How South Valley compares across New Mexico
South Valley is ranked on 35 lists against the 72 New Mexico towns with 2,500+ residents. It makes the top 10 on 0 and the top quarter on 1.
Faster-rising prices than 82% of New Mexico
Not better or worse, just South Valley’s character, from the lists where neither end is the “good” one. The most distinctive come first.
South Valley out-ranks 0 of its 1 ranked neighbors
Head to head on the lists where both towns are ranked: a point for each list where one town places higher. Tap a town for its own rankings.
1 spot from the top 10 for affordable rent
Lists where South Valley sits just outside a milestone, and what it would take to get in.
South Valley lands in the top half on 7 of 21 lists
Each dot is South Valley’s spot on one list: the left end is #1 in NM, the right end is last. Areas where South Valley does best come first.
Every NM list, and where South Valley lands
40 lists from Census, school, health, library, crime, climate and land data. Tap any list to see every town on it.
Health
Healthiest#1 White Rock · 99 / 100
#48
Lowest obesity#1 Eldorado at Santa Fe · 22%
#43
Fewest smokers#1 White Rock · 6%
#35
Most active#1 White Rock · 13%
#57
S
Fewest uninsured#1 Sandia Heights · 4%
#62
L
Lowest depression#1 La Mesilla · 20%
#29
P
Closest to a top hospital#1 Paradise Hills · 1.6 mi
#13 Outdoors
Most conserved land#1 Bloomfield · 57.5%
#21
Most trails#1 Los Alamos · 7.4 mi / sq mi
#18
P
Most walkable#1 Paradise Hills · 125 / sq mi
#40 Cost of living
Most affordable#1 Dulce · 0.8 yrs
#40
Cheapest rent#1 Dulce · $550/mo
#36
Lowest property tax#1 Vado · $392/yr
#39
Rent easiest to afford#1 Los Alamos · 29.8%
#11 Getting around
Shortest commute#1 Holloman AFB · 8.1 min
#44 People
S Most educated#1 Sandia Heights · 72.5% #52
Youngest#1 University Park · 20.1
#50
Oldest#1 Placitas · 64.8
#23
Most residents 65+#1 Placitas · 49.5%
#27
Most kids#1 Ranchos de Taos · 36.9%
#47 Schools
Best schools#1 University Park · +44.4 pts
#38
Highest graduation rate#1 Los Alamos · 93%
#48 
Climate
Snowiest#1 Dulce · 56 in
#43
Least snow#1 Las Cruces · 1.0 in
#26
Mildest winters#1 Santa Teresa · 32.5°
#29
Hottest summers#1 Carlsbad · 97.0°
#25
Coolest summers#1 Ruidoso · 81.7°
#48
Longest growing season#1 Chaparral · 264 days
#22
Wettest#1 Ruidoso · 20 in
#56 Housing
Vacation-home towns#1 Ruidoso · 43.5%
#44
Most new homes#1 Los Lunas · 14.3 per 1,000
Fastest-rising home prices#1 Rio Communities · +73.0%
#10 Libraries
Most-used libraries#1 Taos · 13.3 per resident
Most library borrowing#1 Bosque Farms · 61.8 per resident
Best libraries for kids#1 Taos · 18.6 per child
Safety
Safest#1 Corrales · 9.6
The number on the right is South Valley’s spot. All of New Mexico’s rankings, with the map → · National lists and other states: all rankings.
Do the numbers ring true?
The lists count what can be counted. Neighbors know the rest.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
- 2,500+ residents. Census estimates for smaller towns carry margins of error too wide to rank fairly, so they sit out every NM list.
- One town, one row. A city that is both a city and a town in Census data, or a village inside a town, is counted once.
- Ties share a rank. Towns on one weather station, one school district or one CDC estimate share a figure, so they share a spot (T).
- No “worst” lists. Lists rank toward the good end, and share cards are made only for the top half. Age, snow and the like are character, not grades.
U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, 2010 and 2020 censuses, Building Permits Survey), U.S. Department of Education, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, CDC PLACES, Medicare Care Compare, IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FHFA House Price Index, NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. Each list explains its own method.