Population 78,458 · 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 Valencia County: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Valencia County
Household size in Valencia County
| Period | Valencia County | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.73 | 2.62 | 2.71 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.77 | 2.67 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.79 | 2.63 | 2.71 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.84 | 2.55 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.11 | −0.08 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Valencia County holds 2.84 people, more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.73, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the east and smallest in the northwest.
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 Valencia County
| Period | Valencia County | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.6 | 37.2 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.4 | 38.3 | 38.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.7 | 39.6 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.1 | 41.1 | 40.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.5 | +3.9 | +3.2 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Valencia County are younger than 41.1 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 37.6 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the west, the oldest in the south.
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 Valencia County
| Period | Valencia County | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.8% | 13.8% | 14.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.2% | 14.5% | 14.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 12.7% | 13.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.4% | 13.1% | 14.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −0.7 pts | +0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in eight households in Valencia County (13.4%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. The picture is much the same across the Albuquerque area. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.4 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Valencia County
Renters in Valencia County
| Period | Valencia County | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.4% | 31.7% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.0% | 33.4% | 31.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.5% | 33.0% | 32.3% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 16.8% | 30.9% | 30.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.6 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Valencia County is largely a place of homeowners: only 16.8% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Nearly half of owners (47.6%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 3.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Valencia County
| Period | Valencia County | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 8.8% | 13.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.7% | 9.1% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.1% | 10.1% | 15.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.0% | 7.0% | 11.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −1.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Valencia County as nationally: 11.0%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Albuquerque area as a whole (7.0%). Vacancy has risen 1.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Valencia County
| Period | Valencia County | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1985 | 1982 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1987 | 1983 | 1981 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1987 | 1984 | 1982 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1990 | 1986 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Valencia County has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1990, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1985 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the southwest has the oldest housing. Only two of New Mexico's 33 counties 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 Valencia County
| Period | Valencia County | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $739 | $884 | $777 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $810 | $970 | $866 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $895 | $1,050 | $943 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,094 | $1,356 | $1,188 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$355 | +$472 | +$411 | +$606 |
The median renter in Valencia County pays $1,094 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $355 a month from 2006–10, a 48% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 32.1% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the northeast.
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 Valencia County
Bachelor's degrees in Valencia County
| Period | Valencia County | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.0% | 29.1% | 25.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.5% | 29.5% | 25.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.7% | 31.6% | 26.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.1% | 35.0% | 30.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +5.9 pts | +5.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Valencia County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 21.1%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 4.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the east.
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 Valencia County
| Period | Valencia County | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.5% | 86.0% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.5% | 87.3% | 83.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.1% | 88.4% | 85.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.1% | 90.2% | 87.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +4.2 pts | +5.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Valencia County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.6 points, mirroring the country.
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 Valencia County
| Period | Valencia County | Albuquerque area | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 9.3% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 6.0% | 6.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 5.4% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Valencia County: 6.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 2.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Valencia County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valencia County | 2.84 | 41.1 | 13.4% | 16.8% | 11.0% | 1990 | $1,094 | 21.1% | 86.1% | 6.3% |
| Torrance County | 2.64 | 45.4 | 9.8% | 18.3% | 15.8% | 1986 | $874 | 16.7% | 86.9% | 8.2% |
| Navajo County | 2.71 | 40.8 | 16.5% | 26.8% | 22.5% | 1987 | $936 | 18.6% | 86.3% | 9.6% |
| Deaf Smith County | 3.11 | 31.2 | 21.4% | 33.2% | 13.9% | 1972 | $912 | 11.4% | 69.5% | 3.4% |
| Yavapai County | 2.25 | 53.0 | 7.7% | 24.9% | 10.8% | 1994 | $1,494 | 30.4% | 92.7% | 4.4% |
| Hall County | 2.37 | 45.2 | 14.5% | 26.4% | 27.6% | 1960 | $539 | 21.5% | 83.3% | 9.5% |
| Collingsworth County | 2.69 | 41.6 | 20.6% | 26.2% | 30.7% | 1958 | $698 | 24.5% | 75.0% | 1.1% |
| Harmon County | 2.39 | 41.0 | 15.2% | 30.3% | 28.0% | 1962 | $677 | 12.5% | 79.0% | 7.3% |
| Jackson County | 2.49 | 37.3 | 12.5% | 40.8% | 17.8% | 1976 | $866 | 26.4% | 86.5% | 5.0% |
| Comanche County | 2.65 | 36.3 | 14.8% | 44.4% | 13.9% | 1981 | $1,082 | 25.2% | 91.6% | 7.4% |
| Garvin County | 2.58 | 38.6 | 11.7% | 32.3% | 16.1% | 1974 | $862 | 18.2% | 86.6% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Lewis County, WA · Scioto County, OH · San Patricio County, TX · Ross County, OH · Rockingham County, VA · Robertson County, TN · Putnam County, TN · Putnam County, FL · Monroe County, FL · Midland County, MI
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 Valencia County. 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.