The great majority of the territory of Rio Rancho was originally part of the Town of Alameda Grant, which was founded by Spanish colonial settlers in 1710.

Its proximity to the city of Albuquerque made it a prime area for suburban development in the post-World War II period.

In 1961 Amrep Corporation purchased 55,000 acres (22,000 ha) and created a housing development called "Rio Rancho Estates".

Amrep contracted with Ezio Valentini, one of the original developers of Cape Coral, Florida, to design and implement a marketing plan to encourage land sales.

The opening of a large Intel Corporation plant in 1981 generated numerous jobs and had positive economic effects for the city.

Rio Rancho is bordered by Albuquerque to the south, the Santa Ana Pueblo to the north, with the town of Bernalillo and village of Corrales to the east.

[10] Rio Rancho is in an arid climate due to its location in the rain shadow of the Sandia Mountains to the east and the Continental Divide to the west.

Fab 7, Intel's original Rio Rancho plant which opened in 1980, closed in 2002, but was converted into a test facility in 2005.

Walmart opened in early summer of 2006 in Rio Rancho, and was a catalyst for related commercial retailers to locate nearby.

An Albuquerque-based incubator and co-working space "FatPipe" opened a satellite office in Rio Rancho.

In 2010 the City Council passed an automatic annual increase in water rate, equivalent to 25% over a five-year period.

The economies of Sandoval, Bernalillo, and Valencia counties suffered markedly in the late 2000s recession.

Rio Rancho is home to the Albuquerque metro area's only oldies-format radio station, KDSK (AM).

Residents may also subscribe to the daily newspaper Albuquerque Journal, which has a localized weekly version called Rio West.

Albuquerque's transit department, ABQ RIDE, operates a bus route (251 Albuquerque-Rio Rancho Rail Runner Connection) connecting Rio Rancho with the New Mexico Rail Runner Express station at Journal Center.

Rio Metro Bus connections are available at the US 550 Rail Runner station for Zia Pueblo, San Ysidro, Canon, and Jemez Springs.

In the spring of 2008, the Star Center became the home of the New Mexico Wildcats indoor football team.

[23] The New Mexico Thunderbirds announced in July 2011 that the team was sold to the Cleveland Cavaliers and will be moved to Canton, Ohio, for the upcoming season.

Since 2015, Rio Rancho has been the location of the Duke City Gladiators, a professional indoor football team.

They play home games at the Santa Ana Star Center, with whom they signed a five-year contract.

Atrisco Heritage Academy HS, Kirtland Air Force Base, and National Museum of Nuclear Science & History are adjacent to but outside of the city limits.Rio Grande HS and Sandia Peak Tramway are near but not in the city limits.