Many positive things can be said about living in Albuquerque. Located in and taking up almost all of Bernalillo county, it is the largest city in New Mexico (estimated population 545,852 as of 2015). Its population is more than five times greater than the next largest city (Las Cruces, pop. 99,665). According to movoto.com, Albuquerque has over 3,224 residential properties for sale. Albuquerque hosts amenities not found in any other New Mexico city. Two examples of these amenities are the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH), which includes the only trauma center in the entire state, and Central New Mexico Community College (CNM).
According to the 50-state comparative analysis performed by the Minnesota Taxpayers Association, New Mexico sits pretty solidly between 33 and 36 in rankings (out of 50) of residential, commercial, and industrial property tax Minnesota Taxpayers Association categories. It’s higher than some areas, but lower than many others. The Tax Foundation shows Bernalillo county as ranking around 431 out of 806 counties nationally for median tax percentages.
There is a dizzying level of complexity regarding how property taxes are conceived, legislated, voted on, and administered. Also, as mentioned above, specific information about individual properties and their owners can be factored into the tax rates. The property tax for one homeowner can differ dramatically from the property across the street, depending on who owns the property, when they bought it, where the property is, how old the owner is, and a host of other factors. The classic real estate rule, “location, location, location” does not necessarily apply when it comes to property taxes.
Comparison with Other Cities in Other States
Albuquerque property tax is in the lowest third of all 50 states. Here’s how Albuquerque compares to other cities in the U.S. when property tax is expressed as a percentage of a house’s value:
- Albuquerque, NM Â Â Â Â Â Â population 545,852Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 0.98%
- Atlanta, GAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â population 456,002Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1.383%
- Kansas City, KSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â population 470,800Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1.473%
- Milwaukee, WI Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â population 599,642Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 2.301%
- Sacramento, CAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â population 485,199Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1.067%
- Tucson, AZÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â population 527,972Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1.027%
Most property tax information is given by the average tax amount for a state. It’s easy to find which state has the highest property tax rate (New Jersey at 1.89%) and the lowest (Louisiana at 0.18%), but the numbers do not tell the whole story. Property tax is only one component of the total tax burden of any given city. Sales taxes, city, county, and state income taxes, deed taxes, traffic fines, gross receipt taxes, and other taxes contribute to a specific area’s tax burden. Choosing a place to live, even when a job transfer or military posting dictates the general location, requires more than property taxes to be taken into account.
While the property tax issue is capable of having numbers attached to it, there is no other city in the U.S. that is comparable to Albuquerque in terms of climate, altitude, and cultural diversity. It is unique in its high desert location (5,312 feet above sea level) and its isolation from other larger urban areas (286 miles from Amarillo to the east, 448.6 miles from Denver to the north; 325 miles from Flagstaff to the west, and 448.8 miles from Tucson to the south).
Comparison with Other Cities in New Mexico
The city of Albuquerque has the highest property tax rate of all cities in the state of New Mexico. The four largest urban areas in the state have the following rates:
- Albuquerque    population 545,852         $41.2-3/$1,000.00
- Las Cruces          population 99,665           $28.803/$1,000.00
- Rio Rancho         population 89,320           $35.341/$1,000.00
- Santa Fe              population 68,642           $20.091/$1,000.00
Although houses in different cities have different values, the property tax is calculated in the same way statewide, which makes direct comparison of cities possible.
Points to Consider
Albuquerque’s property taxes finance healthcare facilities, education, outdoor facilities in addition to parks, state police, senior and multigenerational centers, and schools of all levels. An individual can look at Tijeras, Edgewood, Moriarty, Los Lunas, Belen, Bernalillo, Placitas, Rio Rancho, and Corrales as doable commute-distance towns. Property taxes are lower (sometimes not by much) than Albuquerque, but factors like commute time, gasoline prices, traffic congestion, distance from city amenities, and weather conditions must also be considered in the decision. Albuquerque property tax is the highest in the state, but the act.ual dollars a homeowner pays out are lower than 39 of the other states.
In Conclusion
Albuquerque combines the best aspects of a number of worlds. As part of the Southwest, it can boast of its Spanish origins via its Old Town area and its frontier-town phase by dint of its 19th-century history. It lies within easy driving distance of any number of outdoor activities, such as golfing, skiing, and horseback riding (sometimes all on the same day). Even though it’s more than 220 miles in any direction from any city close to its size, Albuquerque is working hard to bring itself forward into the 21st century. As a major urban area, it has museums, music, art, world-class hospitals, outdoor attractions, and other amenities that put it squarely in the same category as other cities. Its property taxes reflect the availability of these urban amenities.
2 Point Highlight
1. Albuquerque property tax is the highest in the state, but the actual dollars a homeowner pays out are lower than 39 of the other states and the District of Columbia.
2. Property tax is only one component of the total tax burden of any given city.
