$120,000 in New Mexico
Household income percentile, occupation comparison, and lifestyle context for New Mexico.
Occupations near $120,000 (single earner)
BLS national median wages within ±15% of $120,000 — gives texture for which careers and seniorities land at this income level.
| Occupation | Stage | National wage |
|---|---|---|
| Registered nurse | senior | $121,000 |
| Pharmacist | entry-level | $113,000 |
| Data scientist | mid-career | $108,020 |
| Accountant | senior | $132,000 |
| Civil engineer | senior | $133,000 |
| Plumber | senior | $107,000 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. National medians; metro/state variance can be ±30%. Career stage estimates: entry ≈ 25th pct, senior ≈ 75th pct of the same SOC code.
Single earner vs two-earner household
One earner pulling $120,000 typically means a registered nurse or comparable role. Above-median earner status in New Mexico.
Two earners at $60,000 each combined = $120,000. Each individual is below median individually, but the household lands at the same percentile as a single $120,000 earner.
Lifestyle context — rent burden in New Mexico
At $120,000 gross, statewide median rent eats 11% of income — inside the affordable band. Metro areas (LA, SF, NYC, Boston, Seattle) typically run 30-50% above the statewide median.
Home affordability at $120,000
Using the 28% rule on a 30-year mortgage, $120,000 gross supports a home purchase up to about $323,775. New Mexico median home value is $243,100 — you can afford 133% of the median home, so buying statewide is realistic.
How $120,000 ranks in neighboring states
State-adjusted percentile shows the same income placed in New Mexico's contiguous neighbors. Relevant for relocation, remote-work geography, or border-town decisions.
| State | Median HH | % vs median | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico (current) | $62,268 | +93% | 77th |
| Oklahoma | $63,603 | +89% | 76th |
| Texas | $76,292 | +57% | 70th |
| Arizona | $76,872 | +56% | 69th |
| Colorado | $92,911 | +29% | 62th |
| Utah | $93,421 | +28% | 61th |
$120,000 ranks similarly in
Other incomes in New Mexico
Common questions
- Is $120,000 a good household income in New Mexico?
- It's at roughly the 77th percentile for New Mexico after adjusting for the state's median income ($62,268). Nationally that's about the 67th percentile. Whether "good" depends on household size, debt, and metro cost of living — Census medians smooth over big within-state variation.
- How does $120,000 compare to the New Mexico median?
- It's 93% above the New Mexico median household income of $62,268 (Census ACS 2023, table B19013). Half of New Mexico households earn less than $62,268, half earn more.
- Why does this number differ from other percentile calculators?
- Two sources of variation: (1) some calculators use individual income, not household — household income is typically higher because it combines earners. (2) Some use single-year ACS, others use 5-year averages. We use ACS 2023 1-year B19080 for the national distribution and adjust by state median ratio.
Full data sources and formulas: /sources.