Perfect Place for Desert and Nature Lovers
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4/8/2024
I've lived in Las Cruces for six months now. Before moving here I was in Albuquerque (3 hrs north) for four years and before that I lived in Northern Utah most of my life. New Mexico, in general, reminds me a lot of Utah - the geography and weather are similar. However, the culture is very different - in mostly positive ways, in my opinion. I did not love Albuquerque but fell in love with New Mexico and wanted to stay. There aren't many options in NM - Santa Fe is expensive and most other areas don't have many career or social options.
I moved down without a job lined up and was luckily able to find one within a few weeks. I will say, the job market here is not great. The majority are low-paying jobs, many of them require you to be bilingual, and there are a large number of jobs in healthcare. I have a strong background in office administration and happened to luck into the position I found, which pays slightly higher than the median income for the area. Unless you are able to make less than $15/hr or have education/skills to work in healthcare or security-level government jobs, there are not very many mid-level jobs to go around.
Housing costs, like much of the country, have risen at a much higher rate than wages. A lot of retirees are relocating here, outpricing many locals and putting more strain on the already short supply. This has created a shortage of affordable housing, even in the more urban areas. Many people live in multi-generational homes or have roommates.
There are a number of new subdivisions that are under construction but the local infrastructure has not kept up - schools are over capacity, stores are far away (creating food deserts), traffic patterns have not been adequately designed, there is a lack of walkable/bikeable areas, etc. In some areas, in the rush to build subdivisions, they overlooked basic necessities like water drainage and long-term needs, such as turning lanes and crosswalks. Thus, while still feverishly working on expansion they are also going back and having to redo work they've already done. Every time we get a rainstorm, streets get blocked off because of flooding. I haven't noticed this issue in older subdivisions, just the newer ones. Also a big issue is dust - construction crews have razed huge plots of land that haven't started building yet, so the wind kicks up the dirt and blows everywhere in these areas. These particular issues seem to be endemic to New Mexico, not just Las Cruces (I'm looking at you, Rio Rancho.)
Compared to Albuquerque and El Paso, I feel much safer here. Our proximity to the Texas and Mexico borders, and the interstate does make certain illegal activities easier for criminals. However, most people are warm, welcoming, honest, and hard working. I've lived in two neighborhoods here and in both, my neighbors were friendly and supportive. There is a big police presence - I see them everywhere and see a lot of people pulled over getting cited. Depending on your experience, that may make you feel more or less secure. As for me, because I haven't had any interactions with them, so I'm mostly ambivalent. Overall, there are a lot of transplants here between students, military, civilians working on base, and retirees. It's created an environment of inclusion and acceptance for people with different political and religious beliefs, and lifestyles. Although most people here tend to vote blue, in my experience most people are more moderate than either extreme. Like, they don't care if a gay couple lives next door but nobody is going to come for their guns, sort of mindset.
Las Cruces is definitely a "small" city. We have pretty much everything you need - a variety of grocery stores, a mall, restaurants, breweries, a movie theater, plenty of recreational activities, etc. That being said, there isn't much of a nightlife or other entertainment options. The dating pool is really more of a small pond that rarely gets restocked. Most people end up turning to El Paso, about an hour away, for more options. In addition to more social options, they also have an airport that is very convenient.
The weather is what many would consider ideal. The winters are mild - we do get some freezing days but most days are sunny and temperate and it rarely snows. The summers do get extremely hot for a couple of months but as some have pointed out, it's a dry heat and you become acclimated to it. For those months you spend time outdoors in the early morning or late evening in order to beat the heat. Spring and Fall are quite nice. It does get windy but nothing too crazy. There are plenty of hiking trails and outdoor activities. We're close to a lot of great outdoor areas that are perfect for day trips or weekend camping. The sunrises and sunsets are mindblowingly beautiful.
I chose to move to Las Cruces knowing full well what I was getting into and for me, the many benefits far outweigh the few inconveniences. I would rather spend the weekend bumming around rockhounding in the desert than attending concerts and going to bars, but for the times I need to stock up on toilet paper at Costco or get a new tattoo, I can just drive an hour down to El Paso. It's been a great place for my family and I'm here to stay for a good while.
Candice | Las Cruces, NM