 property tax, $201 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $382 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Los Alamos?

Los Alamos has an effective property tax rate of 0.576%, based on a median home value of $458,200 and median real estate taxes of $2,637. That is in line with the Los Alamos County average of 0.573%.

What is the average home price in Los Alamos?

The median owner-occupied home value in Los Alamos, New Mexico is $458,200, against $452,500 across Los Alamos County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Los Alamos?

Median gross rent in Los Alamos is $1,304 a month, against $3,352 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Los Alamos — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for New Mexico.
  • Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
  • Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
  • Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.

Full methodology