Why Relocate to New Mexico?
Why Relocate to New Mexico?
Because it’s like no other place on earth. The cost of living is low, the culture is diverse, and the landscape is awe-inspiring. They don’t call it the Land of Enchantment for nothing! Ever since Georgia O’Keeffe left the growing urban sprawl of New York City for the wide-open spaces of northern New Mexico, the secret has been out for those willing to listen. If you’re looking for a great location to live, work and save, here are a few more enchanting facts.
Cost of Living
According to Sperling’s Best Places, the cost of living in New Mexico is 88.4%, which is almost 12% less expensive than the U.S. average. The median home cost is $246,000, as opposed to $291,700. The average one-bedroom apartment is around $750, compared to $1,050 nationally. Transportation is 15% lower and health care costs are 17% lower. You can also expect to pay less for groceries and utilities. To see how far your income can go in New Mexico, use our Cost of Living Calculator below!
Festivals, Fairs, Fiestas and more
We’ve already mentioned the great outdoor activities to be had in New Mexico, but when it comes to celebrations, the cultural diversity and friendly spirit of the people who live here make for a non-stop profusion of activities, from the world-famous International Balloon Festival to the Deming Duck Races. Annual festivals statewide include the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow in April, the Taos Solar Music Festival in June, the Roswell UFO Festival in July, the Santa Fe Indian Market, Old Lincoln Days in August and the 300-year-old Fiesta de Santa Fe, Festival of the Cranes in November, Christmas on the Pecos in December, and so many more.
If food, wine and beer events are your thing New Mexico is the place to be. The Santa Fe Wine & Chile Festival is a world renowned wine and food festival featuring the amazing cuisines of Northern New Mexico’s best restaurants along with multiple wine focus events including the Grand Tasting. The Hatch Chile Festival in September, the Annual Albuquerque Hopfest Beer Festival and the Santa Fe Farmers Market at the Railyard will keep you full, occupied and happy. It can never be said of New Mexico that there is nothing to do!
These are just a few of the many reasons why New Mexico is one of the most diverse and desirable places to live in the United States. As the fifth largest state in the country, with a population expected to hit 2.1 million by the end of 2021, according to the United States census, that averages out to about 16 people per square mile. One thing you’ll never run out of, is wide open spaces, clean air, and an abundance of activities.
Climate
With a comfort index of around 8 out of 10 in the summer, and 6 in the winter, New Mexico is one of the most pleasant states in the country. What many don’t know is that the state actually has four different seasons, albeit much milder than most, depending on where you are. On average, the state gets around 15 inches of rain and 24 inches of snow per year. This explains why the two favorite activities in the state are camping and skiing. Averaging 300 days of sunshine, compared to the U.S. average of 200, New Mexico inspires a healthy outdoors lifestyle, perfect for hiking, bouldering, fishing, rafting, biking, horseback riding, and even hot air ballooning.
Landscape
From the towering mountain peaks of Santa Fe to the gypsum dunes of White Sands National Park, New Mexico is home to six different climate zones, which makes it one of the most picturesque states on the map. Whether you’re into red rocks and scrub brush, snowy peaks and evergreen forests, raging river gorges, ancient volcanic calderas, or mile-wide canyons with 360-degrees of unspoiled views, the lands in our fair state are as diverse as they are beautiful. New Mexico also has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other state: Chaco Canyon National Historical Park, Taos Pueblo, and Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
Culture
New Mexico culture is a unique blend of Native American, Spanish, Mexican, and Anglo influences. As a result, the cuisine is an unparalleled mélange of distinctive flavors, while the clothing is a veritable tapestry of colors and styles. The architecture, too, combines the old-world charm of adobe homes, centuries-old pueblos and Mission-style churches with state-of-the-art highrises, open air venues, and sustainable Earthships. If you’re passionate about great food, New Mexico has got you covered! Throughout the year, not a weekend seems to pass without a food, beer, or wine festival taking place somewhere. The people are friendly, the food is delicious, and there’s always something out-of-the-ordinary waiting just around the
corner.
History
According to archeological evidence, New Mexico has been occupied since approximately 9200 BCE. Though it has only been a state since 1912, it has been the home to 23 different Native American tribes, Spanish conquistadors as early as the 16th century, Mexican federalists in the 17th century, pioneers, missionaries, cowboys, ranchers, outlaws, gunslingers, politicians, astronauts, actors, and even atomic scientists. A true representation of the legendary Old West, with such colorful luminaries as Billy the Kid, Geronimo, Kit Carson, Black Jack Ketchum, the Dalton brothers, and the Wild Bunch adding to the mystique, New Mexico also helped usher in the atomic age when the Tularosa Basin became ground zero for the first detonation of a nuclear weapon in 1945. The arts, too, have played an important part in shaping New Mexico, as the home to artists, writers, dancers, musicians, filmmakers, and more, drawn by the diversity of the people and otherworldly beauty of the land.