Moving to New Mexico
New Mexico, otherwise known as ‘The Land of Enchantment’, is a amazing state to work and live. If you are moving or relocating to NM, we have assembled a comprehensive list of some important facts and useful data to help make your move an easy transition.
Geography
Located in the Mountain Region of the country, New Mexico is bordered by Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah. With a total land area of over 121,589.48 Square Miles, it comes in as the 5th largest state.
Population
Currently, the population of NM is 2,081,015 making it the 14th least populated state in the union and the 4th least densely populated. The state capital, Santa Fe, has a population of 62203. which is the 16th smallest capital in the country.
Other Populous New Mexico Cities are:
| US Rank | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | Albuquerque | 559,277 |
| 300 | Las Cruces | 101,759 |
Notable New Mexicans
New Mexico is home to many famous and some infamous people such as, Bruce Cabot a notable actor is from Carlsbad and Dennis Chavez a memorable senator is from Los Chavez. Others include people like Edward Condon a physicist and Robert Crichton a author .
Climate
New Mexico encompasses a large geographic area of diverse interior-continental environments, including mountain ranges, forests, grasslands, and deserts. Temperature varies widely across the state. Monthly average temperatures in the northern mountainous regions range from the low 20s in January to around 60 in July while in the lower elevations in the south the range is from middle 40s in January to low 80s in July. Much of the state is characterized as arid to semi-arid with most areas in the central and west receiving less than 15 inches of precipitation annually.
The last decade has been the warmest on record for the state, with increasing trends in both extremely hot days and warm nights. Over the past two decades, much of the state has seen increases in the number of extremely hot days, most prominently in the eastern plains. A similar trend is apparent in the number of warm nights, which has increased since the mid-1970s, and in winter temperatures, as the number of very cold nights was below average during the period of 1990-2009.
National Parks
New Mexico is home to 1 beautiful national park.
- Carlsbad Caverns
Carlsbad Caverns has 117 caves, the longest of which is over 120 miles (190km) long. The Big Room is almost 4,000 feet (1,200m) long, and the caves are home to over 400,000 Mexican free-tailed bats and sixteen other species. Above ground are the Chihuahuan Desert and Rattlesnake Springs.
Crime Statistics
Safety and security should always be an important consideration when relocating to a new area. A state’s crime rate affects more than just the safety of its resident, it highly affects property value, economics and the overall quality of life. Based on the last FBI Crime Statistics, New Mexico’s violent crime rate is 59 per 10k residents which is greater than the national average of 37.3. In addition, the state’s property crime rate is 354per 10k residents which is greater than the national average of 248.7.
New Mexico ranks #5 in the US for violent crime and #3 for property crime.
Schools & Education
Whether you are a student, have children, or neither, a state’s educational system is not only important to those attending, it’s vital to the overall quality of life, culture and economics of the state. Based on data from multiple public and private sources, we were able to rank New Mexico’s educational system.
Overall Grade: D
New Mexico spends on average $10714.00 per pupil, which is less than the national average ($11,900). NM ranks #48 in the US compared to the rest of the country. While NM ranks #48 in spending, the latest graduation rate is 68.60%%.
Another important factor is the percentage of families that enroll their young children (ages 3-4) in an accredited pre-school program. New Mexico ranks #37 with over 40.70% of children attending a early educational program.
Taxes
The current income tax rate for New Mexico is 4.90% which ranks 17th favorable amongst other states. If you are purchasing property, you may want to consider the the property tax burden rate. This is the amount you pay in taxes per $1000 earned. NM’s rate is $20.63 which ranks 8th in the US.
Currently, NM sales tax is $41.20 for which it comes in as 49th compared to other states.
Sports
Unfortunately New Mexico does’nt have any major league teams.
Utility Companies
Before you move to New Mexico, it’s advised that you know who your utility companies are. We have an extensive list of both public and private utility companies in NM.
Other Resources
For more information about moving to New Mexico, visit their website at http://www.state.nm.us/