Albuquerque is a city located in Bernalillo County New Mexico. Albuquerque has a 2024 population of 558,736. Albuquerque is currently declining at a rate of -0.27% annually and its population has decreased by -1.09% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 564,888 in 2020.
The average household income in Albuquerque is $83,679 with a poverty rate of 16.46%. The median age in Albuquerque is 38 years: 36.5 years for males, and 39.4 years for females.
Albuquerque is relatively isolated, and it's a four-hour drive to the nearest city of similar size. The city proper has a population estimated at 558,000, with a metropolitan population of 903,000. The MSA includes Rio Rancho, Bernalillo, Placitas, Los Lunas, Belen, Bosque Farms and Corrales. This makes it the 59th largest metropolitan area in the country. The Albuquerque - Santa Fe - Las Vegas combined statistical area has a population estimated at 1.17 million.
According to the 2000 census, 35.5% of the state's population is bilingual, with most speaking Spanish and English. In part due to its diversity, the city was named as the most creative medium-sized city in the country.
New Mexico as a whole has lagged in population growth, gaining just 1,700 people (0.09%) in the entire state from July 2012 to July 2013. This puts the state close to the very bottom for the country, and behind neighboring states like Arizona, Colorado and Utah which have gained about 1.4%. Since 2010, New Mexico has grown less than 1%.
Albuquerque's metropolitan population is currently growing at a rate of 1-2% per year. From 2000 to 2010, the metro area rose 21.6%. Growth for the entire state is expected to remain concentrated in Albuquerque.
Albuquerque was founded in 1706 as a Spanish colonial outpost. For much of its early history, it was a farming community and military outpost, and the sheep-herding center of the region. After 1821, Mexico also had an army garrison in the city.
After the American occupation of the state, Albuquerque had a federal garrison and quartermaster depot from 1846 to 1867. During the Civil War, it was occupied briefly by Confederate troops. The Battle of Albuquerque in 1862, Confederate forces made a stand against a detachment of Union soldiers.
By 1900, the city had a population of 8,000 with modern amenities. Around this time, New Mexico became a haven for many tuberculosis patients who came for the dry climate and treatments. Two of the largest hospitals in the American Southwest, Presbyterian Hospital and St. Joseph Hospital, began around this time.
By 1926, travelers on the new Route 66 began to make their way into Albuquerque, which gave rise to many restaurants, shops, and motels. Over the next decade, establishments like Sandia National Laboratories and Sandia Base gave Albuquerque a central role in the Atomic Age, and its population began to soar. By 1960, the population reached 201,000 and then hit 518,000 in 2007. At this point, Albuquerque was one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States.
Today, Albuquerque struggles with flat population growth, 20% of its population living below the poverty line, a gun-death rate that is 40% higher than the national average and a crime rate 53% higher than the U.S. average.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Albuquerque was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
---|---|---|
White | 341,186 | 60.65% |
Two or more races | 102,071 | 18.14% |
Other race | 56,414 | 10.03% |
Native American | 27,063 | 4.81% |
Black or African American | 17,796 | 3.16% |
Asian | 17,457 | 3.1% |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 564 | 0.1% |
White
Two or more races
Other race
Native American
Black or African American
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
---|---|---|---|---|
All | 239,800 | 2.32 | 60.7 | 39.3 |
Non Family | 106,749 | 1.22 | 47.6 | 52.4 |
Married | 84,883 | 3.14 | 81.6 | 18.4 |
Female | 33,870 | 3.29 | 49.8 | 50.2 |
Male | 14,298 | 3.35 | 60.4 | 39.6 |
3.07
Average Family Size
2.32
Average Household Size
60.7%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
9th to 12th Grade | 22,711 | 5.81% |
Associates Degree | 35,940 | 9.19% |
Bachelors Degree | 81,073 | 20.74% |
Graduate Degree | 66,839 | 17.1% |
High School Graduate | 85,341 | 21.83% |
Less Than 9th Grade | 13,557 | 3.47% |
Some College | 85,516 | 21.87% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
Hispanic | 172,452 | 145,304 | 43,026 |
White | 168,708 | 163,214 | 85,393 |
2+ Races | 61,239 | 54,317 | 18,990 |
Other Race | 37,902 | 28,892 | 7,165 |
Native American | 17,313 | 15,924 | 3,836 |
Asian | 13,004 | 11,519 | 6,744 |
Black | 11,994 | 11,364 | 4,498 |
Islander | 415 | 415 | 144 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 51.86%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
---|---|---|---|
Bachelors Degree | $53,989 | $58,955 | $49,769 |
Graduate Degree | $76,569 | $92,008 | $68,876 |
High School Graduate | $33,145 | $35,885 | $29,221 |
Less Than 9th Grade | $25,980 | $30,993 | $20,411 |
Overall | $44,665 | $48,226 | $40,448 |
Some College | $39,194 | $45,304 | $34,482 |
$44,665
Average Earnings
$48,226
Average Male
$40,448
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
73.62% of Albuquerque residents speak only English, while 26.38% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 20.6% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
Hispanic | 277,421 | 55,126 | 19.87% |
White | 206,182 | 23,986 | 11.63% |
Multiple | 100,625 | 15,849 | 15.75% |
Other | 55,992 | 12,902 | 23.04% |
Native | 26,637 | 6,220 | 23.35% |
Black | 17,391 | 3,763 | 21.64% |
Asian | 17,311 | 1,906 | 11.01% |
Islander | 564 | 191 | 33.87% |
16.46%
Overall Poverty Rate
15.6%
Male Poverty Rate
17.28%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Albuquerque is Islander, with 33.87% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Albuquerque is Asian, with 11.01% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.54%. Among those working part-time, it was 21.67%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 25.98%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 31.39% |
High School | 18.83% |
Some College | 14.77% |
Bachelors or Greater | 6.29% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Male Unemployed | 35.8% |
Female Unemployed | 27.08% |
Female Employed | 10.6% |
Male Employed | 7.26% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
---|---|---|
Families | $78,926 | $100,596 |
Households | $61,503 | $83,679 |
Married Families | $102,025 | $122,786 |
Non Families | $41,381 | $58,381 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
39.6%
Overall Marriage Rate
41.5%
Male Marriage Rate
37.9%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
36,328
Number of Veterans
31,843
Male Veterans
4,485
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
---|---|
Vietnam | 12,443 |
First Gulf War | 8,841 |
Second Gulf War | 8,688 |
Korea | 2,405 |
World War II | 680 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
---|---|
65 to 74 | 8,982 |
75+ | 8,725 |
35 to 54 | 8,261 |
55 to 64 | 7,445 |
18 to 34 | 2,915 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 25,885 | 9.36% |
Hispanic | 10,582 | 5.18% |
2+ Races | 4,617 | 6.34% |
Black | 2,223 | 16.51% |
Other Race | 2,035 | 4.65% |
Native American | 1,205 | 5.87% |
Asian | 323 | 2.27% |
Islander | 40 | 7.81% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
8.18%
Veteran Poverty Rate
29.52%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
64.2%
Labor Force Participation
60.2%
Employment Rate
5.5%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
53.31%
Born in Albuquerque
89.78%
Native Born
10.22%
Foreign Born
5.16%
Non Citizen
5.05%
Naturalized
89.78% of Albuquerque residents were born in the United States, with 53.31% having been born in New Mexico. 5.16% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
---|---|---|---|
2029 | 551,046 | -1,538 | -0.28% |
2028 | 552,584 | -1,538 | -0.28% |
2027 | 554,122 | -1,538 | -0.28% |
2026 | 555,660 | -1,538 | -0.28% |
2025 | 557,198 | -1,538 | -0.28% |
2024 | 558,736 | -1,538 | -0.27% |
2023 | 560,274 | -1,094 | -0.19% |
2022 | 561,368 | -1,986 | -0.35% |
2021 | 563,354 | -1,534 | -0.27% |
2020 | 564,888 | 4,102 | 0.73% |
2019 | 560,786 | 1,109 | 0.2% |
2018 | 559,677 | -119 | -0.02% |
2017 | 559,796 | 446 | 0.08% |
2016 | 559,350 | 1,264 | 0.23% |
2015 | 558,086 | 520 | 0.09% |
2014 | 557,566 | 19 | 0% |
2013 | 557,547 | 2,473 | 0.45% |
2012 | 555,074 | 2,969 | 0.54% |
2011 | 552,105 | 5,358 | 0.98% |
2010 | 546,747 | 0 | 0% |
2000 | 448,607 | 63,871 | 16.6% |
1990 | 384,736 | 51,816 | 15.56% |
1980 | 332,920 | 88,419 | 36.16% |
1970 | 244,501 | 43,312 | 21.53% |
1960 | 201,189 | 104,374 | 107.81% |
1950 | 96,815 | 61,366 | 173.11% |
1940 | 35,449 | 8,879 | 33.42% |
1930 | 26,570 | 11,413 | 75.3% |
1920 | 15,157 | 4,137 | 37.54% |
1910 | 11,020 | 4,782 | 76.66% |
1900 | 6,238 | 2,453 | 64.81% |
1890 | 3,785 | -547,261 | -99.31% |