2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Portales, NM vs Carlsbad, NM

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Highlights
Are people in Carlsbad older or younger than people in Portales?
- The Median Age in Carlsbad is 8.0 years older than in Portales.

Are housing costs cheaper in Carlsbad or Portales?
- Carlsbad housing costs are 47.2% more expensive than Portales housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Carlsbad or Portales?
- The average commute for residents of Carlsbad is 1.5 minutes longer than it is for residents of Portales.

Things to do in Portales?
Portales, New Mexico is a small town located in Roosevelt County. It is known for its mild climate, friendly community and vibrant culture. Portales has two universities and several public schools, making it an ideal place to raise a family. Local amenities include various shopping options, restaurants and entertainment venues, as well as recreational activities such as the Portales Municipal Swimming Pool and Portales Golf Course. With its tranquil atmosphere and access to nearby cities such as Clovis and Alamogordo, Portales is a great place to call home.

Things to do in Carlsbad?
Carlsbad is a city located in southeastern New Mexico that is known for its stunning landscape of caves, limestone cliffs and deserts dotted with cacti. It is home to Carlsbad Caverns National Park which contains over 100 limestone caves filled with unique formations that attract nature-lovers from across the globe. There are also several recreational activities available like rock climbing and ATV tours along with various art galleries featuring local history exhibits to explore!

 Portales, NMCarlsbad, NMUnited States
 Population  Unlock31,525329,725,481
 Median Income$44,101  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock35.138.4
 Avg. Home Price$124,900  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock8.4%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time16.77  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Portales    10 Reviews

In a single sentence, this is a town that is slowly dying in the desert- and nobody here cares. Why- because the people who run this town were born in the 1940's or  More

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Over 6 years ago

I love portales new.Mexico they have nice people I like boys cute boys that the high school  More

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If you like boring, low wages, and high unemployment for mediocre jobs, and ultra-conservatism then this is the place for you.  More

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Reviews for Carlsbad    16 Reviews

I've only been here for a few months, but I can quickly sum up this town as a rundown truck stop, perpetually buffeted by relentless wind, dirt, and hot air. The gas  More

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Over 3 years ago

We used to visit here every few years from Michigan just to see the Living Desert State Park. A very long way to drive to spend a a couple of days in this hauntingly  More

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Been here 9 years. Very difficult place. Price gouging, extremely expensive to live here. Crazy amounts of crime, cops do nothing. Very crowded, bad traffic and crazy  More

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