The racial breakdown of the neighborhood was 51% non-Hispanic white, 37% Hispanic, 4% American Indian, 3% Asian, 2% Black, and 3% other races or mixed-race.

[2] The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway reached Albuquerque in 1880, fueling land speculation as investors hoped to profit from its arrival.

Unlike the old Hispanic neighborhoods like Old Town, Barelas, and Atrisco, Huning Highlands was primarily built by recently arrived Anglo-Americans and European immigrants.

As such, the houses in the neighborhood reflected styles and materials popular in the eastern and Midwestern United States—Queen Anne, Italianate, and other Victorian styles—rather than traditional regional forms.

[7] However, as the city continued to grow, many wealthy residents abandoned the older inner-city neighborhoods in favor of the more suburban developments further to the east.

[8] The city designation requires approval from the Landmarks and Urban Conservation Commission for any alterations to contributing properties in the district and provides tax incentives for home restoration projects.

According to the Huning Highlands Historic District Association, the percentage of properties that were considered "blighted or substandard" decreased from 52% in 1976 to 17% in 1986 and was estimated at less than 5% by 2005.

[10] Development in the neighborhood's commercial district has also increased since the early 2000s, with large projects including the Albuquerque High Lofts and Innovate ABQ, a mixed-use tech campus.