Looking for an Enchanting Place to Live? Move to New Mexico
Here, you'll find distinctive communities, spectacular natural features, rich cultural experiences — and you can afford it!
The lure of the West draws people from across the country to New Mexico, a place with the perfect mix of urban life and rural escapes. As people gravitate toward easier ways of life in areas with little traffic and a lower cost of living, they are finding that New Mexico is the ideal place to build their careers and grow their families.
Victoria Uliano moved to New Mexico in late 2020, originally for an internship at the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary in Ramah. She fell in love with her job and the New Mexico lifestyle, and at the end of her internship, she accepted a staff member position.
“The state is so beautiful in such a different way than I’m used to,” Uliano says. “I love how much space there is, and I enjoy the rural area I live in. There’s a lot of culture and so much history to learn about, which makes exploring the area super enriching.”
Views of gorgeous red mesas in every direction plus an affordable cost of living, Uliano says, further add to the quality of life she’s discovered in New Mexico.
In This Article
Unique Outdoor Attractions
With dark sky-designated parks, otherworldly landscapes and beautiful mountains, New Mexico certainly earns its nickname as the Land of Enchantment, and the abundance of outdoor opportunities allows residents to enjoy a peaceful and productive work-life balance.
New Mexico is home to 35 state parks and three national parks that are enjoyed year-round thanks to a mild climate. Culture, history and nature coalesce at the state’s 10 national monuments, including Aztec ruins, cliff dwellings, volcanic landscapes and stalactite-studded caves.
Adventure seekers will also enjoy New Mexico’s eight ski resorts, a unique scuba diving spot in the desert known as the Blue Hole, as well as several hiking and biking trails.
Rich Arts and Culture
New Mexico is one of only five majority-minority states. The state is also home to 22 Native American tribes. Originating from Spanish and Native American influences, the state’s rich history is celebrated and shared through its museums, live concerts, cultural events, arts and craft markets, adobe architecture and diverse food scene.
Residents, for instance, can get a taste of the state at one of its authentic New Mexican restaurants. The state is the country’s largest producer of chile, and many locals are either in a red or green — but if you’re a diplomat, you can order your burrito “Christmas style.”
“It’s a melting pot here,” says Justina Grant, an advertising account executive with Albuquerque Business First and a member of Young Professionals of Albuquerque. “New Mexico is rich with culture.”
As New Mexico becomes a high desert Hollywood, other points of pride that come with being a resident are seeing the state’s landmarks showcased on Netflix and also having access to top-notch recreation, whether that’s hiking in the Sandia Mountains or kayaking along the Rio Grande River, Grant says.
“You can access all different types of landscape here,” she says.
Great Career Opportunities
Your career is calling in New Mexico, where new and exciting employment opportunities always present themselves and are interspersed throughout the state.
New Mexico has lots of industries firing its economic engine, ranging from cutting-edge science and engineering to agriculture and food production.
A pro-business environment, an innovative workforce and the presence of collaborative world-class scientific and research institutions allow for all types of industries to thrive in New Mexico.
Your Dollar Goes Further
You get more for your money in New Mexico. The cost of living is 93% of the U.S. average overall and 88% of the U.S. average for housing. The median home value in New Mexico cost is roughly $297,000 (Zillow, August 2022), which is far below the national average.
Plus, there’s a slate of free entertainment options, from community festivals to the great outdoors.
An Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
The entrepreneur community is also on the rise, sparking a boom in other industries like advanced manufacturing, aviation, agriculture, logistics and more.
A decade ago, Christina Ballew moved to Las Cruces, where she built her business NMCO Creative Studio, which creates immersive campaigns, designs, videos and more for clients. The community, Ballew says, is thoughtful, engaged and supportive of small businesses, which has helped her business thrive, positioning the studio for national growth.
She enjoys all that Las Cruces has to offer, from the Saturday farmers markets to hiking in the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument.
“It feels like Las Cruces is on the precipice of something big,” she says.
Want to know more?
To learn more about New Mexico, check out the latest edition of New Mexico Economic Development.
