The 10 Best Places To Live In New Mexico For 2025

The 10 Best Places To Live In New Mexico For 2025

More on Corrales: Data

Welcome to Corrales, the best place to live in New Mexico for the second year running. Despite having the the big cities of Albuquerque and Rio Rancho as neighbors, Corrales has worked hard to retain its rural character. From the many wineries to the community Grower’s Market, agriculture still plays a big part in Corrales’s culture and economy. There are also many events peppered throughout the year and regular shows put on at the Old San Ysidro Church are a big hit with locals.

The first thing to know about your neighbors in Corrales is that they’re among the best-educated in the state; about 60% of residents have a college degree and 30% have a master’s degree or higher. Those fancy degrees come in handy when pay-day rolls around, because Corrales also has the best-paid populace in New Mexico, with a median household income of $114,207/year. Also, the poverty rate in Corrales is the lowest statewide at 6.9%. Smart, moneyed individuals rarely go in for crime, so it makes sense that Corrales is also the safest place in New Mexico, with a crime rate 80% below the national average. The catch? Housing is twice as expensive as the statewide average, with a typical home selling for $549,700 and rent going for $1,184/month.

More on Rio Rancho: Data

Rio Rancho, New Mexico’s third-biggest city, also comes in as the 2nd best place to live in the Land of Enchantment. Rio Rancho has been surging economically in recent years; it’s home to an Intel facility that’s by far the area’s largest employer, as well as companies like Hewlett-Packard and Walmart. For families, A Park Above is a delightful spot that’s been named the best city park by several New Mexico publications. And while New Mexico is generally sparse on greenery, you wouldn’t know it if you walked or cycled down the Willow Creek Trail.

Rio Rancho’s population has grown by more than 15% since 2010. Crime has remained uncommon, though, and ranks as the 9th lowest in New Mexico. The poverty rate in Rio Rancho is the 2nd lowest statewide at 7.8%. Rio Rancho’s median rent of $1,481/month outstrips the statewide median by 33%. Expenses aren’t a big issue for Rio Rancho’s residents, though, because they enjoy the 2nd highest median household income in the state at $85,755/year.

More on Artesia: Data

Sandwiched between Roswell to the north and Carlsbad to the south, Artesia ranks as New Mexico’s 3rd best place to live. A small-town environment, free of pollution and traffic, makes Artesia the ideal spot for someone who prefers the simple things in life. Main Street has all the amenities you need, as well as fun street sculptures and murals to keep everything aesthetically pleasing.

If you’re looking for a vibrant city with fresh ideas, know that Artesia is the youngest place on this list, with a median age of 30. As far as safety goes, Artesia experienced the 4th lowest amount of violent crime anywhere in New Mexico. People are catching on to how great Artesia is and the city’s grown by more than 10% in the last decade. Property values also went up 4% in just the last year, and property taxes are a fraction of what they are in most places on this list.

More on Los Ranchos De Albuquerque: Data

Los Ranchos de Albuquerque is an affluent suburb of Albuquerque. From organic farms to grower’s markets, agriculture remains the dominant theme in Los Ranchos. Antique shopping, ceramics, and wineries leave you with plenty to do and work to enhance the cultural tradition of Los Ranchos. No event garners more attention than the annual Lavender Festival, though.

Nearly 30% of Los Ranchos residents have a master’s degree or higher, so you’d better study up if you don’t want to hold your team back on pub quiz night. The unemployment rate in Los Ranchos is the 3rd lowest statewide at 1.3% and the village has the 8th highest rate of residents with health insurance in New Mexico. Homes are the 2nd most expensive in the state, but the median rent of $990/month is lower than the statewide median. In any case, you shouldn’t have much trouble paying the bills here, because Los Ranchos has the 6th highest median household income in New Mexico at $70,801/year.

More on Bernalillo: Data

More on Ruidoso: Data

An enchanting mountain oasis situated high in the Sierra Blanca Mountains, Ruidoso comes in as the 6th best place to live in New Mexico. There are a number of options nearby for outdoor-enthusiasts, but Lincoln National Forest is a local favorite for day trips. If you’re looking for something easier and closer to home, Grindstone Lake is only minutes from Ruidoso’s downtown and offers all manner of outdoor fun. Last but not least, Pillow’s Funtrackers is a premier entertainment venue with loads of family-friendly activities on offer. This quiet vibe coupled with plenty to keep you busy is why Ruidoso ranked so highly on our lists of both the the best cities for families and retirement in New Mexico.

Ruidoso is quite cheap if you want to give it a try; rent here goes for around $924/month, the lowest you’ll find on this list and 80% below the average rent in New Mexico. Homes, on the other hand, are the 10th most expensive in the state at $229,100.

More on Raton: Data

The county seat of Colfax County in northeastern New Mexico, Raton ranks as the 7th best place to live statewide. We already named Raton as one of the safest places in New Mexico, with the 6th lowest overall crime rate in the state.

Additionally, homes in Raton sell for a median price of $148,200, while the median household income is $52,007. That combination of statistics gives Raton the 10th best home price to income ratio in the state, making it one of New Mexico’s most affordable cities. On top of that, Raton has an overall cost of living score of about 80, where the national average is 100.

As for entertainment, Raton offers quite a bit for a city of just 6,013. There’s Sugarite Canyon State Park for outdoorsy people, the Shuler Theater for arts enthusiasts, and plenty of mom and pop shops downtown to make for a thriving local economy.

Speaking of the economy, Raton has the 4th lowest unemployment rate in New Mexico and the 12th highest rate of health-insured residents. And folks don’t have to stress themselves out over traffic every day, seeing as Raton also enjoys the 10th shortest average commute time in New Mexico at just 16 minutes.

More on Los Lunas: Data

You’d have to be loco to not locate to Los Lunas.

Los Lunas in Valencia County, New Mexico, ranks as the 8 best place to live in the state, home to 17,932 enjoying $232,700 for a typical home and a 63,696 income. As the county seat since 1876 and part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area, residents have access to annual events like the St. Patrick’s Day Balloon Rally and Fourth of July celebrations and educational opportunities through its public schools. The village’s proximity to Interstate 25 provides easy 26 minute commutes.

More on Alamogordo: Data

Located in the high desert at the base of the Sacramento Mountains, Alamogordo comes in as the 9th best place to live in New Mexico. We named Alamogordo one of the best places for singles in New Mexico and it’s not hard to see why. Date ideas include: a day out at the New Mexico Museum of Space History for the science nerds, the Heart of the Desert for wine-lovers and pistachio-poppers, the Alameda Park Zoo for animal-enthusiasts, and the White Sands National Park for anyone with an eye for breathtaking beauty.

The poverty and unemployment rates in Alamogordo both rank within the top ten statewide. The cost of living here is cheap, with housing costs about 25% below the statewide average. In fact, Alamogordo’s median home price of $163,600 is the lowest of anywhere on this list. As a bonus, Alamogordo has the 13th shortest average commute time in New Mexico at 17 minutes.

More on Edgewood:

Edgewood is a town of 6,122 situated a half-hour east of Albuquerque. An exceedingly popular bedroom community, Edgewood’s population has exploded by around 65% since 2010, making it New Mexico’s fastest-growing city. Folks love the vintage indoor Church Street Market, chock full of local and handmade treasures. Wildlife West Nature Park is a must-visit for animal-lovers who want to see the epic wildlife of the Southwest up close and personal.

As for the essentials, the unemployment, poverty, crime, and health insurance rates in Edgewood all rank in the top ten statewide. GreatSchools also gave Edgewood’s public schools an 8/10 score, so those with children can feel secure moving here. Increased demand drove up property values more than 10% in the last year, so don’t be put off by the high price tag on homes — it’s a sound investment.

Methodology: How We Calculated The Best Cities To Live In New Mexico

Now that we had our set of the best possible cities, it was time to rank them using Saturday Night Science.

We ranked each place in New Mexico across a number of criteria from one to 33, with one being the best.

We then took the average rank across all criteria, crowning the city posting the lowest overall score, the “Best Place To Live In New Mexico.”

The criteria we looked to determine the best places were:

• Median Home Values
• Median Income
• Population Density (Higher is better)
• Unemployment Rate
• Commute Time
• Crime
• Education Levels
• Health Insurance Coverage
• Poverty rates

Sources of criteria include the New Census Data, FBI Crime Data, and Zillow. We updated this article for 2025. This report is our tenth time ranking New Mexico’s best places to live.

If your city or town isn’t among the top 10, jump down to the bottom of the post to see a detailed chart of the best places in New Mexico. Otherwise, buckle up for a ride down good living lane with Corrales at the end of the cul-de-sac.

Best Places To Live In New Mexico Table