#1
New Mexico · 2026 edition
Best affordable places to live in New Mexico
We scored 72 towns on the six things people weigh when they move: affordability, safety, schools, health, jobs and the outdoors, from public data. Then we ask the people who live there whether we got it right.
#1 best affordable places to liveClayton
77score
The top 25
Weights: Affordability 45% · Safety 20% · Schools 15% · Health 10% · Jobs & commute 5% · Outdoors & community 5%. How the score works
#1
#2
#3
University Park
· 2,782 peopleWhy it’s here: Schools (#1 best schools), affordability (#18 cheapest rent).
Worth knowing: no safety data, so it’s scored on the rest.
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4
Crownpoint2,882 people · Affordability74A+ -
5
Raton6,026 people · Affordability, schools73A+ -
6
68A
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7
67A
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8
Portales11,968 people · Affordability66A -
9
66A
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10
65A
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11
65A-
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12
64A-
- 13 E 64A-
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14
64A-
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15
63A-
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16
C
Crouch Mesa4,812 people · Affordability62A-
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17
62A-
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18
Socorro8,481 people · Affordability61A- -
19
Aztec6,150 people · Outdoors & community61A- -
20
Las Vegas13,000 people · Schools60B+ -
21
Alamogordo31,307 people59B+ -
22
Agua Fria2,898 people · Schools59B+ -
23
58B+
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24
Ruidoso Downs2,655 people · Schools58B+ -
25
57B+
See all 72 →
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26
Bosque Farms4,071 people · Safety57B+ -
27
56B
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28
Bloomfield7,395 people · weaker on health56B -
29
54B
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30
Tularosa2,597 people · weaker on health54B -
31
Ruidoso7,699 people · Schools52B -
32
51B-
-
33
Roswell47,638 people · weaker on health50B- -
34
Clovis37,942 people · weaker on health50B- -
35
50B-
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36
50B-
-
37
50B-
-
38
E
El Cerro2,923 people49B-
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39
47C+
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40
47C+
-
41
Artesia12,576 people · Jobs & commute46C+ -
42
Rio Communities4,925 people · weaker on jobs & commute46C+ -
43
Farmington46,314 people · weaker on safety46C+ -
44
45C+
- 45 N 45C+
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46
45C+
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47
Española10,473 people · weaker on schools45C+ -
48
45C+
-
49
L
Lee Acres4,272 people44C+
-
50
Los Chaves4,838 people · weaker on outdoors & community44C+ -
51
Belen7,450 people · weaker on safety43C+ -
52
Flora Vista2,770 people · weaker on jobs & commute43C+ -
53
43C+
-
54
Carlsbad31,746 people · weaker on schools42C+ -
55
Los Lunas18,618 people · weaker on affordability42C+ -
56
South Valley37,120 people · weaker on schools42C+ -
57
41C+
-
58
Bernalillo9,086 people · weaker on schools41C+ -
59
Ranchos de Taos2,536 people · weaker on outdoors & community40C+ -
60
38C+
-
61
Gallup21,023 people · weaker on safety37C+ -
62
36C+
-
63
Santa Teresa6,041 people · weaker on outdoors & community35C+ -
64
35C+
-
65
Taos6,458 people · weaker on safety34C+ - 66 P 33C+
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67
32C+
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68
31C+
-
69
L
La Mesilla2,697 people · weaker on schools30C+
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70
29C+
- 71 S 25C+
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72
21C+
Every town with 2,500+ residents and data on at least 5 of the 6 areas.
Near the cities
Best affordable places to live near New Mexico’s cities
The top-scoring towns within 25 miles of each city.
Near Albuquerque
- El Cerro Mission23 mi64
- Meadow Lake21 mi64
- Bosque Farms18 mi57
Near Las Cruces
- University Park4 mi74
- Vado16 mi68
- Anthony24 mi58
Near Rio Rancho
- Corrales5 mi43
- South Valley19 mi42
- North Valley9 mi41
Near Santa Fe
- Agua Fria2 mi59
- La Cienega9 mi45
- White Rock16 mi45
Near Farmington
- Crouch Mesa5 mi62
- Aztec12 mi61
- Bloomfield11 mi56
Your turn
Did we get New Mexico right?
Data can’t tell you what a Tuesday feels like on Main Street. If you live in one of these towns, or left one, tell neighbors what the numbers miss.
Method
How the score works
Every number is public data, compared only with other New Mexico towns. A town gets 0–100 in each area by where it falls on that area’s lists (the best = 100, the last = 0), and the score is the weighted average. So a score of 70 means that, across what matters, the town does better than about 70% of the others. Nobody is best at everything: the top scores land around 70.
Affordability
What a home costs against local income, the property-tax bill, and rent.
Schools
State test results and the graduation rate of the town’s public schools.
Health
CDC health estimates, health insurance, and the drive to a top hospital.
Outdoors & community
Trails, conserved land, walkable streets, and a well-used library.
| List | Affordability | Safety | Schools | Health | Jobs & commute | Outdoors & community |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 20% | 20% | 20% | 15% | 15% | 10% |
| For families | 15% | 25% | 35% | 10% | 5% | 10% |
| To retire | 20% | 25% | – | 35% | – | 20% |
| Small towns | 20% | 20% | 20% | 15% | 15% | 10% |
| Affordable | 45% | 20% | 15% | 10% | 5% | 5% |
Towns need data on at least 5 of the 6 areas; a missing area’s weight is shared by the rest. Small towns = 2,500 to 10,000 residents. Sources: U.S. Census ACS, state education departments, FBI crime data, CDC PLACES, IMLS libraries, conservation and trail data.
Quick answers
Living in New Mexico: questions people ask
What is the best place to live in New Mexico?
University Park scores highest overall (70), followed by Los Alamos and White Rock.
What is the best place in New Mexico to raise a family?
University Park, when schools and safety count for most of the score.
What is the most affordable good place to live in New Mexico?
Clayton leads when affordability counts for nearly half the score, without giving up safety and schools.
What is the best small town in New Mexico?
University Park is the top town with 2,500 to 10,000 residents.
Where is the best place to retire in New Mexico?
Corrales scores best when health, safety and affordability lead.
Go deeper
All rankings →