From stunning natural beauty and regional-yet-world-renowned cuisine to a low cost of living and the alluring mystique of Roswell’s UFO history, there’s plenty to love about living in New Mexico. That said, a lack of economic opportunities, a poorly managed K-12 school system, and high crime rates might make you think twice about moving to the Land of Enchantment.
If you’re considering moving to New Mexico, you’ll want to take in all the state has to offer—both the good and the bad. It's easy to be seduced by New Mexico’s stunning desert vistas and unique history and culture, but its lack of opportunities, poor road system, and middling quality of life can be a turn-off to many.
That’s why Jerry
, the car insurance
comparison app, has put together this handy guide with 11 of the pros and cons of making New Mexico your home. And if you opt to make the move, Jerry can even help you find the best New Mexico car insurance rates
! Pro: Cheap living under a desert-blue sky
If a low cost of living is your number one priority, moving to New Mexico will make a lot of sense—the state’s cost of living index is 88.4 (with 100 being the average), meaning it is almost 12% lower than the national average.
New Mexico’s median household income is $51,243 (compared to a national average of $70,784). And while the median household income is typically lower in New Mexico, housing prices are lower as well—and the further from Albuquerque and Santa Fe you live, the cheaper they will be. The average home price in New Mexico is $299,814—significantly lower than the national average for a home, which stands at $354,649.
Another great economic aspect of living in New Mexico? Cheap gas prices! According to AAA, the average New Mexico gas price is $3.54 per gallon, a fair bit cheaper than the national average, which stands at $3.80 across the country.
MORE: New Mexico renters insurance
Pro: Stunning natural beauty
The natural beauty you’ll find in New Mexico is second to none. Gawk at expansive deserts, stunning mountain vistas, gorgeous forests, amazing canyons, and lush valleys—not to mention breathing in the fresh, clean air. Here are just three of the many amazing sites to see in New Mexico:
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
You need to go underground to truly experience the wonder that is New Mexico’s Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Enter a subterranean world of more than 100 caves with fantastical geo-formations and fossils, formed millions of years ago from sulfuric acid reacting to limestone. You’ll also enjoy the company of more than 400,000 Brazilian free tail bats.
White Sands National Park
Sand is sand, right? Wrong—not at White Sands National Park, where more than 275 square miles of glittering white sand deserts stretch as far as the eye can see. It’s one of the most unique sites in the country!
Petroglyph National Monument
Marvel at historical depictions of ancient culture in the landscape of sacred symbols, featuring more than 24,000 images and designs carved into volcanic rock sides more than 500 years ago by Native tribes and Spanish explorers.
Pro: Beautiful weather
If you like sunny skies, you’ll love New Mexico. A state with mild, arid, and semi-arid temperature zones, the average temperature hovers in the mid-50s. During the summer, the weather is warm and sits in the mid-80s, though the desert can get very hot. Winters are cool, with a statewide average in the mid-40s. If you’re exploring New Mexico’s mountains during the winter, prepare for snow.
Con: Extreme weather
Despite New Mexico’s mild average temperature, summer in the state’s deserts can be extremely hot. Part and parcel with such hot weather is New Mexico’s summer drought, which is a major problem and one of the worst drought seasons in the country.
New Mexico also has a forest fire problem, with more than 70% of New Mexicans living in areas with elevated wildfire risk.
Pro: Incredible food and wine
Yeah, New Mexico can get hot—but the state’s food and wine scenes are even hotter!
New Mexico offers one of the most varied and unique cuisines in the country, with equal helpings of Native tradition of foraging and cultivation practices and culinary traditions handed down from Spanish exploration. The result? A vibrant collection of tastes, smells, and flavors.
Enjoy New Mexico staples such as green chile stew, with its glorious mix of pork, onions, garlic, potatoes, and chiles. The state has a unique dessert treat called biscochito, which is an anise and cinnamon-flavored cookie.
New Mexico also has a thriving wine scene with more than 60 wineries spread across the Rio Grande Valley, Mesilla Valley, and Mimbres Valley. The state produces more than 900,000 gallons of wine every year!
Con: Lack of economic opportunity
Even with all its unique landscapes and culinary attractions, New Mexico ranks low in terms of economic opportunity. With an economy dominated by service jobs, agriculture, manufacturing, and oil production, New Mexico’s job appeal is limited for many people interested in moving to the state.
New Mexico has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country at 4.2%, significantly higher than the national average of 3.7%. The median income of $51,343 lags far behind the national average—which sits at $64,994—and its neighboring states:
If you’re a retiree with income, you work remotely, or you have a New Mexico-based job offer in hand, then moving to the Land of Enchantment might make sense.
Con: Middling quality of life
A lack of economic opportunity is just one reason why New Mexico’s quality of life index isn’t great—but other factors include a poorly-ranked K-12 education system, high violent crime rates, crushing poverty, and rampant drug use.
Unfortunately, New Mexico’s K-12 system is not good—according to U.S. News & World Report, New Mexico’s system ranked 51st out of 50 states (plus D.C.) as the worst in the country. Truly, not good. So is this the state to raise your kids if you can’t afford private school? Unless there are other mitigating factors, likely not.
Crime is another factor that negatively impacts the quality of life in New Mexico. According to the FBI, New Mexico ranks as the third worst state in the country for violent crime. Both drug and alcohol use are contributing factors to the state’s high crime rate. And while they aren’t necessarily correlated, either drugs or alcohol are related to all 10 of the leading causes of death in the state. According to a Gallup study, New Mexico has the highest alcohol-related death rate in the country.
Not helping any of the above issues is New Mexico’s grinding poverty. According to Forbes, nearly 20% of New Mexico’s population lives below the poverty line compared to a national average of just over 15%.
Pro: Affordable higher education
There is hope for New Mexico yet—affordable higher education is definitely a boon to living in the state. According to Move.org, in-state tuition for New Mexico residents ranks as the 2nd-most affordable in the country. Well-regarded public institutions such as the University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, and Eastern New Mexico University are all easily accessible to state residents.
Pro: Affordable healthcare
Even with a middling quality of life index, New Mexico’s healthcare is relatively affordable and ranks near the top of healthcare affordability ratings across the country. According to Forbes, New Mexico residents pay an average of $4,496 in healthcare premiums per year—the fifth-lowest in the country. At the same time, New Mexico has the ninth-cheapest healthcare expenditures across the country at roughly $8,505 per resident.
In a time of increasing challenges, New Mexico residents can consider themselves lucky in terms of mental health, too—the average New Mexico adult was ranked as one of least likely to report mental health needs being unmet, ranking fourth-best in this category.
Con: Bad roads
Getting to campus or a doctor’s office might be a bit of a slog though, as New Mexico’s roads are ranked the sixth-worst in the country according to a 2021 White House Infrastructure fact sheet. Compounding the issue is that New Mexico lacks a robust public transportation network, forcing more people to drive to work or school than otherwise might if public transit was better across the state.
Pro: Roswell and the UFO mystique
So what if the famous 1947 UFO incident in Roswell, New Mexico has been debunked as the crash of an errant nuclear test surveillance balloon? Southeast New Mexico remains a magnet for all kinds of curiosity seekers, UFO enthusiasts, and conspiracy-minded adventurers looking to uncover the secret to one mystery or another. Sure, it might not affect the daily lives of New Mexicans, but it sure is fun, isn’t it?
MORE: Road trip Destinations for UFO and Alien Hunters
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Is New Mexico a good state to live in?
On the whole, yes, New Mexico is a good state to live in—even if it has its not-so-good aspects. If you’re thinking about putting down roots in the Land of Enchantment, consider both the pros and cons.
Affordable higher education
Rich cultural and culinary heritage
Vibrant Native American history
That said, if you’re worried about crime or the quality of education for your K-12 kids, you might want to look elsewhere.
MORE: Homeowners insurance in New Mexico
How to upgrade your car insurance in New Mexico
Another con about living in New Mexico? It’s one of the ten most expensive places to own a car across the country. That means finding a robust car insurance
policy at an affordable price is more important than ever—and Jerry
can help with that! Sign-up takes just 45 seconds and then Jerry gets to work comparing quotes from more than 50 top insurers to make sure you get the policy you want at the right price. Once you pick your new policy, Jerry signs you up and helps cancel your old policy for you. Best of all, the average Jerry user saves more than $800 per year.
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