Best places to live in New Mexico (2026)

All 5 ranked places in New Mexico, by all-round score. 2 other places without FBI crime data are on the places list.

Ranked by an all-round score: the average of all 14 quality scores (housing costs, taxes, jobs, healthcare, education, family life, safety, natural disasters, climate and more), weighted equally. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out, since their safety is unknown. Scores are out of 100.

1. 1Rio Rancho, NMSuburb · 3-bed $343k · very safe63
2. 2Albuquerque, NMBig city · 3-bed $339k · higher crime55
3. 3Las Cruces, NMSmall city · 3-bed $279k · moderate crime48
4. 4Taos, NMSmall town · 3-bed $585k · moderate crime44
5. 5Roswell, NMSmall city · 3-bed $214k · higher crime44

Cheapest places to live in New Mexico

Ranked by the typical value of a 3-bedroom home (Zillow), lowest first.

1. 1Roswell, NMSmall city · rent $1,420/mo · cost of living 92$214k
2. 2Las Cruces, NMSmall city · rent $1,450/mo · cost of living 90$279k
3. 3Farmington, NMSmall city · rent $1,510/mo · cost of living 88$296k
4. 4Albuquerque, NMBig city · rent $2,040/mo · cost of living 96$339k
5. 5Rio Rancho, NMSuburb · rent $2,040/mo · cost of living 96$343k

Safest places to live in New Mexico

Ranked by violent crimes per resident in FBI 2019 data, lowest first. Places missing from the FBI table are left out.

1. 1Rio Rancho, NMSuburb · violent crime 0.5× the US rate190 per 100k
2. 2Taos, NMSmall town · violent crime 0.8× the US rate319 per 100k
3. 3Las Cruces, NMSmall city · violent crime 1.3× the US rate497 per 100k
4. 4Roswell, NMSmall city · violent crime 2.2× the US rate850 per 100k
5. 5Albuquerque, NMBig city · violent crime 3.6× the US rate1352 per 100k

Safest places from natural disasters in New Mexico

Ranked by our natural disaster score: FEMA's expected deaths, injuries and home damage from 18 hazards, plus federally declared disasters in the county since 2000.

1. 1Santa Fe, NM3 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, wildfires93
2. 2Albuquerque, NM3 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, earthquakes91
3. 3Rio Rancho, NM8 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, earthquakes87
4. 4Farmington, NM4 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding86
5. 5Taos, NM4 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding83

Best places to live for families in New Mexico

Ranked by a family score: the average of our Kids & family, Safety, Education and Affordable housing scores. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out.

1. 1Rio Rancho, NMSuburb · kids excellent · safety excellent · 3-bed $343k71
2. 2Roswell, NMSmall city · kids average · safety below average · 3-bed $214k47
3. 3Las Cruces, NMSmall city · kids poor · safety average · 3-bed $279k47
4. 4Albuquerque, NMBig city · kids below average · safety below average · 3-bed $339k44
5. 5Taos, NMSmall town · kids poor · safety good · 3-bed $585k35

Best places to live · Cheapest places to live · Safest places to live · Safest places from natural disasters · Best places to live for families

Data: US Census, Zillow, HUD, BEA, FBI 2019, FEMA, NOAA, NASA, CMS, NCES and others. How scores work.