When it comes to interesting travel destinations, the US offers you a plethora of different sites that you should totally check out, especially if you want a one-of-a-kind vacation.
Depending on which state you actually get to visit, your holidays will surely be worthwhile if you can properly assess which attractions you should focus on first, to make sure that you don’t end up overwhelmed by it all.
This actually happens a lot more often than you’d think as tourists generally can’t even cover one tenth of the best places to visit while in the designated state. If you’re currently undergoing one such predicament then don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
We decided to cover some of the most beautiful states that you could visit in the US, all for the sake of making sure that you can never run out of amazing things to do while you’re there.
Let’s be honest here, we can’t spend a month looking through everything there is to be seen, so we really need to prioritize the absolute best before we actually get started on our wild geese hunt for memories that we’ll look back on.
So, for today we decided to take a closer look at one of the most popular states to visit with your friends or loved ones: New Mexico. As we all know by now, New Mexico offers you everything that you could ever ask for from a touristic standpoint.
But what if you actually want to move there for good? NM has a plethora of buzzing metropolitan cities, a ton of calm and serene rural villages and of course, the absolutely gorgeous Chihuahuan Desert amongst many more.
So, in order to help you out we decided to list off the absolute best places to live in New Mexico, starting off with:
20. Artesia
Have you ever heard of “The City of Champions”? Well, if you did then you’ll definitely be delighted to learn the fact that this title belongs to Artesia, and that it was given to it due to the fact that it has a championship quality unemployment number way below the national average.
According to their official stats, they actually have a 12 to 1 student to teacher ratio, and on top of that they also earn more than enough to live comfortably here for the rest of their lives.
The crime rate is also fairly low and while it could definitely be better, it is still a touch above most other places in New Mexico which makes this a very good option to say the least.
19. Farmington
You will find Farmington in the San Juan County as one of those places that you can stay in for many years and still find new activities to waste your time on.
Check out the Aztec Museum in here for example, it’s absolutely astonishing to explore in all of its depth and if you have the time for it we recommend that you visit the De-Na-Zin Wilderness area to check out some of the local wildlife that New Mexico has to offer.
18. Silver City
As one of the top college towns in New Mexico, this is a very viable option for any parent or student that has an inkling towards the music and arts.
The arts scene in the Silver City is second to none, and on top of that large number of cultures that have gathered in here are sure to help educate anyone of just how incredibly diverse the world really is.
17. Placitas
With one of the lowest tax rates in New Mexico, Placitas really stands out as a top-level pick especially when considering the fact that it has a very calming demeanor to it and some of the best recreational centers in the world.
Needless to say, there are a ton of medical centers for you to go to in the case of an emergency and on top of that you can also visit a bunch of different cultural and entertainment sites in the town nearby.
16. Taos
If you’re a lover of the outdoors then this should definitely be high up on your list simply because there’s no shortage of fun activities to be a part of here.
We’re talking about hiking, fishing and even hot air ballooning being amongst some of the most popular activities to take part in, and that’s just the beginning.
There are a ton of different recreational sites to choose from in Taos and let’s not forget about the fact that it has a very low crime rate as well, making this the perfect site to rent out if you’re looking for a lot of adrenaline-rushing sports to take part in.
15. La Huerta
What used to be known as Carlsbad North is now the homeplace of over 1,100 people that all live together, thriving with each passing day.
They represent a very close-knit community of individuals that have a very impressive annual income of around $84,900 each, which is especially impressive considering the fact that the median rent here is less than $634 in total.
So, if you want a very peaceful and down-to-earth site to visit that you can save money on then you have got to visit La Huerta because you honestly can’t get many other deals that are better than this one.
14. Edgewood
You will find Edgewood in Santa Fe County and honestly, considering the fact that over 3,773 people live here, it’s surprising to see how well maintained their rural values are.
The best part about Edgewood though is the fact that you can easily go from a countryside part of the town to a full-on suburban atmosphere which is very hard to find anywhere else on this planet.
One moment you could hear goats screaming at you and the next you could see expensive cars fly past you as people are brushing past you riding their electric scooters to work.
On top of that Edgewood is commonly referred to as one of the safest places in New Mexico, all thanks to the constant attempts made by the local police to make sure that all of the residents here are in safe hands.
13. Santa Fe
Quite possibly one of the most artistic looking cities in the US, there are currently over 83,000 people living in Santa Fe and although it is one of the most expensive cities to live in, it is still well worth the investment because of how creative and unique the city is.
With a median home value of almost $259,000 though, if you’re looking for a cheap place to stay in you won’t find it here for sure.
The good thing about Santa Fe though is the fact that it has a very diverse ethnic background which is always nice to see. Sadly though, the slow job climate here may very well be a turn off for a lot of people and we totally understand if you choose against it simply for that reason alone.
12. North Valley
The suburb of North Valley is the home place of well over 11,000 people and even though the pricing here may be a bit on the upper end of the spectrum, it is still a much more affordable place to live in than most people would give it credit for.
Considering the fact that this is still a suburb we’re talking about in which most houses offer you at least 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms each, a mere investment of $140,000 definitely doesn’t sound like too much anymore now does it?
11. Las Cruces
Lass Cruces is another one of those places that is just brimming with different cultures to explore and get accustomed with.
If you are the type of a person that loves to learn more about different types of people then Las Cruces has got you covered because not only are there a lot of different cultural backgrounds here but everyone is also very friendly and accepting of newcomers.
This is largely due to the fact that half of the people here are actual residents that own their homes while the other half are just renting out their places.
10. Los Ranchos de Albuquerque
The northern side of Albuquerque is always worth visiting even if you can only come here for a couple of days because there is just a plethora of incredible activities to take part in and that’s not an exaggeration.
The house prices in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque may be a bit on the upper side of the echelon, and we do mean that considering the fact that the average house here costs you over $376,000 in total, you will definitely need to save up if you want to permanently move in here.
Despite that egregious price tag, the homes are actually very beautiful and charming to live in while also requiring little to no actual renovations to move into for good.
9. Paradise Hills
As the name implies, Paradise Hills is pretty much the closes that New Mexico has gotten to heaven on Earth and while that may be debatable to say the least, it is still one of the most gorgeous places to be relocated in to say the least.
The community is also made up of almost 4,700 residents that are very welcoming and happy with their way of living here. This is the best place to live in if you’re a millennial looking to live “amongst your people”.
Essentially, most if not all of the people that live here are millennials, and as such they really helped elevate the experience here by investing a lot in the amenities and infrastructures to make them more modern.
8. Albuquerque
Albuquerque may not be the state capital, but despite that it is still the largest city in New Mexico, housing more than half a million people in total.
Because of how many residents you’ll find here, it’s no wonder that Albuquerque has no shortage of job offerings for you, and since everyone’s pulling their weight the cost of living here is also more than acceptable.
The crime statistics may be a bit on the upper side though which is not exactly ideal, but it’s nothing that we haven’t come to expect from most other places in the US either.
Considering all of that alongside the monthly rent of around $800 or so, you’ve definitely got yourself a pretty good deal right here. And did you hear about the International Balloon Fiesta?
7. Rio Rancho
Almost 5% of the whole population in New Mexico lives in Rio Rancho and for good reason too. 92,000 people decided that this was the best place for them and this is all due to the great infrastructure and amenities that they found once they properly moved in.
We’re talking about five-star restaurants such as Indigo Crow Café and Heaven Dragon, and if that wasn’t enough to get you hyped up then you should know that Rio Rancho also has one of the best education systems in the whole country.
Couple all of that with the low price of $189,000 per house and you’ve got what can only be described as a smart investment to say the least.
6. Mesilla
Despite being a relatively smaller town to choose for yourself and your family, it is still a very viable choice simply because of how safe of an environment it is.
If you have children and you want them to be as safe as possible then Mesilla should definitely be at the top of your list as well since it is actually ranked as the second safest place to live in New Mexico as a whole.
Besides, considering the $255,000 median home value here, you won’t have to break the bank to move in and live out the best life your money could buy you.
5. Corrales
If you’re more so on the market looking for a way to improve upon your agricultural game then you need to move to Corrales as soon as possible because this may very well be the change you needed in your life.
Once here you will get to be in direct proximity to the Rio Grande River which is going to be a great help for you and your business.
The crime statistics are also in the green here and considering how tight knit the community is, let’s just say that you won’t have to worry about a thing while tending to your land.
4. Eldorado at Santa Fe
But hey, not everyone wants to get down and dirty picking up their own produce every day, instead, many of us prefer to live out our lives in a peaceful neighborhood just observing the streets as the cars fly past us.
If that sounds like your type of heaven then definitely consider moving to Eldorado because this is where most of New Mexico’s retirees live in actually.
Only 10% of the population is made up of children also, but considering the 11 public schools that you can find here, let’s just say that these children won’t have any trouble building a future for themselves either.
3. Sandia Heights
One of the top Albuquerque suburbs right here, Sandia Heights is a very good choice for those that don’t mind wasting a lot of money for the sake of living in a good place that their children could grow up in.
The median household income in Sandia Heights is of around $102,000 per year, and despite the fact that almost 3,300 people live here in total, you can choose out of 35 different public schools in the area to make sure that your children have a proper future set out for them.
2. White Rock
Let’s be honest here, for as many suburbs as New Mexico has to offer, its true beauty can only really be captured by small towns such as White Rock and that’s a fact.
With a total population of under 6,000 people living here with their families, White Rock is known for being one of the safest places to live in and on top of that while it may not be the most affordable place to move into, it is worth it if you want to make sure that your children are safe out there.
1. Los Alamos
Let’s just say that if you’ve been thinking about this for a while, you already know that Los Alamos is worth the price of admission simply because everyone that has ever visited it has recommended it at one point or another.
There is never a shortage of what you can do here, regardless of whether you’re looking for a place to ski in, snowboard or just go offroad in on a dirt bike, Los Alamos has definitely got you covered.
There are also over 11,000 people living here and on top of them being very friendly, the crime rates are at an all time low now and considering the idealistic cost of living, you just can’t get any better than Los Alamos and that’s a fact.
Conclusion
While New Mexico may not be everyone’s first pick as far as dream destinations to move into go, it is still a very viable option especially when considering dream destinations such as Los Alamos or Sandia Heights.
So, even if you’re not looking for a new place to move into for good, you can still consider renting out a place in these beautiful suburbs just to get a better feel of what many Americans would refer to as the absolute safest havens that the world has to offer.
For more interesting places to live in, check out New Mexico’s neighboring states: Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas and Arizona.
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