Population 4,445 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Placitas
Household size in Placitas
| Period | Placitas | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.44 | 2.62 | 2.71 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.27 | 2.67 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.21 | 2.63 | 2.71 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.12 | 2.55 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.32 | −0.08 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Placitas are small: just 2.12 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.44 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next. Only two of the 52 New Mexico cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
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 Placitas
| Period | Placitas | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.4 | 37.2 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 56.3 | 38.3 | 38.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 58.6 | 39.6 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 62.0 | 41.1 | 40.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +10.6 | +3.9 | +3.2 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 62.0, Placitas is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Only one other New Mexico city with 5,000+ people is older.
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 Placitas
| Period | Placitas | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 13.8% | 14.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.1% | 14.5% | 14.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 2.6% | 12.7% | 13.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 13.1% | 14.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −0.7 pts | +0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Placitas: 4.3% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Only three of the 52 New Mexico cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Placitas
Renters in Placitas
| Period | Placitas | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.1% | 31.7% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 33.4% | 31.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.0% | 33.0% | 32.3% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 30.9% | 30.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.8 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Placitas is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 9.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 44.8% have no mortgage at all, 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 Placitas
| Period | Placitas | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 8.8% | 13.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.5% | 9.1% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.2% | 10.1% | 15.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.6% | 7.0% | 11.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −1.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Placitas is the same as the national rate: 9.6% of homes are empty. The rate is higher than in the wider Albuquerque area (7.0%).
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 Placitas
| Period | Placitas | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1993 | 1982 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1995 | 1983 | 1981 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1993 | 1984 | 1982 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1999 | 1986 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Placitas has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1999, versus 1980 nationally. Only three of the 52 New Mexico cities with 5,000+ people have newer homes.
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 Placitas
| Period | Placitas | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $702 | $884 | $777 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,612 | $970 | $866 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,159 | $1,050 | $943 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,229 | $1,356 | $1,188 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,528 | +$472 | +$411 | +$606 |
Rent in Placitas runs $2,229 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent takes 29.6% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the west and lowest in the north. Only one other New Mexico city with 5,000+ people has higher rents.
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 Placitas
Bachelor's degrees in Placitas
| Period | Placitas | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.9% | 29.1% | 25.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 48.4% | 29.5% | 25.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.9% | 31.6% | 26.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 58.7% | 35.0% | 30.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.8 pts | +5.9 pts | +5.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Placitas: 58.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Of the 52 New Mexico cities with 5,000+ people, only three have a higher share of college graduates.
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 Placitas
| Period | Placitas | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.6% | 86.0% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.5% | 87.3% | 83.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.5% | 88.4% | 85.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.1% | 90.2% | 87.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +4.2 pts | +5.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Placitas: 97.1% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Of the 52 New Mexico cities with 5,000+ people, only four have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Placitas
| Period | Placitas | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.0% | 9.3% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 6.0% | 6.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.0% | 5.4% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Placitas has been low: just 3.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Placitas has lower unemployment than the great majority of New Mexico cities. 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).
Placitas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Placitas | 2.12 | 62.0 | 4.3% | 9.3% | 9.6% | 1999 | $2,229 | 58.7% | 97.1% | 3.0% |
| El Llanito | 2.81 | 53.2 | 5.1% | 6.4% | 6.8% | 1995 | $1,909 | 35.5% | 96.8% | 5.2% |
| Bernalillo | 2.47 | 45.4 | 15.7% | 20.3% | 6.7% | 1995 | $1,115 | 29.0% | 85.3% | 5.9% |
| Algodones | 3.97 | 36.4 | 17.2% | 10.6% | 8.2% | 1989 | $1,442 | 14.2% | 77.8% | 6.2% |
| San Felipe Pueblo | 4.77 | 29.5 | 25.3% | 7.0% | 10.4% | 1994 | $1,427 | 12.0% | 72.3% | 7.0% |
| Domingo | 2.23 | 58.3 | 4.7% | 8.2% | 9.0% | 2001 | $1,918 | 61.2% | 97.3% | 2.2% |
| Corrales | 2.42 | 53.7 | 4.3% | 12.6% | 9.5% | 1987 | $1,221 | 50.1% | 95.9% | 6.4% |
| Ranchitos | 2.37 | 54.9 | 14.8% | 5.1% | 6.0% | 2012 | $1,595 | 43.0% | 95.5% | 2.8% |
| Rio Rancho | 2.75 | 41.3 | 13.6% | 17.7% | 5.6% | 1999 | $1,555 | 35.3% | 95.0% | 4.4% |
| Cerrillos | 2.08 | 57.7 | 3.9% | 32.4% | 16.7% | 1988 | $1,305 | 53.5% | 93.8% | 5.1% |
| Madrid | 1.47 | 65.3 | 1.9% | 44.5% | 23.6% | 1981 | $1,273 | 68.3% | 100.0% | 3.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
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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 Placitas. 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.
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