A Summary of Findings from the 2007 American Community Survey

The U.S. Census Bureau recently released the results of the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS), a sample dataset detailing a variety of socioeconomic conditions for cities and counties of 65,000 residents or more. Data are not yet available for Torrance County due to its smaller population size. This report compares changes in New Mexico's mid-region from 2006 to 2007 as reflected in the ACS, and provides comparisons between counties. Information contained in this report is grouped into four categories: 1) Demographic; 2) Commuting; 3) Socioeconomic; and 4) Housing.

Data are provided at the county level for Bernalillo, Sandoval, Santa Fe, and Valencia Counties. Although information is available for the cities of Albuquerque and Rio Rancho, meaningful comparisons can be done at the county level since Albuquerque and Rio Rancho comprise the majority of Bernalillo and Sandoval Counties respectively. City data are available upon request.

Due to the timeframe referenced in this analysis, it is appropriate to associate findings with the booming construction and housing industries, the inception of the Rail Runner, and the ABQ Ride service expansion. However, it is too early for the data to reflect the impacts of the rise in gas prices and the more recent decline of the housing market.

1) Demographic

The Census Bureau shows growth in all four counties from 2006 to 2007. The rate of growth was highest in Sandoval County, which grew at twice the rate of Valencia County, the second most rapidly growing county.

ACS data show that Sandoval and Bernalillo are the youngest counties in the region, with median ages of (35.4) and (35.7) respectively. Santa Fe County has the oldest median age at 41.2 years of age while the median age in Valencia County is 37.9.

2) Commuting

ACS data reflect the emphasis of New Mexico's culture of driving, but suggest minor shifts in individual driving patters. From 2006 to 2007 the commuting times, or time spent travelling to work, increased in three of the four counties (Valencia County drivers spent on average 1.7 fewer minutes travelling to work). Sandoval and Valencia County drivers have the highest commute times.

Bernalillo, Sandoval, and Valencia Counties all saw decreases in the percent of residents who drive alone to work. Sandoval County saw the largest drop in the percentage of workers who drive alone, and it is perhaps an increased reliance on alternative modes that precipitated its sharper increase in commute time. Bernalillo County saw a similar albeit less dramatic pattern among its commuters. Meanwhile, Santa Fe drivers are least likely to drive alone to work; nearly 30% of Santa Fe County drivers carpool or use alternative forms of transportation.

Sandoval County has the largest number of households with 3 or more vehicles (32.2%), reinforcing the dependence among county residents on automobiles for transportation. Bernalillo County has the smallest percentage of households with three or more vehicles (18.8%) while Valencia and Santa Fe Counties have 25.2% and 26.6% respectively. Sandoval County also has the fewest households with zero vehicles (3.2%), while Bernalillo (5.9%) and Valencia Counties (5.6%) are home to the most households without vehicles.

3) Socioeconomic

ACS data reflect the range of wealth and economic conditions in the region. Valencia County has the region's highest unemployment rate for 2007 (8.7%) and the lowest percentage of families living above the poverty line. Bernalillo County holds the region's lowest unemployment followed closely by Santa Fe County, while Bernalillo County experienced the only meaningful change in unemployment from 2006 to 2007 as unemployment dropped from 5.6% to 5.0%. Poverty also declined in Bernalillo County during this span, but grew in Valencia and Santa Fe Counties.

ACS data also provide insights into disparities in educational attainment and income between counties.

Santa Fe County is both the wealthiest county and the best educated in terms of median household income ($62,206) and the percentage of adults 25 years or older with at least a Bachelor's degree (38.4%). In contrast, Valencia County households have the lowest median income in the region ($38,903), and the lowest percentage of adults with a college degree (12.9%). Lastly, while Sandoval County has higher incomes than Bernalillo County, Bernalillo residents tend to be slightly more educated.

4) Housing

ACS housing data show that counties within the region exhibit different emphases in housing construction.

In Sandoval County, the percentage of single-family housing units grew, indicative of large developments of detached housing units in the City of Rio Rancho. In contrast, multi-family housing units comprise a larger share of overall housing units in Bernalillo and Santa Fe Counties, indicating that a high share of new development was multi-family. In Valencia County, year-to-year comparisons are not available; however 2007 data indicates that few new homes were built in 2007. Also of note, 35% of Valencia County households are classified as neither single-family nor multi-family units, reflecting the high number of mobile homes in the county.

ACS data also reveal differences in the types of households found across the region. Sandoval County has the largest households while Bernalillo has the smallest. This disparity is likely related to the higher number of multi-family housing units and the more diverse family types in Bernalillo County, including single-family households. The large average household size in Sandoval County is attributable to the greater number of families with children and the lower rate of single-family households.

Finally, ACS data provide insights into housing costs and affordability. This is based on the percentage of income spent on housing costs, which is an indicator of economic health and housing market conditions. In general, spending more than 30% of household income on housing expenditures indicates lack of affordability. In Santa Fe County, 30.9% of homeowners and nearly half (48.9%) of renters pay 30% or more on housing, which reflect high housing costs in the City of Santa Fe. Valencia County contains the highest rate of homeowners that may be experiencing housing affordability issues.

Contact:  Kendra Watkins ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )