The typical owner-occupied home in Sierra County is worth about $152,600, 38% below the New Mexico median of $248,100 and 54% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $789 a year in property taxes, about 0.52% of their home's value, lower than the New Mexico rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $41,600 a year, so the median home costs 3.7 times the median income (3.9 times for New Mexico). 72% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 30% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Sierra County at a glance
| Sierra County | New Mexico | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $152,600 | $248,100 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $789 | $1,731 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.52% | 0.70% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $41,600 | $64,059 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 72% | 70% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 30% | 52% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,123 | $1,564 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 20.4% | 20.6% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $729 | $1,067 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 30.5% | 30.1% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1983 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 33.7% | 12.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 11,500 | 2,120,246 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Sierra County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Sierra County home of $152,600 with 20% down costs about $951 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,205, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $40,755 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 27% of the median Sierra County household income of $41,600; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $156,000.
The median rent here is $729 a month, so owning the median home costs about $222 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $30,520 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $122,080 |
| Principal and interest | $821 |
| Property taxes (0.52% a year) | $66 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $64 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $951 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $5,341 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $149,836 |
| Principal and interest | $1,008 |
| Property taxes (0.52% a year) | $66 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $64 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $67 |
| Total per month | $1,205 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Sierra County
What is the median home value in Sierra County?
About $152,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Sierra County?
Homeowners pay a median $789 a year, which is about 0.52% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Sierra County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $951 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $40,755 a year.
More about Sierra County
- Mortgage Refinance in Sierra County
- Debt Relief in Sierra County
- Home Equity Loans in Sierra County
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data