If you’re nearing the end of your career or have already retired and are looking for a change of scenery, consider the Land of Enchantment for your golden years.
There are plenty of things that make New Mexico a greater place for retirement. Whether you’re a connoisseur of eye-popping sunsets, a UFO enthusiast, or just a lover of chilies, New Mexico has loads to keep you satisfied during your work-free years.
Combine that with being among the states with the lowest rent in America, and you’ll have even more expendable cash on hand to enjoy all New Mexico has to offer.
Where should you lay down your briefcase in New Mexico? Well, if you’d like to live next door to George R.R. Martin and Val Kilmer, Los Alamos is your best bet. If you’ve always had “going to a rodeo” on your bucket list, Ruidoso is the place to be.
New Mexico will leave you enchanted no matter where you decide to retire, but these places will offer the absolute most to retirees.
$741 median rent · $52,641 median income · #4 cheapest rent in New Mexico
Raton is a city and the county seat of Colfax County in northeastern New Mexico. The city is located just south of Raton Pass.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$792 median rent · $45,125 median income · #6 cheapest rent in New Mexico
Las Vegas is a city in and the county seat of San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States. Once two separate municipalities both named Las Vegas, west Las Vegas and east Las Vegas, separated by the Gallinas River, retain distinct characters and separate, rival school districts. The population was 14,565 at the 2000 census. Las Vegas, NM is located 110 miles south of Raton, New Mexico, 65 miles east of Santa Fe, New Mexico, 122 miles northeast of Albuquerque, New Mexico, 257 miles south of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and 326 miles south of Denver, Colorado.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,143 median rent · $102,307 median income · #21 cheapest rent in 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
$561 median rent · $38,132 median income · #1 cheapest rent in New Mexico
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$902 median rent · $63,880 median income · #10 cheapest rent in 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
$783 median rent · $47,183 median income · #5 cheapest rent in 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
$876 median rent · $51,583 median income · #7 cheapest rent in New Mexico
Roswell is a city in New Mexico. It is the county seat of Chaves County in the southeastern quarter of the state of New Mexico, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 48,411, making it the fifth-largest city in New Mexico. It is a center for irrigated farming, dairying, ranching, manufacturing, distribution, and petroleum production. It is also the home of New Mexico Military Institute, founded in 1891. Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located a few miles northeast of the city on the Pecos River. Bottomless Lakes State Park is located 12 miles east of Roswell on US 380.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$714 median rent · $33,788 median income · #3 cheapest rent in New Mexico
Truth or Consequences is a city and county seat in Sierra County, New Mexico, United States. In 2012, the population was 6,411. It is commonly known within New Mexico as T or C. It has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$902 median rent · $55,952 median income · #10 cheapest rent in New Mexico
Alamogordo is the seat of Otero County, New Mexico, United States. A city in the Tularosa Basin of the Chihuahuan Desert, it is bordered on the east by the Sacramento Mountains and to the west by White Sands National Monument. It is the city nearest to Holloman Air Force Base. The population was 30,403 as of the 2010 census. Alamogordo is known for its connection with the Trinity test, the first explosion of an atomic bomb, and also for the Atari video game burial of 1983.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$629 median rent · $41,977 median income · #2 cheapest rent in New Mexico
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
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 to retire in New Mexico
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Land of Enchantment for 2026
To create our ranking of the best places in New Mexico to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the Land of Enchantment — 417 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 6,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 27 places from across the state.
For these 27, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 27, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Raton, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.
The report has been updated for 2026. This list reflects our eleventh time ranking the best places to retire in New Mexico.
The full plate
Best Places To Retire In New Mexico
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Retire Score | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raton | 8.20 | 6,026 | $52,641 | $152,896 | $741 |
| 2 | Las Vegas | 8.80 | 13,000 | $45,125 | $241,426 | $792 |
| 3 | Corrales | 10.40 | 8,555 | $102,307 | $703,889 | $1,143 |
| 4 | Anthony | 10.60 | 8,767 | $38,132 | $235,806 | $561 |
| 5 | Bernalillo | 10.70 | 9,086 | $63,880 | $347,987 | $902 |
| 6 | Grants | 10.70 | 8,951 | $47,183 | $154,827 | $783 |
| 7 | Roswell | 11.40 | 47,638 | $51,583 | $173,067 | $876 |
| 8 | Truth or Consequences | 11.60 | 6,019 | $33,788 | $152,062 | $714 |
| 9 | Alamogordo | 11.70 | 31,307 | $55,952 | $223,173 | $902 |
| 10 | Aztec | 11.70 | 6,150 | $41,977 | $274,928 | $629 |
| 11 | Taos | 12.20 | 6,458 | $47,304 | $439,303 | $883 |
| 12 | Los Alamos | 12.30 | 13,317 | $141,018 | $582,217 | $1,359 |
| 13 | Belen | 13.00 | 7,450 | $42,627 | $266,792 | $916 |
| 14 | Sunland Park | 13.80 | 17,463 | $62,814 | $223,741 | $920 |
| 15 | Edgewood | 14.20 | 6,124 | $84,761 | $382,908 | $1,114 |
| 16 | Portales | 14.60 | 11,968 | $50,555 | $134,844 | $903 |
| 17 | Santa Fe | 15.60 | 89,019 | $73,482 | $580,022 | $1,463 |
| 18 | Los Lunas | 15.80 | 18,618 | $62,330 | $324,074 | $1,110 |
| 19 | Carlsbad | 16.20 | 31,746 | $72,306 | $251,561 | $1,236 |
| 20 | Las Cruces | 16.40 | 114,197 | $55,422 | $290,023 | $974 |
| 21 | Rio Rancho | 17.40 | 108,515 | $89,596 | $361,856 | $1,514 |
| 22 | Artesia | 17.80 | 12,576 | $74,915 | $245,540 | $1,288 |
| 23 | Farmington | 18.00 | 46,314 | $68,784 | $276,499 | $1,037 |
| 24 | Bloomfield | 18.00 | 7,395 | $48,472 | $252,908 | $984 |
| 25 | Hobbs | 18.40 | 40,252 | $64,021 | $207,135 | $1,112 |
| 26 | Albuquerque | 18.90 | 562,218 | $68,317 | $344,457 | $1,145 |
| 27 | Gallup | 19.60 | 21,023 | $58,303 | $219,327 | $927 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, FBI UCR, OpenFlights. 27 cities with more than 6,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In New Mexico Yet…
So there you have it, the best place to retire in New Mexico goes to Raton.
The best places to retire in New Mexico are Raton, Las Vegas, Corrales, Anthony, Bernalillo, Grants, Roswell, Truth or Consequences, Alamogordo, and Aztec.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley. 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 To Retire In New Mexico FAQs
What is the best place to retire in New Mexico?
Raton is the best place to retire in New Mexico for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. Las Vegas and Corrales are next.
What are the best places to retire in New Mexico?
The best places to retire in New Mexico are Raton, Las Vegas, Corrales, Anthony, Bernalillo, Grants, Roswell, Truth or Consequences, Alamogordo, and Aztec. We ranked all 27 cities with more than 6,000 residents.
How do you rank retirement spots?
We score every qualifying New Mexico city on rent, crime, things to do, weather, airport access, and median age. The city that balances all six best, Raton, takes the top spot.
How much does a home cost in Raton?
The median home in Raton runs $152,896, against $316,750 across New Mexico as a whole. Across the full top ten, the median home costs $229,490.
Which New Mexico place came in last for retirees?
Gallup lands at the bottom of the retirement ranking for New Mexico. Not ready to retire anyway? Then Gallup might suit you fine.