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 2026. How did we determine New Mexico’s most family friendly places? We consulted the US Census on places in New Mexico with more than 6,000 residents. We looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 27 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.
$141,018 median income · 25.3% households with kids
Los Alamos is a town in Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States that is recognized as the birthplace of the atomic bomb–the primary objective of the Manhattan Project by Los Alamos National Laboratory during World War II. The town is located on four mesas of the Pajarito Plateau, and has a population of 12,019. It is the county seat and one of two population centers in the county known as census-designated places ; the other is White Rock.
$102,307 median income · 21.3% households with kids
Located in
Sandoval County, New Mexico
Corrales is a village in Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 8,329 at the 2010 Census. With proximity to the Rio Grande, the village was founded for agricultural purposes. The Rio Grande Bosque on the eastern edge of the village provides refuge for native animals and plants. The village fights hard to maintain its rural character in light of being surrounded by the rapidly expanding cities of Rio Rancho and Albuquerque.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$84,761 median income · 36.1% households with kids
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$62,814 median income · 46.5% households with kids
Located in
Doña Ana County, New Mexico
Sunland Park is a city in southern Doa Ana County, New Mexico, United States, on the borders of Texas and the Mexican state of Chihuahua, with Ciudad Jurez adjoining it on the south and El Paso, Texas on the east. The community of Santa Teresa adjoins it on the northwest. The population of Sunland Park was 14,106 at the 2010 census and was estimated at 15,400 by the United States Census Bureau in 2014. Though it lies adjacent to El Paso, being in Doa Ana County makes it a part of the Las Cruces metropolitan statistical area. Las Cruces is 42 miles to the north.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$47,183 median income · 30.8% households with kids
Located in
Cibola County, New Mexico
Grants is a city in Cibola County, New Mexico, United States. It is located about 78 miles west of Albuquerque. The population was 9,182 at the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Cibola County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$89,596 median income · 33.8% households with kids
Located in
Sandoval County, New Mexico
Rio Rancho is the largest city and economic hub of Sandoval County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. A small portion of the city extends into northern Bernalillo County. It is the third-largest and also one of the fastest expanding cities in New Mexico. As of the 2010 census, Rio Rancho had a population of 93,820.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$62,330 median income · 36.8% households with kids
Located in
Valencia County, New Mexico
Los Lunas is a village in Valencia County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the village population is 14,835 inside the village limits due to the new housing developments at El Cerro de Los Lunas. It is the county seat of Valencia County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$63,880 median income · 30.9% households with kids
Located in
Sandoval County, New Mexico
Bernalillo is a town in Sandoval County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 8,320. It is the county seat of Sandoval County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$50,555 median income · 36.2% households with kids
Located in
Roosevelt County, New Mexico
Portales is a city in and the county seat of Roosevelt County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 12,280 at the 2010 census. Portales is located near the larger city of Clovis as well as Cannon Air Force Base, a major contributor to the economy of the region.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$73,482 median income · 21.6% households with kids
Located in
Santa Fe County, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and the seat of Santa Fe County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers | Compare
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is New Mexico’s statewide median.
New Mexico statewide median: $64,059
New Mexico statewide median: $316,750
On the map
Where New Mexico’s most family-friendly cities are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in New Mexico anyways?
To give you the places in New Mexico that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of New Mexico, we looked at the data for 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 over 6,000 people. For New Mexico, that meant a total of 27 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in New Mexico.
The full plate
Best Places For Families In New Mexico
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | % Households w/ Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Alamos | 13,317 | $141,018 | $582,217 | 25.3% |
| 2 | Corrales | 8,555 | $102,307 | $703,889 | 21.3% |
| 3 | Edgewood | 6,124 | $84,761 | $382,908 | 36.1% |
| 4 | Sunland Park | 17,463 | $62,814 | $223,741 | 46.5% |
| 5 | Grants | 8,951 | $47,183 | $154,827 | 30.8% |
| 6 | Rio Rancho | 108,515 | $89,596 | $361,856 | 33.8% |
| 7 | Los Lunas | 18,618 | $62,330 | $324,074 | 36.8% |
| 8 | Bernalillo | 9,086 | $63,880 | $347,987 | 30.9% |
| 9 | Portales | 11,968 | $50,555 | $134,844 | 36.2% |
| 10 | Santa Fe | 89,019 | $73,482 | $580,022 | 21.6% |
| 11 | Las Vegas | 13,000 | $45,125 | $241,426 | 18.5% |
| 12 | Anthony | 8,767 | $38,132 | $235,806 | 35.5% |
| 13 | Alamogordo | 31,307 | $55,952 | $223,173 | 27.5% |
| 14 | Raton | 6,026 | $52,641 | $152,896 | 20.9% |
| 15 | Artesia | 12,576 | $74,915 | $245,540 | 39.7% |
| 16 | Farmington | 46,314 | $68,784 | $276,499 | 31.9% |
| 17 | Gallup | 21,023 | $58,303 | $219,327 | 40.9% |
| 18 | Hobbs | 40,252 | $64,021 | $207,135 | 39.4% |
| 19 | Carlsbad | 31,746 | $72,306 | $251,561 | 31.2% |
| 20 | Aztec | 6,150 | $41,977 | $274,928 | 29.3% |
| 21 | Albuquerque | 562,218 | $68,317 | $344,457 | 24.6% |
| 22 | Las Cruces | 114,197 | $55,422 | $290,023 | 26.0% |
| 23 | Bloomfield | 7,395 | $48,472 | $252,908 | 31.1% |
| 24 | Taos | 6,458 | $47,304 | $439,303 | 14.7% |
| 25 | Belen | 7,450 | $42,627 | $266,792 | 29.2% |
| 26 | Roswell | 47,638 | $51,583 | $173,067 | 33.1% |
| 27 | Truth or Consequences | 6,019 | $33,788 | $152,062 | 19.3% |
Source: U.S. Census data via Saturday Night Science. 27 New Mexico cities with more than 6,000 residents.
Summary
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 agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in New Mexico are Los Alamos, Corrales, Edgewood, Sunland Park, Grants, Rio Rancho, Los Lunas, Bernalillo, Portales, and Santa Fe. Not sold on New Mexico? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Places For Families In New Mexico FAQs
What is the best place to raise a family in New Mexico?
Los Alamos is the best place to raise a family in New Mexico for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. Corrales and Edgewood round out the top three.
What are the best places for families in New Mexico?
The best New Mexico places to raise a family are Los Alamos, Corrales, Edgewood, Sunland Park, Grants, Rio Rancho, Los Lunas, Bernalillo, Portales, and Santa Fe. We ranked all 27 cities with more than 6,000 residents.
How do you rank family-friendly cities?
Family-friendliness blends low crime, good schools, proximity to a major city, the share of households with kids, and nearby amenities. The city that balances all of it best in New Mexico is Los Alamos.
Is Los Alamos affordable for families?
The median home in Los Alamos costs $582,217 against a median household income of $141,018. Statewide, the median home runs $316,750, so check the gap before you pack the minivan.
What is the toughest place to raise a family in New Mexico?
Truth or Consequences lands at the bottom of the family ranking for New Mexico. Families make it work everywhere, but the crime, school, and income numbers stack against it there.
