Can households afford energy in New Mexico?
10th of 51. All New Mexico households: 2.3% ($1,763 of $75,124). Same income group, U.S.: 8.3%. Under 30% of median: 23.0% on $6,371. Renters 2.7%, owners 2.3%.
New Mexico burden by income bracket
At or above 6% in New Mexico: under 30%, 30% to 60%. Together 26% of homes (211,389 of 812,852).
New Mexico burden, % of income
- 23.0Under 30%
- 7.630% to 60%
- 5.060% to 80%
- 4.080% to 100%
- 1.7Over 100%
Getting the average under-30% household in New Mexico down to 6% takes $1,084 off its $1,466 energy cost, or $18,062 more income.
New Mexico income, cost and burden
| Bracket | New Mexico homes | Share | New Mexico income | Electric | All energy | New Mexico burden | U.S. burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30% | 86,601 | 11% | $6,371 | $827 | $1,466 | 23.0% | 17.0% |
| 30% to 60% | 124,788 | 15% | $19,974 | $814 | $1,517 | 7.6% | 6.3% |
| 60% to 80% | 75,504 | 9% | $33,225 | $901 | $1,670 | 5.0% | 4.3% |
| 80% to 100% | 69,218 | 9% | $42,814 | $961 | $1,720 | 4.0% | 3.4% |
| Over 100% | 456,741 | 56% | $115,050 | $1,087 | $1,908 | 1.7% | 1.6% |
| All | 812,852 | 100% | $75,124 | $989 | $1,763 | 2.3% | 2.2% |
Renters, owners and fuel in New Mexico
Renters pay $1,093 on $40,846 (2.7%); owners $2,068 on $90,763 (2.3%); U.S. 2.4% and 2.2%. Most common fuel: utility gas, 62% of homes. Heaviest burden: fuel oil, 6.6%.
| New Mexico heating fuel | Homes | Share | New Mexico income | All energy | Burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 183,245 | 22.5% | $64,246 | $1,411 | 2.2% |
| Utility gas | 504,202 | 62.0% | $82,526 | $1,684 | 2.0% |
| Bottled gas (propane) | 55,501 | 6.8% | $73,389 | $2,916 | 4.0% |
| Fuel oil | 1,513 | 0.2% | $31,606 | $2,094 | 6.6% |
| Wood, coal, solar and other | 68,392 | 8.4% | $52,065 | $2,342 | 4.5% |
Your burden against New Mexico
Help and shutoff rules in New Mexico
FY2024 LIHEAP heating help: 21,672 homes, 10 per 100 under 60% of median.
FY2026 funding snapshot $20,080,797, $95 per such home.
Eligibility listed: 150% Federal Poverty Level.
Benefits listed: Heating and cooling: $70 minimum, $490 maximum Crisis: $490 maximum.
- New Mexico LIHEAP office, phone 1-800-283-4465
- Clearinghouse snapshot, New Mexico
- New Mexico help with your bill
New Mexico has a cold-weather clause; wording on the help page.
Read: 17.5.410 NMAC (esp. 17.5.410.7, .30, .31, .32, .33, .39, .40, .43), checked 2026-10-02; some utilities only.
Not legal advice. Ask your New Mexico utility.
Highest-burden New Mexico counties
31 counties with 1,000+ homes; top: Mora County at 6.8%, lowest of the 31: Los Alamos County at 1.1%.
| New Mexico county | Homes | Income | All energy | Burden | Under 60% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mora County | 2,091 | $48,299 | $3,278 | 6.8% | 20.6% |
| Catron County | 1,609 | $47,525 | $2,613 | 5.5% | 15.5% |
| Socorro County | 4,953 | $51,916 | $2,682 | 5.2% | 18.1% |
| Sierra County | 5,285 | $47,942 | $2,267 | 4.7% | 14.3% |
| McKinley County | 20,913 | $52,320 | $2,466 | 4.7% | 16.4% |
| Guadalupe County | 1,295 | $60,773 | $2,814 | 4.6% | 15.0% |
| Union County | 1,463 | $49,685 | $2,262 | 4.5% | 11.7% |
| Colfax County | 5,549 | $56,091 | $2,360 | 4.2% | 11.8% |
Next to New Mexico in the ranking
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Sources
DOE LEAD 2022; LIHEAP Clearinghouse; CSV.
Questions
How much of income do New Mexico households spend on energy?
2.3% for all households ($1,763 of $75,124) and 10.4% under 60% of median income. U.S.: 2.2%, 8.3%.
Who is hit hardest in New Mexico?
Households under 30% of median income: 23.0%, 86,601 homes spending $1,466 on $6,371.
How many New Mexico homes get LIHEAP heating help?
21,672 in FY2024, 10 per 100 homes under 60% of median; not a take-up rate.
Is electricity the whole New Mexico energy burden?
No: electricity is 1.3% of 2.3%; gas and other fuel are the rest.