Rio Communities is a city in Valencia County, New Mexico, home to about 4,925 people across 7.7 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 87002.
Homes sold for a median of $172 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Part is in Rio Communities, part in Belen and Los Chaves
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Rio Communities. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Rio Communities’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ)27 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Albuquerque, NM31 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Phoenix, AZ317 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Rio Communities; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Rio Communities had 4,926 residents in the 2020 census, up 17% since 2000.
It’s the 47th largest of 494 towns in New Mexico by population.
Valencia County grew from 13,895 residents in 1900 to 76,205 in 2020.
Valencia County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 93°F in summer, and winter lows average 19°F. About 9.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 5 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Los Lunas 3 Ssw, NM weather station (9 miles away).
12,051 jobs at 962 businesses in Valencia County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
108 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Rio Communities.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 10 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 4 |
| Dentists | 8 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 21 |
| Mental health providers | 41 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 23 |
| Chiropractors | 1 |
| Pharmacies | 5 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (1 nearby)
Grocery stores
Pharmacies
Libraries
Museums
Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 2013.
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Belen. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dennis Chavez ElementaryBelen | Pre-K–6 | 294 | Public | 6.3 mi |
| Gil Sanchez ElementaryBelen | Pre-K–6 | 316 | Public | 4.9 mi |
| La Merced ElementaryBelen | Pre-K–6 | 463 | Public | 1.9 mi |
| La Promesa ElementaryBelen | Pre-K–6 | 230 | Public | 14.8 mi |
| Rio Grande ElementaryBelen | Pre-K–6 | 332 | Public | 3.6 mi |
| Belen Family SchoolBelen | 1–8 | 154 | Alternative Education | 3.5 mi |
| Central ElementaryBelen | 4–6 | 166 | Public | 4.6 mi |
| Belen MiddleBelen | 7–8 | 475 | Public | 4.5 mi |
| Belen HighBelen | 9–12 | 958 | Public | 5.5 mi |
| Belen Infinity HighBelen | 9–12 | 112 | Alternative Education | 4.4 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon Christian AcademyBelen | Pre-K–12 | 218 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 4.7 mi |
| St Mary's Catholic School BelenBelen | Pre-K–8 | 151 | Roman Catholic | 4.9 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Belen, Los Chaves, Jarales, Sausal, Pueblitos, Casa Colorada and Madrone.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.