Los Alamos, New Mexico SperlingViews

A small town with very little crime and good schools.

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Bright Blue Skies and Bountiful Sunshine - 10/31/2010

November 1, 2010 If you like bright blue skies and bountiful sunshine with spectacular views in every direction (blue skies & sunshine only 90-95% of the time), you'll like the climate in Los Alamos, NM. We've had a dusting of snow already this year; it was gone from our sidewalk in under an hour, but we now have a range of snow-capped mountains to the East for our viewing pleasure during our daily commute. The icy breath of winter doesn't seem so cold under brilliant blue, sunny skies. Up where we live at 7,000+ foot elevation line, we DO get winter storms. There are maybe 5-8 major snow storms in a average year. They make for great skiing and an occasional two hour delays to get to work and school. The main roads are well maintained, but the side streets can be rugged on rare occasion. If you come from up East or The Great White North, you'll barely notice the winters here. Northern New Mexico is truly the crown jewel in the Land of Enchantment.[read more...]

Los Alamos - 9/23/2010

I am not one to convince a person to move their family to Los Alamos. Northern New Mexico boasts of many wonderful attractions, and events to do with your family. The food is great for Northern New Mexico, the culture is amazing, the outdoor recreation is unbelievable. I personally do not care for Los Alamos.[read more...]

Good quality of life - 4/25/2010

Los Alamos is an interesting place to live with a high quality of life. Volcanic eruptions have created the beautiful surrounding mountains and mesas. There is lots of evidence of prehistoric Pueblo Indian occupation. Beautiful Santa Fe is 45 minutes away. I have lived in Los Alamos for 30 years. It is a small community that has a defense National Lab as it's major employer. Once University of California ran Los Alamos National Lab. Then Los Alamos had a University town feel then. During George Bush's administration Bechtel, a multinational corporation is now managing it. The town is coming to feel like more of a military town. It is a safe low crime town. The town is high elevation with a ski hill, ice rink, golf course, history museum, Bandelier National Monument, science museum, UNM branch, movie theater. The library is excellent. The staff super. There is a free bus that runs around the down town and between the outlaying suburb of White Rock and the outer lying mesa tops. Because of the Lab, there is a high concentration of scientists and engineers. At my work christmas party there was a wide assortment of people which is interesting. It is not uncommon to meet a person here who designs nuclear weapons and attends Catholic church and finds no conflict between the day job and Sunday services. The dry thin air is a problem for me and I find I fantasize about moving closer to a coastline. I'm considering moving to the Olympic Peninsula. [read more...]

Good Place to Raise Kids - 10/9/2009

A small town with very little crime and good schools.[read more...]

Town is dependant on one company - 10/9/2006

The entire town of Los Alamos, and housing values there, are dependant almost exclusively upon the employment situation at Los Alamos National Laboratory. It is basically a company town. Generally, during the late 90s and early 2000s, the trend was upward. However, if you bought during a peak and were forced to leave during a valley, you could lose a lot of money. The uncertainties of a stop-all-work order in 2004; and the subsequent contract contract changeover from management soley by the University of California, to a combination with private contractors in May 2006, caused hesitation in the housing market, and great uncertainty about employment security and employee pensions. Just as it looked like the housing market was recovering; layoffs of from 350 to 600 people were announced in September 2006. More layoffs are likely in the future. This is a risky place to buy a house; or for that matter seek employment, if you're not stuck here already.[read more...]