Population 2,760 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Alto: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Alto
Household size in Alto
| Period | Alto | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.08 | 2.71 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.32 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.45 | 2.71 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.21 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.12 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Alto is a place of small households, averaging 2.21 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.08, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Alto
| Period | Alto | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 54.4 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 53.9 | 38.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 59.4 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 58.9 | 40.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.5 | +3.2 | +2.3 |
Alto skews older: half of its residents are older than 58.9, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Alto
| Period | Alto | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.2% | 14.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 14.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 1.8% | 13.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.4% | 14.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.8 pts | +0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Alto than nationally: 10.4%, against 11.6%.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Alto
Renters in Alto
| Period | Alto | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.1% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.6% | 31.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 32.3% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 30.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | −8.2 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Alto is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 6.9% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 63.2% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Alto
| Period | Alto | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.8% | 13.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 55.6% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 60.9% | 15.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 47.7% | 11.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −8.1 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 47.7% of the housing in Alto, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Alto
| Period | Alto | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1988 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1993 | 1981 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1992 | 1982 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1996 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +4 | +6 |
Alto has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1996, versus 1980 nationally.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Alto
| Period | Alto | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $698 | $777 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $789 | $866 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $566 | $943 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,139 | $1,188 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$441 | +$411 | +$606 |
Rent in Alto runs $1,139 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. That is in line with the rest of New Mexico. Rent takes 39.1% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Alto
Bachelor's degrees in Alto
| Period | Alto | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.9% | 25.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.5% | 25.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.4% | 26.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 45.3% | 30.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +18.4 pts | +5.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in Alto than nationally: 45.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Alto
| Period | Alto | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.5% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.3% | 83.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.6% | 85.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.2% | 87.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +5.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Alto: 96.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Alto
| Period | Alto | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.9% | 7.3% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 1.9% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 0.0% | 6.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.4% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +11.5 pts | −1.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Alto runs well above the national rate: 14.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Alto compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alto | 2.21 | 58.9 | 10.4% | 6.9% | 47.7% | 1996 | $1,139 | 45.3% | 96.2% | 14.4% |
| Sierra Vista | 1.88 | 53.5 | 13.6% | 17.8% | 61.1% | 1985 | $1,007 | 39.8% | 85.0% | 0.0% |
| Ruidoso | 2.03 | 47.1 | 12.4% | 30.4% | 52.9% | 1984 | $927 | 32.6% | 91.8% | 2.9% |
| Fort Stanton | 2.48 | 54.0 | 9.2% | 15.1% | 34.8% | 1998 | $1,004 | 27.7% | 89.8% | 11.7% |
| Ruidoso Downs | 2.32 | 39.2 | 25.5% | 32.1% | 24.7% | 1983 | $876 | 18.3% | 94.8% | 3.0% |
| Capitan | 2.02 | 58.9 | 10.2% | 13.0% | 20.6% | 1997 | $968 | 24.3% | 95.4% | 10.2% |
| Glencoe | 1.98 | 53.2 | 18.1% | 29.4% | 31.9% | 1984 | $1,091 | 16.0% | 90.0% | 0.7% |
| Nogal | 1.88 | 60.5 | 6.1% | 7.6% | 16.6% | 1991 | $864 | 31.7% | 97.4% | 7.2% |
| San Patricio | 1.88 | 58.4 | 14.0% | 24.9% | 32.8% | 1985 | $1,237 | 19.0% | 88.8% | 0.0% |
| Lincoln | 1.83 | 61.6 | 10.3% | 21.8% | 24.1% | 1988 | $1,106 | 19.3% | 90.9% | 5.9% |
| Hondo | 1.87 | 58.8 | 13.7% | 24.9% | 31.9% | 1985 | $1,224 | 18.7% | 88.9% | 0.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Byers, CO · Arlington, OH · Avonmore, PA · West Sunbury, PA · Lauderdale, MN · Marietta, NY · Padgett, NC · Mc Henry, MS · Flows Store, NC · Worthington, PA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Alto. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.