Commuting

Driving alone is the dominant form of commuting to work in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Carpooling comes in at a distant second.  Slightly over 4% of workers use an alternative mode of transportation including public transit, walking or riding their bike to work.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2009 American Community Survey

The share of the commuting population using a private automobile has changed very little over the past several decades, consistently hovering around 90%. Travel times, however, continue to reflect a growing region. In 2000, the average work commute took 22.8 minutes, and by 2009 that had risen to 23.7 minutes.

Income

In 2009, Sandoval County had the highest median household income ($56,703) in the four-county region, followed by Bernalillo County ($46,121). At $35,146, Torrance County's median income fell about $7,500 below the state's median income.

Source: 2005-2009 American Community Survey

Housing

Household sizes have declined over time. Although this appears to be leveling off somewhat recently, the trend is expected to continue. This is due to changing demographics, such as families choosing to have fewer children and more single person households. The result is that it takes more homes than ever to accommodate the region's growing population.

Source: US Bureau of Census

Housing by Type by Tenure

Single family owner-occupied homes represent the majority of housing in the region.  The number of single family homes increased 29% between 1990 and 2000 and 16% between 2000 and 2009. However, in recent years and particularly since the economic downturn, multi-family demand has grown.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2009 American Community Survey