What is it like to live in New Mexico?

Having grown up in Albuquerque, then lived in Vegas for 22 years, and having travelled the U.S. a fair amount, I’m tuned-in to the +/- of New Mexico and Albuquerque in particular. Naturally, Albuquerque and NM have their faults like anywhere; however, this will be a list of pros, and is focused on Albuquerque vs. NM in general.   Albuquerque possesses many attributes for living here, and these traits are baked into the culture, for example: Albuquerque… …has a vibrant arts and cultural attraction scene, due to ongoing resources being earmarked starting decades ago. The BioPark, Aquarium and Zoo are nationally recognized, the annual International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta is amazing and is one of those events/places, like the Grand Canyon, Lake Powel, Fisherman’s Wharf, etc. that simply must be experienced in person to understand and appreciate.   …has more parkland/open spaces per capita than any city in the country, actually more than double the runner-up city of Raleigh; again, due to forward thinking and purchases of large urban/suburban land tracts starting decades ago. These hiking areas, bike trails, dog parks and other open spaces are perfect places to be outside and take advantage of Albuquerque’s amazing climate. The Rio Grande runs right through Abq, and the Bosque (forest) of cottonwoods lining the river is in the middle of one of the largest stands of cottonwood trees in the world. Biking, running, walking, kayaking and fishing are all enjoyable activities along the river. The Sandia Mountains and Wilderness Area next to town offer hiking, mountain biking, skiing, rock-climbing, archery hunting, the world’s longest tram ride, and abundant wildlife viewing opportunities. I hike up there and watch big mule deer and other wildlife all the time.   …has the best climate in the country if you love seasons and being outside, as each season seems to last exactly 3 months, with a substantial dose, but then it’s on to the next season. If you love sunshine, our 320 days of sun a year entices you outdoors (little-known fact: NM was the original ‘Sunshine State’, but the nickname was too boring, so the more evocative and appropriate ‘Land of Enchantment’ came into being. We let Florida take the old nickname).   …is a true mixing bowl and welcoming of all cultures, because Native peoples, Spaniards, Mexicans and whites have been living and working here together for about 500 years. Thriving with diversity is not a new topic here.   …daytrips are amazing. Within just an hour or two from Abq are 19 pueblos, several different mountain ranges, lakes and rivers, Santa Fe (perennially in the top 1 or 2 places to visit in the country), Los Alamos (birthplace of our atomic program), Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge, many hot springs options, amazing galleries, foundries and sculpture parks, and lots of significant historical sites, among other gems.   …has some of the best food anywhere. New Mexican food is unique and distinctive, with locally grown and roasted green and red chile adding flavors that are addictive.   …has a booming craft brewery scene, with new flavors and pubs to sample from all the time.   …has some really cool, walkable neighborhoods, including around Downtown and in the Uptown area.   …has a growing tech community. Sandia National Laboratory is a cutting edge research facility. Many interesting tech/biotech startups are growing in Albuquerque. The Abq Tech Fiesta in September is a weeklong series of events celebrating Abq’s thriving tech community and the people and companies making it grow.     This was by no means an exhaustive list of Albuquerque’s attributes. A local saying is that if you wear out a pair of shoes in Albuquerque you’ll never leave. Or at least you’ll always come back, as in my case and many others. Albuquerque really is an authentic, aware, affordable, forward-thinking, smart community for careers and families.

It depends on where you are.  New Mexico is (I believe) the 5th largest state in the Union geographically speaking.  There is a lot of diversity in culture and climate as a result of its sheer size.  In Santa Fe, it can get cold.  Things are more expensive and everything (by city ordinance) is built pueblo-style.  This can seem neat if you're visiting, but can become rather boring if you live there.  Santa Fe is very active.  You can find a lot of Native American culture there, but also it's the political center of the state.  You can visit the Round House and watch the state legislature in action.  Santa Fe is really spectacular, but can grow tiring.  Also, Santa Fe has the highest number of homosexuals in the US per capita. Albuquerque is the biggest city.  It's sprawled out like LA.  So, you get a lot of diversity in it.  There are nice parts of the city that seem new/modern.  But you'll also find a lot of dirty, impoverished areas all around.  Prices are cheap, and there's occasional violence.  I think with the exception of an occasional border dispute, Albuquerque has the highest crime rate in the state.  Albuquerque is interesting because it's a rural city.  Some of the culture of it will seem very city-like, with people rushing off to work with little care of what else is going on.  But at the same time, you can find the typical southern hospitality you'd expect from a slower pace of life.  Overall, though, I'd say Albuquerque is more white trash, poor, dirty, criminal, etc. It's the grungiest part of the state, I would say. The north is beautiful.  It's close enough to the main commerce center of Albuquerque and Santa Fe to benefit economically, but far enough away to avoid the crime and over-population that comes with city living.  Things tend to be cleaner, and nature is very green here.  There are grass fields that go on forever.  The south is more desert-like.  The foliage is yellow (pastures and mesquite bushes).  The population centers of the south are also smaller.  In elections, you'll tend to see a split between the center (Albuquerque and Santa Fe) being very Democratic/Liberal and the south (everything else) being very Republican/Conservative.  However, there is still a lot of diversity in the large southern half of the state. The right corner nestles in Texas, and its inhabitants would probably rather identify as Texans.  Lea County, the furthest southeast part of the state, voted over 90% for George W. Bush in 2000 and over 85% in 2004.  This is cattle and oilfield country. The middle has a national forest and mountains where you can go skiing (Ruidoso).  This means you can get people hunting in the wilderness for deer and elk.  And people go vacation in the Ruidoso area for skiing.  There is also a lot of military presence throughout the state.  The two biggest centers are Los Alamos and Alamogordo.  Los Alamos is home to a research laboratory.  Alamogordo has an airfield base (and they share it with the Germans).  Outside of Alamogordo you can find White Sands, the testing site of the atomic bomb, the result of the Manhattan Project which worked partly out of Los Alamos Laboratory.  It's most likely chosen for its seclusion and vast space. You'll also find scattered throughout the state Indian reservations, which means casinos.  You can also check out the mysterious remnants of the Anasazi in New Mexico, a Native American tribe that seemingly disappeared. You can expect to do a lot of driving in New Mexico.  Distances between major population hubs are usually 2 to 5 hour drives.  And even in town, you'll most likely drive everywhere.  There is public transportation in some cities, but it isn't that popular.  As a result, traffic can be pretty thick in and around Albuquerque with people commuting in for work.  The highways are not as well-maintained as Texas highways and they generally have slower speed limits (55 and 65) because of this. There is a large Hispanic population in New Mexico, with the majority being of Mexican descent.  The biggest effect this has is on the quality of New Mexican food.  You can find great, authentic Mexican food anywhere in the state and usually it is very reasonably priced (with free chips and salsa!)  Having visited other places in the country, I would say this is the greatest thing New Mexico has to offer. For most of the state, you can expect a fairly typical suburban life.  Even in the cities, you'll be living in residential zones with blocks and blocks of houses.  Multiple story homes are uncommon, since space isn't an issue New Mexicans tend to build out instead of up.  Garages are very common.  Lower income households may live in trailer parks. If there are any accents, I'd say they'd be southern.  I think for the most part, you'll get a general American accent from most White New Mexicans.  There may be accents from Native Americans and Mexican-Americans.  A lot of people know Spanish as a result of living in New Mexico.  Spanish is very common, and even if you don't speak it, you'll pick it up.  You can find places that are like a Chinatown equivalent for Mexicans.  Most assimilate, but there are two distinctive styles of Mexican-American culture.  The worst is the "vato" or "cholo", which tend to be younger Mexican-Americans.  They may look like they're in a gang (and probably are) wearing bandannas on their head, bagging pants, shaved head, etc.  Low riders are common with intensive designs on the exterior.  The other style you might encounter is more traditional or "Tejano", which to me is a lot like Country Western, but with a Mexican twist.  This is where you get pointy snakeskin boots, hats, tight Wranglers, big belt-buckles and listening to music that usually features an accordion.  Mustaches are common too.  You can find other minorities in New Mexico, but they are far less common. There is an odd billboard outside of Clines Corners on the way to Albuquerque from Roswell.  It says, "Need a Reverse Vasectomy?" and has a phone number.  Speaking of Roswell, that's where the aliens crashed.  So, you can find the UFO Museum there.  It's mostly a big local joke, though there are several true believers.  For the most part, the community embraces it as something fun to identify with.  So you'll see alien head stickers on buildings.  Otherwise, though, Roswell is a very normal, mostly suburban, city.  It is also home to NMMI, a military training high school and college.  New Mexico doesn't have its own national sports teams.  A lot of New Mexicans like the Dallas Cowboys, perhaps due to the proximity to Texas.  It's one of the few states where you might get to see a rodeo, though this is more of a country/rural event.  There are annual Fair and Rodeos where the more urban types will visit and engage with rural traditions such as raising livestock and rodeos as a means of entertainment.  It's impossible to sum up New Mexico.  It's far too diverse, and all of this I've told you is still just a small part of it.  You can find whatever life you're looking for, just about.  There are desert, plains, forest, mountains, snow, rivers and lakes.  Indian reservations, UFO museums, military bases, pot-smoking hippies, rednecks, homosexuals, oil fields, cattle ranches, Mexican food, vasectomies and cacti.

low humidity sunshine amazing and diverse views the greatest concentration of art, per capita, in the world (Santa Fe) Three cultures (anglo, hispanic, indian) chili open spaces (low population density) outdoor culture spiritual open and friendly people drought big winds in spring ranching;  rodeos lowriders (Espanola)

Having lived in NM 50 years I can tell you that most of these answers are pretty good.Diversity and above average harmony among the races is a wonderful part of NM. Sure there is prejudice but compared to every place else I have been NM is truly special. If you are not anglo or hispanic you will also feel the inclusiveness of New Mexicans.The main down side for me is the fact that expenses are about the same as the national average but pay is less. Also, in the long run, housing prices do not keep up with other states. So after working in NM for a long time you will discover that financilly you have fallen behind those who lived elsewhere.Outsiders move to NM with money in their pockets and find it to be a rather inexpensive and beautiful place to retire.

It’s pretty nice. You have to be someone who enjoys diversity because more than 50% of the population is Hispanic. That being said expect to see a fairly cosmopolitan group of people in Santa Fe. The Plaza area is a real gem, as is Taos. If you like art you will be truly amazed at the varied amount. The weather is terrific. Summers can be warm or hot depending on where you are. Santa Fe, being at 7000 ft. is usually comfortable most of the time. The food is terrific.