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What is it about New Mexico that makes over 2 million people--700,000 families happy to call it home? We'll tell you, point blank, it has some of the best places to raise a family.
If you and your family already live in New Mexico, consider yourself lucky. But if you're thinking about moving your family to this southwestern paradise, we suggest you take a look at HomeSnacks list of best places to raise your family in New Mexico for 2021. How did we determine New Mexico's most family friendly places? We consulted the US Census on places in New Mexico with more than 5,000 residents. We looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 21 family friendly places. This is also our second time ranking New Mexico's most family friendly cities, so trust us when we say that any family would be lucky to call one these places home.
Why'd we do it? For many reasons. One, we wouldn't want any family to miss out on Roswell's family friendly UFO festival each year. Two, the state has ten Blue Ribbon schools and some of them can be found in New Mexico's most family friendly places. And three, we wouldn't want your family to get stuck in one of New Mexico's most dangerous places-that would be 'no bueno'! With the promise of sunshine 358 days per year you'd think that every city in New Mexico would have made the top 100 best cities in the country to raise a family. Surprisingly, that 's not the case, but their are some 'real' gems on New Mexico's most family friendly list.
So, don't wait one more second, scroll down to check out the places in New Mexico that scream family friendly. We promise you won't be disappointed.
When you choose to live in one of New Mexico's best places for families, you are choosing to live where you can keep your family safe, happy, and healthy. And that makes perfect sense.
So, what's the best place for families to live in New Mexico for 2021? Drum roll... the number one best place for families in The Land of Enchantment is Los Alamos based on the most recent Census data.
To see how your favorite places in New Mexico compared, take a look at the list below; and if you don't see it there, head to the bottom.
Check out some more reading about New Mexico and the best places for families in the country:
- Best Places To Live In New Mexico
- Cheapest Places To Live In New Mexico
- Best Cities To Raise A Family In America
- Best States To Raise A Family In America
The 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In New Mexico For 2021
/10
Population: 12,666
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 45
Closest Major City: Albuquerque
Households with kids: 27.2%
More on Los Alamos: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 9,036
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 47
Closest Major City: Albuquerque
Households with kids: 37.5%
More on Grants: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 8,588
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 33
Closest Major City: Albuquerque
Households with kids: 18.5%
More on Corrales: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 9,310
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 40
Closest Major City: El Paso
Households with kids: 58.0%
More on Anthony: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 6,071
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 46
Closest Major City: Albuquerque
Households with kids: 31.4%
More on Edgewood: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 11,854
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 49
Closest Major City: Lubbock
Households with kids: 33.0%
More on Portales: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 11,491
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 49
Closest Major City: Lubbock
Households with kids: 46.5%
More on Lovington: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 6,047
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 57
Closest Major City: Colorado Springs
Households with kids: 25.5%
More on Raton: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
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Population: 7,791
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 59
Closest Major City: El Paso
Households with kids: 17.8%
More on Ruidoso: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 15,589
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 48
Closest Major City: Albuquerque
Households with kids: 35.2%
More on Los Lunas: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
How do you determine which place is best for families in New Mexico anyways?
To give you the places in New Mexico which are best for families, we have to look at a handful of metrics. Of course, we want to measure the type of people who live in each city, and make some assumptions about what's family-friendly and what isn't.
So we researched the internet for a database that contains all that information.
How we crunched the family friendly numbers for the Land of Enchantment
We threw a lot of criteria at this one in order to get the best, most complete results possible. Using U.S. Census data produced for the state of New Mexico, we looked at every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries and colleges)
We then gave each city a Family Score.
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with populations over 5,000 people. For New Mexico, that meant a total of 21 cities. You can download the data here.
There You Have It - The Best Places To Raise A Family In New Mexico
If you're looking for a breakdown of cities in New Mexico ranked by criteria that most would agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
Here's a look at the best cities for singles New Mexico according to the data:
- Deming
- Truth or Consequences
- Roswell
For more New Mexico reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In New Mexico
- Most Dangerous Cities In New Mexico
- Cheapest Places To Live In New Mexico
Where Are The Best Places For Families In New Mexico?
| Rank | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Alamos, NM | 12,666 |
| 2 | Grants, NM | 9,036 |
| 3 | Corrales, NM | 8,588 |
| 4 | Anthony, NM | 9,310 |
| 5 | Edgewood, NM | 6,071 |
| 6 | Portales, NM | 11,854 |
| 7 | Lovington, NM | 11,491 |
| 8 | Raton, NM | 6,047 |
| 9 | Ruidoso, NM | 7,791 |
| 10 | Los Lunas, NM | 15,589 |
