Reviews & Comments
Las Cruces, NM
A balanced opinion on LC -
9/26/2013 I've lived here since 1988, went to middle and HS here and always used to want to "get out" and live by the beach in Cali; always ended up coming back because other places are so much more expensive.
Being older (late 30's) and having traveled and lived in Cali and Kentucky I have something to compare to and understand the + and - better now.
I'm writing this because I'm about to move to actually have a chance to find a decent job- used to work at NMSU many years and if you have a decent-paying job, its not bad here, mostly because the EP airport is <1 hour away!
If you're a doctor or nurse, wealthy retiree, Government worker, Prof at NMSU, or own your own car dealership (moon astronaut Frank Borman has one here!), you'll do fine, almost everyone else seems to survive on welfare, marginal pay, fighting pit bulls or dealing you-know-what.
There are several things I like about Cruces, and I want to be fair.
If you like the outdoors- hiking, mt. biking, camping are epic- the landscape breathtaking (except during large portions of the 5 month long hell summer or the long spring dust-storm season.) There is often beautiful weather here, though. You aren't likely to see many people beside yourself and any friends you manage to have with you out in the desert or mts(a very few people here are into it) since most people here seem to just watch tv, eat out, drive around, do drugs and drink for fun. I consider that a big + compared to climbing over crowds on the trails around a place like Boulder. One of the best rock-climbing areas in the world (Hueco Tanks) is just 75mi. away.
Elementary schools seem to be good here, but by HS, it seems like they've given up and just babysit. I barely fought my way into NMSU by tooth and nail in spite of the almost total neglect by teachers. My niece had the same experience a few years ago.
NMSU is good and always improving. Without it, LC wouldn't be 1/2 of what it is. I think it has the largest campus by area in the US! and is well maintained.
There is some very interesting paleontology and history here, from the recently found mammoth bones to Mogollon pottery and arrowheads in the deserts, to Billy the kid, the space program etc.
The two major "cultures" here, "Hispanic" and "Anglo" mix well. Many people a Midwesterner would call "Hispanic" consider themselves white and can't actually speak much Spanish and most Anglos seem to like the Hispanic culture. There are a very few "cholos" who posture and give the cold shoulder if you aren't one of them, but generally keep it to themselves (and then there are what they call "hippy cholos" who are generally really great people.) Someone mentioned "rednecks", but I have never seen much at all here. More actually would be nice- you know "diversity" and all.
COL very low, but you get what you pay for, except it seems much safer here even in low-income neighborhoods.