De Baca County, NM

Rent vs Own in De Baca County, New Mexico

In De Baca County the ownership stack ($1,096/mo) sits only modestly above HUD's $973/mo 2-bedroom rent, a thin premium, not a blowout. Small assumption changes in the calculator can flip the verdict. Owner-occupied homes: 586.

Compiled by PlainPropertyTax, Property Tax Editorial Process · August 9, 2026

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Renting is cheaper in De Baca County

HUD's 2-bedroom rent is $973/mo - only a thin step below the $1,096/mo ownership stack. That is a $123/mo difference.

Based on 20% down, 6.5% rate, 30-year mortgage. Adjust below.

What This Data Tells Us About Renting vs Owning in De Baca County

Primary driver

Renting compares well inside the state

Using the assumptions above, De Baca County ranks 25 of 33 New Mexico counties for buy-vs-rent value (rank 1 = the best relative deal for buying). It sits ahead of 8 other New Mexico counties on this measure.

Decision signal 2

HUD moved the rent benchmark up

HUD raised its 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent for De Baca County from $933/mo in FY2025 to $973/mo in FY2026: it increased by $40/mo (+4.3%). A rising rent benchmark widens the gap in favour of owning over time, because the mortgage share of the ownership cost below is fixed at origination while the rent it is compared against reprices every year.

Decision signal 3

Renting wins, but only by a thin premium

At $187,500 for the median home and $1,118/yr in tax (0.60%), De Baca County's ownership stack (~$1,096/mo) only narrowly exceeds the $973/mo HUD 2-bedroom rent - a $123/mo premium. That is the band where a rate drop or a larger down payment most often flips the cash-flow verdict.

Methodology & disclaimer

This calculator is for informational purposes only and is not tax, legal, or financial advice. Property tax figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates and rent figures come from HUD Fair Market Rents; both describe area medians, not individual transactions. Insurance is estimated at 0.35% of home value annually and closing costs, maintenance, HOA, and PMI are not included. Consult a licensed mortgage, tax, or real-estate professional before making a buy-or-rent decision based on these numbers.

Monthly Cost Breakdown

Estimated Monthly Ownership

$1,096

Mortgage (P&I) $948 /mo (87%) Property tax $93 /mo (9%) Insurance (est.) $55 /mo (5%)

Mortgage (P&I) $948

Property Tax $93

Insurance (est.) $55

Monthly Rent (2-BR FMR)

$973

Studio$723

1-Bedroom$798

2-Bedroom$973

3-Bedroom$1,167

4-Bedroom$1,569

Adjust Your Scenario

Home Price ($)

Down Payment (%)

Interest Rate (%)

Monthly Rent ($)

Who actually pays it here

In De Baca County, once the mortgage ends staying put is close to free: the largest cluster of debt-free households faces a yearly charge under $800, so insurance and upkeep, not the tax office, set what the home costs to keep.

Layered on a thin rent-vs-own premium, that annual bill is often the swing factor: a paid-off owner still faces a real yearly charge even when the mortgage payment itself would have looked competitive.

Bill bands are Census ACS counts of owner-occupied homes without a mortgage. Income brackets are IRS Statistics of Income county data for tax year 2022, counted over FILERS reporting real-estate taxes on Schedule A, which is a smaller group than homeowners: most filers take the standard deduction.

Nearby Counties

Bernalillo County

Home: $292,900 Tax: $2,629/yr

Doña Ana County

Home: $220,800 Tax: $1,480/yr

Santa Fe County

Home: $446,300 Tax: $2,152/yr

Sandoval County

Home: $313,800 Tax: $2,296/yr

San Juan County

Home: $193,800 Tax: $1,317/yr

Valencia County

Home: $223,000 Tax: $1,374/yr

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in De Baca County? ▼

HUD prices a 2-bedroom unit at $973/mo here. Sizing up matters: going from a studio to a 4-bedroom adds about $846/mo, so the per-bedroom jump is worth checking against your actual space needs before assuming the 2-BR figure applies to your situation.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in De Baca County, New Mexico? ▼

HUD's 2-bedroom rent is only a thin step cheaper than owning in De Baca County (about $123/mo) on the standard 20%-down / 6.5% assumptions. A larger down payment or a rate drop often closes it; equity is still the ownership-only bonus.

How does De Baca County compare to other New Mexico counties for renting vs buying? ▼

Out of 33 New Mexico counties ranked here on buy-vs-rent value, De Baca County lands at spot 25, putting it in the more rent-favorable quarter of the state. The <a href="/states/new-mexico">New Mexico state page</a> lists every peer county's tax bill beside this one.

Is rent going up or down in De Baca County? ▼

HUD's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent figure has risen 4.3% between the FY2025 and FY2026 publications, the two most recent years tracked here.

What is the median home price in De Baca County? ▼

$187,500, per the Census Bureau's ACS 5-Year Estimates. The property tax on that value works out to roughly 0.60% a year, in line with typical rates for the area.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainPropertyTax

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Government Finances State and local property tax revenue by jurisdiction · 2025 Accessed 2026-08-09

Verify with HUD →