Moderate

opportunity score

Albuquerque, NM Market Report

Southwest hub with strong research institutions, growing tech presence, and very affordable acquisitions.

0.9M

Metro Population

+1.0%

Annual Growth

340

Listed Businesses

$280K

Median Asking Price

🏙️ Market Overview

0.9M metro

Population · +1.0%/yr growth

Top Industries:
• Research & Development
• Healthcare
• Tourism

📊 Acquisition Activity

340

businesses listed for sale

Avg. time on market: 5.0 months

Median asking price: $280K

Price range: $100K – $1.8M

750 active buyers

🏦 SBA Lending Snapshot — Albuquerque

24%

7(a) Approval Rate

$385K

Avg. Loan Size

Top Lenders

First Community Bank · Bank of the West · US Bank

SBA Performance: Moderate — smaller metro; fewer SBA lenders but support available

📈 Business Valuation Multiples — Albuquerque

Industry	SDE Multiple	EBITDA Multiple	Notes
Restaurant (FSR)	1.7x–2.4x	3.8x–5.0x	Value-conscious market; tourist traffic from Balloon Fiesta
HVAC / Plumbing	2.2x–3.0x	4.8x–6.0x	Desert climate; solar gain; limited new construction
Dental	2.5x–3.3x	5.4x–6.8x	UNM Health Sciences creates referral base; stable demand
E-Commerce	1.6x–2.3x	3.6x–4.9x	Limited logistics presence; local/regional focus
Landscaping	1.8x–2.5x	4.5x–5.7x	Desert/xeriscape landscaping; tourism properties
Professional Services	2.1x–2.9x	4.7x–5.9x	Sandia Labs and research institutions create demand

SDE = Seller's Discretionary Earnings (cash flow to owner). EBITDA = Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation, Amortization. Multiples based on comparable transactions and market data.

🔍 Top Industries — Albuquerque

🔬 Research & Technology Active

SDE 2.4x–3.2x SDE/EBITDA

Sandia National Labs and UNM research creating demand for technical services and IT businesses. Defense contractor supply chain businesses command premium. Niche specialization creates pricing power.

🏥 Healthcare Services Active

SDE 2.5x–3.3x SDE/EBITDA

UNM Health Sciences and Presbyterian/Kaiser Permanente expansion driving healthcare M&A. Medical billing and home health businesses most active. Stable but not high-growth demand.

🎨 Tourism & Arts Moderate

SDE 1.9x–2.6x SDE/EBITDA

Balloon Fiesta and art/cultural tourism drive hospitality M&A. Restaurants and galleries near Old Town active. Seasonal demand creates buying opportunities for motivated sellers.

💼 Recent Notable Deals — Albuquerque

$280K

SBA 7(a)

IT Services (Kirtland AFB area)

2.9x SDE — defense contractor focus; $96K SDE · 2025

$195K

Conventional

Restaurant (Old Town)

2.4x SDE — Balloon Fiesta traffic; tourist dependent · 2025

$320K

SBA 7(a)

Dental Practice

2.8x SDE — UNM referral network; $114K SDE · 2024

📈 Growth Signals

Sandia National Labs employs 10,000+ — steady defense spending
Film industry revival — New Mexico film incentives attracting productions
Lowest cost of living among all 20 metros in this report
UNM and CNM creating growing tech workforce pipeline

⚠️ Key Risks

Slow population growth limits consumer market expansion
Very small deal volume — limited buyer competition
Federal research funding dependency creates volatility

🎯 12-Month Acquisition Outlook — Albuquerque