Happy in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho after three ye
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12/31/2016
Technically I live in Rio Rancho -- across the river from Albuquerque but this is essentially one place. I've been here three years and I'm retired and happy. People complain about traffic but it is almost always a problem with bridge traffic over the Rio Grande. Schools in Rio Rancho are good. In Albuquerque it is a little spotty and there are quite a few families using private academies. Do some research. I chose Rio Rancho mainly because I wanted more land than a city lot.
The climate is wonderful if you like sunny four season weather. Nights are below freezing now but days are sunny and in the 50s and we have not had snow in the city yet -- mountains and ski areas have snow. It rarely gets into the 100s in summer (107 is the record). Swamp coolers are more common than AC. There are many recreational options -- even in town. The hiking and bike trails go well into the back country. This is high desert but with forested mountains minutes away.
Cost of living is low by almost any measure. The job picture is not the best...the city depended too much on federal money with the defense labs and contractors and the air base so when the federal budget and contracts get cut things go downhill. The IT companies that moved in are also shrinking operations a little. Healthcare is big. Education is big (UNM is in ABQ). Housing prices are relatively low but land prices can be high. The commuter train (RailRunner) connects Albuquerque northward to Santa Fe and south to Belen and the cost is probably lower than driving and parking.
Culture and ethnicity is a big part of what makes Albuquerque unique and, sadly, some new people can't adjust. The Indians have been here for 1000s of years. The Spanish arrived in the 1590s...well before Jamestown. There are three distinct cultures and the place thrives on that. There are festivals or fiestas celebrating almost everything. The craft beer scene ranks among the best in the country. This is also America's oldest wine making area. There are ample cultural events to keep anyone busy and Santa Fe is an hour away.
This is a metro community of around 800,000 in a state of only two million. There is a problem with property crime in some areas. When someone goes off the rails they tend to go way off the rails but violent crime is not that common. As in any city, pick your friends wisely and don't look for trouble. With DOJ involvement, community/police relations are improving in Albuquerque after a few years of police abuse and citizen passivity came to a head a while back. Local politics and government on both sides of the river could improve in both citizen participation and the quality of leadership. That's probably true on the state level and in other states as well.
K | Rio Rancho, NM