For many New Mexicans (and also for people considering a move to the Land of Enchantment), finding a family-friendly place to call home is crucial. In 2016, Niche created a list of the best places for families in New Mexico. The list assessed factors like the quality of public schools, cost of living, the percentage of residents 14 years old or younger, diversity, and family-focused amenities. In 2013, Nerdwallet created a similar list, based on the standard of public schools, affordability, and economic growth. Five places made both lists. We placed these in order, according to their Areavibes score (Areavibes assesses overall liveability). After that, we used Areavibes to rank the remaining towns and cities on the list. So here are the 12 best places in New Mexico to raise a family:
- Clovis
Tripadvisor/Christy B. Clovis has plenty of amenities and a low cost of living, which makes it good for young families on a tight budget. This city boasts kid-friendly attractions like Hillcrest Park Zoo and has a population of 37,775.
- Farmington
Flickr/ Tye Redhouse Farmington tied for 12th place with Clovis. It offers excellent family-friendly amenities like parks and a riverfront. Public schools here are decent and 24.3% of the 45,877 residents are 14-years-old or younger, so there are plenty of kids around.
- Portales
Wikimedia Commons/Cathy from USA A lot of Portales residents (22.2%) are 14 or younger. Niche awards this city of 12,280 people “B”s for family amenities, the real estate market, and crime and safety.
- Lovington
Flickr/Bryan Swisher Lovington is a safe, family-friendly city of 11,009 residents. It has a large 14 and under population (29.7%), and the cost of living is fairly low.
- Silver City
Tripadvisor/getlstd_property_photo Silver City, population 10,315, is an affordable place to live that is ideal for active families. There are great playgrounds and parks, like Big Ditch Park, and the city is close to preserves and national forest land that will appeal to young nature lovers.
- Clayton
Flickr/Rex Brown With only 2980 residents, Clayton is still a relatively small town. However, the population is growing at a rate of 18.1%, which bodes well for the local economy. Crime and cost of living remain low and Areavibes awards the town 80/100 for liveability, which is pretty high. Besides, what kid wouldn’t want to live near dinosaur footprints?
- White Rock
Flickr/Bryan Ungard Areavibes awards White Rock 81/100 for liveability. Family-friendly amenities and the public schools here are excellent, however cost of living is a little higher. According to the last census, 5725 people call White Rock home. Those fortunate individuals are close to Bandelier National Monument (pictured is the Tsankawi section) and the Jemez Mountains.
- Edgewood
Tripadvisor/management Edgewood (like the remaining four cities) made both Niche’s and Nerdwallet’s lists because this town of 3735 has plenty of family-friendly amenities. It is convenient to Albuquerque, yet still scores well on safety. The town is expanding rapidly, which is a good sign for the local economy.
- Artesia
Wikimedia Commons/AllenS Artesia, a city of 11,301 people, has many amenities that families appreciate, including eight parks! It’s close to Brantley Lake State Park too. The public schools here are good and the cost of living remains low.
- Carlsbad
Flickr/Aidan Wakely-Mulroney The 26,138 people who live in Carlsbad enjoy low unemployment rates, affordable housing, and a low cost of living – all helpful for young families just starting out. There are loads of recreational opportunities at places like Lake Carlsbad Recreation Area, Sitting Bull Falls, the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park, and Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
- Rio Rancho
Flickr/Kayla Sawyer If you join the 87,521 people living in Rio Rancho, you have access to all of Albuquerque’s amenities like parks, while enjoying good local public schools, low crime rates, and affordable housing. The stable employment market also makes it attractive to families.
- Los Alamos
Flickr/Larry Lamsa This city, with a population of 12,019, offers boundless recreational opportunities, with proximity to both parks and national monuments. Los Alamos has excellent public schools, lots of amenities, and a fairly reasonable cost of living.
Do you live in, or did you grow up in, any of these New Mexico towns and cities? Once again, Los Alamos topped this list. If you’re tempted to move here, learn about the other benefits of calling Los Alamos home.
Tripadvisor/Christy B.
Clovis has plenty of amenities and a low cost of living, which makes it good for young families on a tight budget. This city boasts kid-friendly attractions like Hillcrest Park Zoo and has a population of 37,775.
Flickr/ Tye Redhouse
Farmington tied for 12th place with Clovis. It offers excellent family-friendly amenities like parks and a riverfront. Public schools here are decent and 24.3% of the 45,877 residents are 14-years-old or younger, so there are plenty of kids around.
Wikimedia Commons/Cathy from USA
A lot of Portales residents (22.2%) are 14 or younger. Niche awards this city of 12,280 people “B”s for family amenities, the real estate market, and crime and safety.
Flickr/Bryan Swisher
Lovington is a safe, family-friendly city of 11,009 residents. It has a large 14 and under population (29.7%), and the cost of living is fairly low.
Tripadvisor/getlstd_property_photo
Silver City, population 10,315, is an affordable place to live that is ideal for active families. There are great playgrounds and parks, like Big Ditch Park, and the city is close to preserves and national forest land that will appeal to young nature lovers.
Flickr/Rex Brown
With only 2980 residents, Clayton is still a relatively small town. However, the population is growing at a rate of 18.1%, which bodes well for the local economy. Crime and cost of living remain low and Areavibes awards the town 80/100 for liveability, which is pretty high. Besides, what kid wouldn’t want to live near dinosaur footprints?
Flickr/Bryan Ungard
Areavibes awards White Rock 81/100 for liveability. Family-friendly amenities and the public schools here are excellent, however cost of living is a little higher. According to the last census, 5725 people call White Rock home. Those fortunate individuals are close to Bandelier National Monument (pictured is the Tsankawi section) and the Jemez Mountains.
Tripadvisor/management
Edgewood (like the remaining four cities) made both Niche’s and Nerdwallet’s lists because this town of 3735 has plenty of family-friendly amenities. It is convenient to Albuquerque, yet still scores well on safety. The town is expanding rapidly, which is a good sign for the local economy.
Wikimedia Commons/AllenS
Artesia, a city of 11,301 people, has many amenities that families appreciate, including eight parks! It’s close to Brantley Lake State Park too. The public schools here are good and the cost of living remains low.
Flickr/Aidan Wakely-Mulroney
The 26,138 people who live in Carlsbad enjoy low unemployment rates, affordable housing, and a low cost of living – all helpful for young families just starting out. There are loads of recreational opportunities at places like Lake Carlsbad Recreation Area, Sitting Bull Falls, the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park, and Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
Flickr/Kayla Sawyer
If you join the 87,521 people living in Rio Rancho, you have access to all of Albuquerque’s amenities like parks, while enjoying good local public schools, low crime rates, and affordable housing. The stable employment market also makes it attractive to families.
Flickr/Larry Lamsa
This city, with a population of 12,019, offers boundless recreational opportunities, with proximity to both parks and national monuments. Los Alamos has excellent public schools, lots of amenities, and a fairly reasonable cost of living.
You may also be interested in knowing which places in New Mexico are safest, the cheapest, and the healthiest.
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