The population and steets of Belen City are presented in Table 6. As reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly half of the city's households were formed in the 1960s or earlier. These data reflect the steady population growth in Belen. The percentage of homes occupied by renters increased from 24.4 percent in 1990 to 26.4 percent in 2000. The remaining units were empty, with 12 percent of them vacant in both years.
The Belen City Comprehensive Plan focuses on land use activities as an indicator of the health and character of the community, as well as its municipal functions. The plan was developed using a wide-ranging public engagement process to gather opinions and attitudes. The plan is the result of an exhaustive public involvement process that involved numerous stakeholders in the community. The goal of the study is to determine what improvements are needed to the city's transportation system.
The city has numerous parks that can benefit the health of residents and property values. In addition to providing scenic beauty, parks can provide air cleaning and health benefits. Belen's Willie Chavez Park is located on the outlying east side of town. This park is owned by the Belen School District, and is not open to the public. The city is home to numerous parks and recreation areas, including the Willie Chavez Park.