To take home four times the typical rent, a full-time job in New Mexico needs to pay from $21.15 an hour in Luna County to $41.77 in Los Alamos County, before taxes. The middle county is Cibola County at $24.47.
| County | Pay needed | Studio rent |
|---|---|---|
| Bernalillo County | $29.75/hr | $970/mo |
| Catron County | $25.46/hr | $840/mo |
| Chaves County | $25.79/hr | $850/mo |
| Cibola County | $24.47/hr | $810/mo |
| Colfax County | $24.47/hr | $810/mo |
| Curry County | $23.65/hr | $785/mo |
| De Baca County | $24.47/hr | $810/mo |
| Dona Ana County | $23.81/hr | $790/mo |
| Eddy County | $32.40/hr | $1,050/mo |
| Grant County | $24.80/hr | $820/mo |
| Guadalupe County | $23.16/hr | $770/mo |
| Harding County | $24.97/hr | $825/mo |
| Hidalgo County | $24.37/hr | $807/mo |
| Lea County | $34.38/hr | $1,110/mo |
| Lincoln County | $25.13/hr | $830/mo |
| Los Alamos County | $41.77/hr | $1,305/mo |
| Luna County | $21.15/hr | $709/mo |
| McKinley County | $24.47/hr | $810/mo |
| Mora County | $24.47/hr | $810/mo |
| Otero County | $21.18/hr | $710/mo |
| Quay County | $23.16/hr | $770/mo |
| Rio Arriba County | $24.80/hr | $820/mo |
| Roosevelt County | $24.47/hr | $810/mo |
| San Juan County | $27.60/hr | $905/mo |
| San Miguel County | $24.14/hr | $800/mo |
| Sandoval County | $32.07/hr | $1,040/mo |
| Santa Fe County | $39.48/hr | $1,245/mo |
| Sierra County | $21.18/hr | $710/mo |
| Socorro County | $24.47/hr | $810/mo |
| Taos County | $27.11/hr | $890/mo |
| Torrance County | $27.77/hr | $910/mo |
| Union County | $23.49/hr | $780/mo |
| Valencia County | $28.76/hr | $940/mo |
The Four Times Rent standard: a month of full-time work (160 hours) should take home at least four times the typical rent on a studio apartment in the county where the work is done. Rents: HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local income taxes plus Social Security and Medicare, for a single filer. Why four times rent?