$740,077Average Value$241Average Price per Sq Ft8Homes For Sale
A rural solar community a quick drive from the Santa Fe Plaza
Less than 15 miles south of the Santa Fe Plaza, amid windswept desert plains, Eldorado at Santa Fe is a master-planned solar community known for its sprawling homes and vast natural spaces. “It started in the 1970s during an energy crisis, so all the homes face southward to maximize sunlight, and there's walking trails throughout. Some of the homes even have these brick cooking areas that use the sun to heat up,” says Paige Cochran, a local Associate Broker with Keller Williams Realty and former Eldorado resident. Eldorado was originally designed to cater to young families with kids, offering highly rated schools, green belts and area-affordable homes. However, after ramping up commercial and residential development in the 1990s and early 2000s, it's become popular among retirees and artists seeking the area's natural beauty, the Eldorado Senior Center's care services and a community where neighbors look out for one another. "La Tienda's motto is ‘Community Happens Here,’" says Director of the local foodbank Bienvenidos Outreach Susan Tarver, "which is really fitting for a place like this."
Amid windswept desert plains, Eldorado is a community known for its sprawling homes and nature.
El Dorado
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Sprawling lots and Santa Fe homes surrounded by nature
Set along gravel roads, Eldorado’s single-family homes sit on multi-acre lots planted with juniper trees, lavender bushes and tall desert grasses. “Oftentimes, neighbors here will band together to hire local goatherders, who'll let their goats graze the grasses to keep them short and prevent wildfires,” says Emily Medvec, a Santa Fe local and Associate Broker with EXP. Santa Fe-style homes built between the 1970s and 2020s dominate the area, most featuring tan or red stucco exteriors, colorful wood molding and flat roofs supported by exposed wooden beams called vigas; older builds tend to have rounder edges associated with the Pueblo style, while 21st-century versions have sharper corners that lend a more modern look. Older three-bedroom homes on over an acre start at $425,000, while five-bedroom properties from the 2000s set on over 10 acres can go for up to $2.5 million. Most homes here, however, sell for around $700,000, have three or four bedrooms and sit on roughly 2-acre lots.
“One of the great things about Eldorado is that nowadays, you can really only develop south of Santa Fe, so there’s still space to build there,” says Mark Rochester, a Broker with Berkshire Hathaway Homeservice who was born and raised in Santa Fe. Undeveloped parcels range from $150,000 for an acre to over $470,000 for nearly 50 acres.
Santa Fe style home
Santa Fe style home
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Community and Santa Fe Public schools
El Dorado Community School earns a B-plus from Niche and serves Kindergarten through Grade 8. “I used to sub at that school, because all my kids went there. I knew all the parents and kids, and it was great for my son, who has special needs,” says Bernie Logue, a local nicknamed the “Mayor of Eldorado” because he’s friends with everyone in the neighborhood. Local kids can continue to the A-minus-rated Santa Fe High, which is about 15 miles north in Downtown Santa Fe; opened in 1899, this is the city’s oldest high school, and offers specialized engineering, culinary arts and JROTC programs.
El Dorado Community school earns a B-plus from Niche and serves kindergarten through 8th grade.
Students can attend Santa Fe High School, which received an A minus from Niche.
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Acres upon acres of greenbelts, trails and preserves
Within the Eldorado community, over 4,000 acres' worth of greenbelts are filled with desert shrubbery, juniper trees and native wildlife like jackrabbits and pronghorn antelopes; unnamed dirt trails cross these greenbelts, and are open to dog walkers, cyclists and horseback riders. Eldorado’s main thoroughfares are lined with another 13 miles of paved multi-use paths, and the 15-mile Rail Trail runs through the community’s center beside the Santa Fe Southern line, which only sees trains when it's used for film shoots.
The Eldorado Community Center includes a baseball field popular with local Little League teams, as well as volleyball and tennis courts, and an outdoor lap pool and kiddie pools. The community itself is home to 65 horse stables, where caretakers watch after residents' horses in a farm-like setting. Just east of the neighborhood, the Eldorado Community Preserve sprawls over 4,000 acres of hilly terrain along US Highway 285 and Galisteo Creek, its nearly 30 miles of trails offering scenic overlooks of the surrounding plains and Sangre de Cristo Mountains. “When the sun sets, the mountains will be pink one night, then gold the other. There’s just something so special about the mountains here,” Cochran says.
Greenbellt
trails
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Local taphouses, bakeries and grocery stores
As soon as the Santa Fe Brewing Company Eldorado Taphouse (nicknamed the Eldo Taphouse) opens at 3:00 p.m., it’s filled with locals enjoying lunch and drinks. “It’s really the community watering hole,” says Kayla Ortiz, a bartender at the taphouse and owner of Mineralbound Silver. Set in La Tienda strip mall, the Eldo Taphouse features unique beers ranging from the bitter Coffee Stout to the fruity IPAs of the brewery’s Social Hour series. “I like to mix them all together and call it the ‘Social Butterfly.’ It’s like liquid Fruity Pebbles,” Ortiz says. Bite Me Bakery sits next door, and on top of offering espressos and jalapeño bagels, it often rushes over pastries and sandwiches to the Eldo Taphouse. “I’ve been to New Orleans, but Bite Me Bakery makes the best muffuletta sandwich I’ve ever had,” Tarver says. Across the street at the Agora Shopping Mall, the Eldorado Supermart is the community's go-to grocery spot.
Santa Fe brewing tap house
Eldorado Residents have convenient to groceries and other goods at Eldorado Supermart.
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The Eldorado Farmers' Market and Studio Tour
The Eldorado Farmers’ Market brings dozens of vendors to La Tienda’s parking lot every Friday afternoon from May to October. “We get a lot of people from the neighborhood and even the city. A lot of folks prefer our market to the one in Santa Fe because it has that true local feel to it,” Tarver says. Held by the Bienvenidos Outreach, the Eldorado Farmers’ Market features farmers and caterers from all over Santa Fe County. “The line for Cloud Cliff Bakery will make you think the Rolling Stones were here,” Tarver says. The Cedar Grove Nursery and Farm also sells a wide array of potted mint plants and succulents here, alongside green chiles and tomatoes when the season’s right.
Every year in mid-September, the Eldorado Studio Tour invites residents to visit their neighbors' personal studios and view their art. "It's the state's largest studio tour and offers a glimpse into Eldorado's thriving artistic community," Medvec says.
During the summer months, the Eldorado Farmers’ Market is held every Friday.
Agora Shopping Center
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Easy interstate access and proximity to the city
Eldorado has direct access to US Highway 285 and Interstate 25, which makes commuting to the city center convenient; the Santa Fe Plaza is about 15 miles south. "Everyone moving to Santa Fe always tells me they want to be close to the Plaza, but they don’t realize there’s no traffic here, so places like Eldorado are within 20 minutes or less of the city,” Medvec says. Avenida Vista Grande is the neighborhood's main thoroughfare, lined with paved multi-use paths that lead to the Agora and La Tienda shopping centers. North Central Regional Transit District buses also travel fare-free between Agora and the Plaza, Monday through Friday. CHRISTUS Saint Vincent Regional Medical Center is around 13 miles north, and the Santa Fe Regional Airport is less than 24 miles northwest.
Highway 285 provides easy and quick access to Interstate 25.
Santa Fe's historic churches and plaza are only 15 miles away to the south of Eldorado.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Shell Goldman,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Parks in this Area
Compadres Park
Transit
Airport
Santa Fe Regional
32 min drive
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Eldorado at Santa Fe
US
Homicide
1
4
Sexual Assault
1
4
Assault with Weapon
1
4
Robbery
1
4
Burglary
1
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
1
4
Larceny
1
4
Crime Score
1
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Eldorado at Santa Fe Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Eldorado at Santa Fe, Santa Fe sell after 73 days on the market compared to the national average of 70 days. The median sale price for homes in Eldorado at Santa Fe, Santa Fe over the last 12 months is $612,914, up 68% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Enjoy privacy and stunning views from this Eldorado home, featuring a tranquil back garden oasis with serene mountain vistas. This well-loved property has only had two owners and is move-in ready. Many updates over the years include high-end Pella windows, re-stuccoing, re-roofing, new skylights, toilet replacements in 2023, a water heater replacement in 2018, and much more. Please see the list
Welcome to this beautifully remodeled & meticulously maintained property featuring a 1,568-square-foot main home & a spacious 780-square-foot studio/casita. Recently re-stuccoed & there is a silicone roof upgrade with a warranty until 2027. This property offers style & peace of mind.The 3-bedroom, 2-bath main home is a delight. The kitchen is efficient—complete with stainless steel appliances, a
Where Light, Land, and Legacy Converge – Timeless Adobe Beauty in Eldorado.Perched on the tranquil western edge of Eldorado, this soulful 3-bedroom, 2-bath adobe invites you into a lifestyle shaped by serenity, light, and the natural rhythms of Northern New Mexico. Every inch of this home is a celebration of Santa Fe tradition—thick adobe walls, brick floors warmed by radiant heat, and
A serene lifestyle with flexible living spaces awaits in this beautifully maintained and move-in-ready 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom home with 2,082 sq ft of comfort and charm on 1.47 acres.Nestled in a peaceful, well-connected community, the property features a newly built 2024 studio with a TPO roof, ideal for a creative space, home office, or fitness room. Inside the main home, enjoy the
Step into timeless Southwestern charm and style in this stunning 4-bedroom retreat. Featuring an open-concept layout flooded with natural light, this home boasts soaring beamed ceilings that elevate the space and create an inviting, airy ambiance. Enjoy endless views and privacy galore from every angle—perfect for those seeking serenity without sacrificing style. The spacious master retreat
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Shell Goldman,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
5,877
Median Age
66
Population under 18
9.1%
Below the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
52.8%
Significantly above the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$90,531
Above the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$117,080
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
98.4%
College Graduates
65.8%
Significantly above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
32.9%
Above the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
51.9%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
15''
Average Winter Low Temperature
21°F
Average Summer High Temperature
85°F
Annual Snowfall
33''
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
15/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
0/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
