Find Work in the Best Places to Live in New Mexico

Are you thinking about relocating to New Mexico? This state of just over 2.1 million residents in the southwest U.S. has a lot to offer newcomers and long-term residents. So much so that you might need some help to choose among the best places to live in New Mexico. But first, let’s go through the reasons why “The Land of Enchantment” is worth moving to overall:

• Reasonable cost of living. New Mexico is one of the most affordable states in the U.S. Even its biggest metro area is still 12% cheaper than the country’s national average.
• Affordable real estate. The median home cost in New Mexico is about $300,227, making it one of the lowest in the country.
• It’s always sunny. “The Cactus State” boasts 293 sunny days per year on average versus a national average of 205.
• Beautiful landscapes. In New Mexico, you can find unmatched natural scenery. From the desert to the mountains, there are stunning rivers, canyons, and forests. New Mexico is also blessed with three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Chaco Canyon National Historical Park, Taos Pueblo, and Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
• Many outdoor activities and entertainment. With such natural resources and good weather, living here you’ll become a fan of outdoor recreational activities like hiking, climbing, cycling, rafting, kayaking, and much more. Plus, you’ll never get bored with all the different celebrations and festivals that take place all year round.
• Rich cultural heritage. New Mexico is home to many different ethnic groups including Native American tribes, Hispanic, African American, Asian, and Middle Eastern communities. This makes it one of the most culturally rich states where you can find a great variety of cuisines, traditions, art, and architecture.

Before deciding which among the best cities to live in New Mexico to build your career in, perhaps you’re wondering “Is New Mexico a right to work state?” New Mexico is not a right to work state, but an at-will one. This means that for certain jobs you might be required to join a union as a condition of employment. Keep this in mind whenever you’re looking for work in the state.

Albuquerque

With more than half a million residents, Albuquerque is the largest metro area in New Mexico. Located in the High Desert, it is one of the best places to live in New Mexico due to its job outlook and affordability. In Albuquerque, you can find many roles in engineering thanks to a flourishing aerospace industry, as well as positions in life science. Albuquerque is also the third most important area in the country for movie production, so it’s the place to be for aspiring media job candidates. “The Duke City” also boasts a low cost of living and housing costs far below the national average.

In this extremely diverse city, you’ll also be blessed with 310 sunny days a year on average. So, you’ll have plenty of time to explore and enjoy the city’s outdoors and entertainment offers. Here you’ll be able to take a scenic hot air balloon flight, take a ride on the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway, hike or explore nature by mountain bike or kayak. If you’re not so adventurous, visit the world-class museums and try the unique local cuisine instead.

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Clovis

Clovis is a city of about 39,000 people in the central east part of New Mexico, only a few miles from the border with Texas. It’s among the best cities to live in New Mexico if you’re looking for jobs in engineering, especially in aerospace and defense, since it houses the Cannon Air Force Base. Transportation, logistics, production, and agriculture are other top employers in town.

When it comes to how to spend your free time in Clovis, you’ll enjoy being part of a small community that offers everything you need. You can visit Norman Petty Studios and its museum dedicated to rock music, take your family to Hillcrest Park Zoo or pet an alpaca at Windrush Alpacas farm. In Old Town Clovis you can browse boutiques and antique shops, stop at the Farmers Market, or get ice cream or craft beer. Clovis also has an extremely low cost of living, making it one of the best places to live in New Mexico considering what it offers.

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Farmington

Farmington is one of the best places to live in New Mexico if you’d like to be in an affordable and central area with easy access to Albuquerque, Phoenix, Denver, and Salt Lake City. Farmington is well known for the oil and gas extraction from the San Juan Basin that boosts the city’s economy. However, there’s plenty of choice between the vacancies in education, healthcare, administration, service, and production as well.

The city is also very family-friendly with many outdoor activities waiting for you. You can hit the trails, bike, kayak, or watch the wildlife at over 50 parks. For culture and history fans, the Aztec Ruins National Monument and the Chaco Culture National Historical Park are unmissable.

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Las Cruces

Las Cruces is the second most populated area in New Mexico with around 103,000 people. There are many reasons why it’s so loved and considered by many as one of the best places to live in New Mexico. To start, the cost of living and housing is lower than national average. Plus, public schools are good here.

The city is also growing fast and providing a great variety of job openings in education, healthcare, aerospace, manufacturing, engineering, government, and many more industries. Once you’re done with work you can hit the trails along the Rio Grande, visit White Sands National Park, the Museum of Nature and Science, or the Branigan Cultural Center. It was even named the third best place to visit in the U.S. in 2019.

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Rio Rancho

Rio Rancho is a city of about 100,000 people in Albuquerque’s northeast metropolitan area. Like other locations in New Mexico, it is an ideal spot for those who love the outdoors but also want fun activities for the entire family. Here you can visit f Willow Creek Trail, Sandia Peak, Rio Vista Park, and Western Winds Park.

Moreover, you can check out J&R Vintage Auto Museum, go for a water paddling adventure, find your inner child at Gravity Trampoline Park, and much more. Rio Rancho is one of the best places to live in New Mexico if you work in education, healthcare, retail, sales, finance, or insurance.

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Santa Fe

The state capital of New Mexico, Santa Fe is considered one of the best places to live in New Mexico for various reasons. Sitting in the southern part of the Rocky Mountains, Santa Fe enjoys a four-season climate in which you’ll also experience an average of 32 inches of snow during the winter. Not bad for a desert state, right? The options for outdoor recreational activities are various for all levels. You can hike more than a dozen trails, relax in natural hot springs, swim in the lakes, go water rafting in the Rio Grande and the Rio Chama and ski.

Santa Fe is also diverse and rich in historic, art, and cultural interest. 23 Native American tribes call it home and you can find here over 250 art galleries and museums such as the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, and the Museum of International Folk Art. As far as jobs go, in Santa Fe, the New Mexico work force is mostly employed in governmental roles, like in the U.S. Department of Energy. However, there are also many opportunities in engineering, science, healthcare, food service and tourism.

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Explore the Jobs on Offer in the Best Places to Live in New Mexico

You don’t need to decide straight away which of the best cities to live in New Mexico is right for you before you start looking for a job. Just hop on Monster and create a free account. Upload your resume and select what roles and cities you’re interested in. We’ll send all the fresh job openings that match your preferences your way, so you won’t miss anything. Plus, recruiters and companies will be able to contact you with exciting new job opportunities that are not even listed yet.