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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 2022. 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 4 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.
The 10 Best Cities To Raise A Family In New Mexico For 2022
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 2022? Drum roll... the number one best place for families in The Land of Enchantment is Sunland Park 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 2022
/10
Population: 17,581
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 53
Closest Major City: El Paso
Households with kids: 44.8%
More on Sunland Park: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 5,950
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 69
Closest Major City: Albuquerque
Households with kids: 19.5%
More on Taos: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 21,637
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 56
Closest Major City: Albuquerque
Households with kids: 36.4%
More on Gallup: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
/10
Population: 560,447
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 100
Households with kids: 27.1%
More on Albuquerque: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data
Methodology: 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 4 cities. You can download the data here.
Summary: 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:
- Albuquerque
- Gallup
- Taos
For more New Mexico reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In New Mexico
- Safest Places In New Mexico
- Worst Places To Live In New Mexico
Where Are The Best Places For Families In New Mexico?
Rank | City | Population |
---|---|---|
1 | Sunland Park, NM | 17,581 |
2 | Taos, NM | 5,950 |
3 | Gallup, NM | 21,637 |
4 | Albuquerque, NM | 560,447 |