New Mexico : What you need to know
Known as the “Land of Enchantment,” New Mexico offers residents breathtaking views, colorful scenery and vibrant culture. The best places to live in New Mexico include Santa Fe, Los Alamos, which is home to the National Laboratory, and Las Cruces. Millions of acres of land in New Mexico fall under the protection of the National Forest and National Park Services. People living in New Mexico enjoy more than 300 days of sunshine each year.
Courtesy of iStockphoto/mihtiander
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New Mexico offers cheap living among breathtaking views.
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia, UNM head an impressive list
Albuquerque, Los Alamos, Rio Rancho head an impressive list
Read More About New Mexico
- America's wine industry is thriving — in places you might not expect.
- Find out why Los Alamos is a place you don't want to pass up.
- New Mexico offers cheap living among breathtaking views, hot air balloons
- Spoiler alert: You’re going to want to pack your bags and move to Los Alamos after reading this.
- Las Cruces’ economy is grounded by big industries
- Albuquerque NM include aerospace and defense, energy technology including solar energy, and semicondcutor and computer chip manufacturing.
Featured Cities in New Mexico
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Quick Facts about NM
| Population | 2,084,117 |
| Latest Population Increase | 0.00% |
| Median Household Income | $44,963 |
| Median Home Price | $160,300 |
| Median Property Tax | $1,227 |
| Median Rent | $68 |
Employment Rate in NM
| Employed | 93.3% | |
| Unemployed | 6.7% |
Featured Cities/Population in NM
| Farmington, NM | 44,865 |
| Rio Rancho, NM | 91,807 |
| Las Cruces, NM | 101,164 |
| Carlsbad, NM | 27,592 |
| South Valley, NM | 41,660 |
| Portales, NM | 12,416 |
| Hobbs, NM | 36,191 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 556,092 |
| Santa Fe, NM | 83,008 |
| Los Alamos, NM | 11,815 |
Race in NM
| Ethnicity White | 73.2% | |
| Ethnicity Black | 2.1% | |
| Ethnicity Asian | 1.4% | |
| Ethnicity Hawaiian | 0.1% | |
| Ethnicity Hispanic | 47.4% | |
| Ethnicity Indian | 9.1% | |
| Ethnicity Other | 10.9% |
Employment Rate in NM
| Employed | 93.3% | |
| Unemployed | 6.7% |
Educational Levels in NM
| Bachelor's Degree | 14.8% | |
| Associate's Degree | 7.8% | |
| Graduate or Professional Degree | 11.5% | |
| High School Graduate | 26.4% | |
| Some College, No Degree | 23.6% | |
| Percent Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.3% | |
| Percent High School Graduate or Higher | 84.2% |
Industry in NM
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting and Mining | 4.5% |
| Construction | 6.8% |
| Manufacturing | 4.7% |
| Wholesale Trade | 2.2% |
| Retail Trade | 11.3% |
| Transportation and Warehousing, and Utilities | 4.5% |
| Information | 1.6% |
| Finance and Insurance, and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 4.5% |
| Professional, Scientific and Management and Administrative and Waste | 11.2% |
| Educational Services and Health Care and Social Assistance | 25.1% |
| Arts, Entertainment and recreation and Accommodation and food Services | 11.1% |
| Other Services, Except Public Administration | 4.8% |
| Public Administration | 7.7% |
Housing in NM
| Homes Rent | 68.1% | |
| Homes Owned | 31.9% |
Data Sources : U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census, 2011-2015 American Community Survey, 2010 Census Gazetteer, GreatSchools, WalkScore, Bureau of Labor and Statistics, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service, Veterans Administration (VA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
New Mexico Rankings
Best places to Live in New Mexico
| Title | Population | Median Home Price | Median Household Income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | 556,092 | $185,300 | $47,030 |
| Las Cruces | 101,164 | $148,600 | $41,330 |
| Rio Rancho | 91,807 | $173,100 | $60,893 |
| Santa Fe | 83,008 | $259,600 | $50,737 |
| Roswell | 48,553 | $98,600 | $39,975 |
| Farmington | 44,865 | $172,600 | $53,766 |
| South Valley | 41,660 | $135,800 | $34,357 |
| Clovis | 39,466 | $127,600 | $40,721 |
| Hobbs | 36,191 | $113,200 | $56,905 |
| Alamogordo | 31,198 | $109,200 | $42,517 |
| Carlsbad | 27,592 | $118,400 | $51,097 |
| Gallup | 22,467 | $126,500 | $46,467 |
| Los Lunas | 15,281 | $155,500 | $52,166 |
| Sunland Park | 15,142 | $92,500 | $28,047 |
| Deming | 14,667 | $83,200 | $25,844 |
| Las Vegas | 13,713 | $113,000 | $23,904 |
| Chaparral | 13,629 | $68,800 | $25,185 |
| Portales | 12,416 | $113,000 | $32,758 |
| Los Alamos | 11,815 | $281,500 | $98,458 |
| Artesia | 11,641 | $133,200 | $50,701 |