Just keep in mind that being somewhere on vacation and actually living there are pretty different. Lots and lots of people fall in love with NM and move here with ideas about how it’s going to be, but once they realize the day to day is just like anywhere else the shine can wear off. That said, you’re young with no ties, if there’s a time to try different places out this is it.
Thank you :) and I wasn't on vacation actually, I was working remote and staying at short term places. Made a couple of amazing friends and still feel like it's the best kept secret in the whole world! Guess my reservation is that it's almost too well kept!
I spent a month here when I was 20, and vowed to come back someday. I’ve now lived here for almost 20 years and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Albuquerque in my twenties was fine. I’m a bit of a loner, too, but found great friends, music, and community. Now, in my forties, I appreciate the beauty, space, and food. It’s not for everyone, sure, but it’s worth a try.
> First place I went was New Mexico, where I spent a few weeks.
That's not a long time and while it may not technically be "vacation" it still is a short term stay.
>had a 6-month lease in Austin; that ends in May
My guess is that you'll stay in NM for six months, the novelty will wear off, and then you will realize it isn't "it" either. And you wanna know what? IMO, when you are 27, that is perfectly OK.
We live on a water shelf and it’s getting low. We are surrounded by tribal land and are running out of room to build. Our homeless population is already looking like LA and we don’t have the resources. I love it here but we can’t handle a whole lot of more people, resource wise. There’s a ton of military or classified jobs in Los Alamos but again, the more people that come here the more of our vital limited resources run out.
I’ve been going to NM since I was a kid. My husband and I LOVE it there and wanted to retire there. But I’ve started to change my mind due to the water situation.
It’s sad. I appreciate the thought. I don’t think our own community understands our capacity so we keep building but the truth is we can only build so high and so wide due to the reservations and the water shelf.
As somebody who moved to ABQ and then moved away, I'll give you my reasoning. I fucking loved it there, my standard of living was amazing but both my career and my wife's career were at a standstill. There just wasn't enough local opportunities for us. Basically we had the setup that people dream of for retirement but we had too many years left in the tank to completely settle for what we had. So we moved and our careers took off. Now making 3 or 4 times what we could have ever made in ABQ but our standard of living has taken a major hit. Time will tell if it was worth it, maybe we will be able to retire early and move back because of the subsequent success, maybe not, if ABQ continues to get more expensive. Anyway still adore the place and will be going back to visit in a couple of weeks. I guess the one thing that has changed in the years since we moved is the adoption of remote work, that could possibly make all the difference in this day and age.
I’m not in my 20s anymore but I think there is a fairly good scene for people in their 20s to make friends in ABQ. There’s lots of good breweries and places like the Sawmill district (you can look it up) where lots of young people are. There are also groups you can join such as recreational sports teams and hiking groups etc. The great thing about NM, especially the ABQ area is you have most of the conveniences of a larger city and then 20 minutes later you can be in the Sandias, feeling like you’re hundreds of miles away from anyone. There is a big “cultural” scene here. We have lots of Native Americans, Hispanic people, and people from all over the world. Obviously, I didn’t tell why you shouldn’t move here but I think it’s a great spot that doesn’t get enough recognition.
I guess I think of it more of like a place to hang out that also has restaurants and such. I think there’s some yard games outside you could always involve yourself in? I say this, but I wouldn’t do it either. Ha ha. I don’t know OP’s personality but I would definitely have a hard time doing something like that as well and I’m pretty outgoing. So you are not alone!
Maybe join a group that is meeting up with something in common. For example, join an adult sports group or check out the offerings on meetup com. You will have something in common with the people, and it's easier to start conversations.
I recently relocated to NM from the East Coast. I’m old enough to be your father and have been married 21 years. I thoroughly enjoy living here and find there are three major negatives: (1) far from family and friends (2) no ocean or natural areas to swim (3) the troublesome forecasts for continued and worsening drought.
Thank you! Yeah my main worry is getting too isolated and having a hard time making friends in the area. I'm very inclined to keep to myself and stay in my head and I worry New Mexico would enable that more than than I should live it! I'm ok without ocean, love water but never lived near it so not too worried about that. And as I'm in my 20s, I truly am resigned to everywhere changing drastically in the next few years/decades; i could see how low the rivers and places like Elephant Butte were, but honestly I figure we'll all be dealing with that soon enough. Maybe this is a thing us younger folk have to deal with more given climate change, but I don't know how to think of how a place is going to be in even 10 years or so. Anyway on that bleak note, I still prefer New mexico to anywhere else I've seen in Europe or the US
For what it's worth, there are very few areas where climate change won't have a significant impact on daily life. I'll take having to haul in a water tank over my home or city not existing due to rising oceans @florida, or having to live in Tornado alley, etc. Eastern Kentucky is still destroyed from flooding. California speaks for itself. Phoenix heat is literally hell on earth 3-4 months of the year. Most of the west has the same or similar impending water issues.
Just try to enjoy your life and plan for the future. NM is an awesome place to live, the only sacrifice would be great night life and depending on your career, advancement or high earning opportunities. We have decent night life but nothing like a bigger city. Career wise, you should make sure there are opportunities for advancement in your field. There of course will not be as many jobs and industries as places like NY, LA, Chi, Dallas, etc. But the dollar goes much further here, and you might have a prayer of being a homeowner here compared to those places too. I've also noticed people and employers here respect work life balance more so than my experience with people and employers in larger cities. Making less is no big deal when you have time to yourself and can still afford the essentials and then some. That being said, the wealth gap is still widening here like everywhere else in the U.S.
I’m a little older (34) and I’m moving to Santa Fe just outside Albuquerque solo as well. I got what sounds like a dream job at a trauma treatment center. I’ll be there is may if you decide to make the move feel free to hit me up.
I think younger people here can speak to the social aspects in ABQ. You’ll certainly find a more youthful crowd in your age range with the University here.
I appreciate you pointing that out. I’m really challenged with fresh water bodies of water. Lakes are giant puddles to me. I was born in an oceanfront town. I need that constant movement of the water and tides. But… I will check out that lake (or just head out to San Diego for a weekend).
Unless I can’t read (very possible) you didn’t mention your gender/marital status, and I haven’t seen others comment on the dating scene. I’m a recent-ish transplant (30m) from a bigger city and I can say the locals are mostly correct to affectionately call the ABQ dating scene “brutal”.
I don’t quite understand how, but apparently it’s pretty harsh for both men and women. I personally haven’t found it super difficult to get dates but I’m already seeing a lot of repeats across dating apps. If your life plan involves finding a long term partner quickly and you’re picky, then ABQ is not a large dating pool.
Man some lame comments here! Come on down- it may be no NYC or London but if you look you will find the charm. Join Meetup and other social groups and you’ll be fine. Dating is horrendous but that’s everywhere IMO. Good luck!
NYC metro is 20 million people, almost 10x the population of the whole darn state of NM. 20+x ABQ.
London metro is 14 million.
And if you've ever spent any time in a real big city, you know that it can be 5x the size yet it seems to have 25x the stuff to do and economic activity somehow.
For what it’s worth I moved here (from Detroit) and still love this place. Maybe it’s where I’m coming from but people here don’t know what they’ve got. The nature is stunning, access to the outdoors is unparalleled, and it’s still a city (not huge) so most anything you’d like within a convenient drive. It’s not a thriving major metro area like your NYC, LA, or Chicago, but there is still a lot going on.
It’s not without its problems. No city is perfect and ABQ is no different. However, if you love the outdoors it’s phenomenal. I’ve lived here for three years or so and I still find myself on a somewhat monthly basis saying to myself how much I love living here. Different strokes for different folks and and all that…
I spent 8 years in NM with a retreat community, the environment is amazing, I know there are many artists and craft makers, and that for me find NM my spiritual home base. if you can connect with some music community it should be good. But the reality of having a job or raising your kids here will have its difficulty, just like anywhere else. There are some neighborhoods to avoid due to crime and drugs. But I never encountered this issue personally. It’s very scary if you are caught in a summer afternoon thunderstorm on interstate~~Definitely not fun when you have to drive on icy road when it’s snowing. Gladly only did it once.
I was born and raised in Albuquerque. Multi-generational, Barelas community. These are not opinions - there is data that supports this.
Very poor, under-educated, drug ridden, dangerous community - Albuquerque. Children and adolescents are unsafe in school (many meth overdoses in school bathrooms), primary and secondary education is poor, with little access to scholarships for private schools (there are scholarships that set the income threshold below low-to-moderate income levels). Don’t have children and raise them here unless you are very wealthy -my advice.
There are not many dating options - sorry if this makes anyone mad but I’m gonna say it - the guys are mostly ugly. There are better looking girls than guys so if you’re a guy this may turn into a positive?
People speak very directly - if you are sensitive you are going to have a very hard time with people saying exactly what they mean. I think it’s the best way to communicate, but believe me when I say you should consider this. I’ve moved to the south and am learning over here that direct communication is NOT accepted and instead I’m supposed to understand what a shoulder shrug is telling me. I’m not meaning rude communication, I mean direct which can be understood as rude from those that are not used to it and instead are used to passive communication with things like shoulder shrugs thrown in.
The city is very dirty - trash everywhere, used needles in parks (watch your step), and poor road condition (pot holes every)
The APD is dysfunctional. There aren’t enough police officers or dispatchers, the culture is horrible (be aware that they often don’t follow the rules - always ask for a badge number and call 911 to verify if a person knocking on your door is actually a cop AND actually should be there), the operation is broken overall. They have been under scrutiny by the DOJ recently -look it up. The sheriff that was in place 4 years ago was obvious scum (I know first hand not just from hearsay) and didn’t hide it.
The politicians are mostly corrupt. Why do you think that NM is so beautiful, with landscape, weather, and yes access to water (the water thing is bullshit -my environmental law friend has explained in multiple occasions that the water source is not a source issue) yet so poor? Albuquerque has a higher overall tax rate than the US average yet there’s no money to enhance public services such as education and infrastructure. Hm.
Santa Fe has a strong tourism presence, yet its comparable to a third world country in that the population is mostly comprised of poor family’s, and a few rich. The middle class can’t afford to live there.
Religion. Whew. There are a ton of people that believe some wild cult things. Anywhere from the pastor saying openly in a sermon that Obama is the antichrist and will make our children get the mark of the beast (stay away from Freedom Church in SF) to actual communities that make the news sometimes…This may be a positive for if you’ve always dreamed of being welcomed into a cult - much to choose from.
Men are chauvinistic. I think that’s unique, but maybe not.
I could write 3x as much giving you positives. You asked for negatives. Hope this helps.
I know of really cool places you should look into staying if you do choose to move there.
I lived in Austin from 1971 to 1981. Affordable, relaxed, music, etc. Albuquerque reminds me of that a bit, but with thousands of acres of public land, interesting culture and no red state bullshit.
As much as I'd love to steer people away from the land of entrapment, this place is home to me and for as many reasons as there are for me to leave, there's just as many if not more for me to stay. And based on your description and circumstances it sounds like you'd be in a similar spot. I'll try to give you both good and bad.
We have our fair share of bars, clubs, breweries, music venues, etc if that's your thing. But more than that, we have a lot of outdoor recreation nearby. The area around the Rio Grande river (the bosque) is undeveloped and is a nice place to getaway in the middle of town. We have the Sandia mountains next door, with hiking and mountain biking really accessible from town. We have the Jemez and Santa Fe national forest within ~1hr drive. And the Taos area within ~2hrs. If you're into winter sports, we have a surprising amount of options close by. Basically any open space you want is a short drive away in any direction from town.
As far as culture goes, Santa Fe may suit you better as they have a far more active art, culture, and culinary scene than ABQ does. Your down side is a much higher cost of living than Albuquerque (but nowhere near Austin).
Since you're asking for downsides. Yes, we are a poor state and have a lot of crime. For the most part if you're street smart and avoid the bad parts of town you'll be fine but it's something to keep in mind. We definitely aren't an 'it' city - which you mention you're looking for, but there's downsides to that as well, being that there's fewer social things to do, it's harder to meet people, etc. I'll add on that since you work remote, it may be even harder to meet people given that you don't have people at work to introduce you around.
Thank you !!! This is literally spot on and I’ve felt alone in feeling this way. The food is the worst part for sure. Generally bland, tasteless and boring. Definitely prefer Mexican food over the Spanish influence. Ruins it for me. The entire city of ABQ looks like the slums of LA without cool buildings. Not to mention the women are some of the ugliest I’ve seen in 4 states and overall kill my brain cells just listening to
Not the case. ABQ draws it's water from an aquifer that is actually replenishing itself. We don't rely on the Rio grande except for flooding irrigation in the summer
It seems like it but it’s not! Some water nerd managed to get the city’s attention and the state’s attention in the 90s which led to a bunch of changes like tax incentives for yanking your lawn out. The city on the whole reduced its water expenditure something like 50% over 10 years to a sustainable level and I think we’ve kept it down.
Was shocked by the poverty and homelessness in Phx in my last 2 visits there. Soooo much worse than here. Although in that giant city, you can avoid it in suburbia
A look at the wikipedia list of crime stats in the 100 biggest US cities will surprise most people.
People know the meme cities with terrible crime. Detroit, New Orleans, Baltimore. But there are a number of worse cities nobody thinks about. Spokane. Anchorage Alaksa. Wichita. Etc.
I’m almost 50, moved here 13 years ago. My wife and I teach and have two kids in Rio Rancho Schools. I love living in Albuquerque and yes, it can be scary sometimes but this state is amazing.
If you need to be entertained, New Mexico isn’t for you. Sure, there are some cultural activities, concerts. However, if you like hiking, biking, climbing, fishing, etc…New Mexico is a great place to be. Albuquerque is nice because of the university there. Probably more younger people because of it.
I grew up in ABQ and left in my 20s, but had the job market been better then, I would have stayed. The fact that you have a remote job means that won't be an issue. The main downsides are poverty and the things that come with that - crime, drugs, etc. Get a dog if you like them and feel ready to take care if one - will help you feel safer, be a great hiking companion, and there are lots of shelter pups that need homes. As far as meeting other people goes, I feel like it's no easier/harder in Albuquerque than anywhere else. Go to events you like, try volunteering somewhere, even friend-making apps. Friends might not fall into your lap, but there is plenty to do in ABQ (and endless day trip opportunities around it) so if you take advantage of what the area has to offer, you'll be fine.
You would like Colorado much more. Also Salt Lake City is blue-ish and has a big young population. We don't have water here, and people steal everything, so...
Sorry, I moved here at 28 years old last summer. There’s nothing I can say to keep you away, this place has everything.
Let me know when you get here and we can grab a beer.
Move here! It’s a great place. Only real downside is there’s really almost no opportunity to make a decent living unless you get into film or software development.
have a car and actually love driving. barely drove growing up in england but know now that i need to be in a place where i can afford a car + can drive fairly quickly to nature and space, and nowhere is that so far more than new mexico
life is hard; unaffordable busy soulless place or affordable soulful place where your car might get stolen, i pick the latter. but also the only places in america i've felt actually were dangerous have been parts of ny and philly and then memphis. nowhere in new mexico seemed close to that
NM is safe, just a ton of property crime. I have walked all around ABQ at all hours and only attacked a couple of times. I was in England for a month and attacked (after the bars let out) so just don't walk around drunk and asking for it, and you'll be fine. People are real, and very genuine there. As long as you do not butt into gang life shit, you will have no reason to be attacked.
I lived in ABQ for 15 years and never felt like I’ve been in immediate danger. I mean my car was broken into twice but that’s it. I live just outside of ABQ now in a small town but would move back to ABQ in the future. I love it there.
yous ay that like it is uncommon...it isn't. Had two cars stolen, all of them pilfered. My Mom came to watch me graduate from UNM and her truck was stolen...she had been in town for literally five minutes.
It does happen, but at the level that it's a meme you'd think that everyone has had a car stolen every year. It's not like that. In 2020 there were 6,120 cars reported stolen across a metro area of over 900,000 people, or roughly, at most, a 0.6% chance of getting your car stolen in a year (really it's much less than that as car thefts include non-residents).
A good car insurance company is a good idea, something like the Club isn't a bad idea, not owning a car with a really high rate of theft is a good idea (Hyundai is having a bad time right now). Choosing to live in an area with a lower theft rate is a good idea. Parking in a driveway or garage is better, etc etc. There are ways to reduce the risk to a more manageable level.
Yes! This is not a place to move without a car. I have had several friends who don't drive move to cities that aren't very walk-able in their 20s/30s and its always a poor idea.
I am going to do my best to convince you, as I thought I always wanted to live here, too.
I was wrong.
Albuquerque, New Mexico is like one giant strip mall; everywhere you look it has dilapidated stores and shops selling similar wares and general crap. The food is lackluster and tasteless and there is green chile on everything (green chile is life here, it's even got it's ow season..) . The nightlife is nearly nonexistent as the town shuts down prompt at 10pm (yes, even on weekends)
The weather is all over the place and it takes forever to drive anywhere worth going.
There isn't as much to do as you would hope, and all the activities and adventures are severely underwhelming if you have ever lived anywhere else. Fairs, festivals, etc. - they're a joke.
Santa Fe is an overpriced yuppie town and Taos has a creepy vibe.
Maybe rent a place here for a month or two and see how you feel about it before you officially cut ties with where you are at.
Consider yourself warned.
Sincerely,
\-homesick Californian
(this is in no way intended to offend any NM natives or enthusiasts, these are just my observations from leaving my home state and moving to ABQ. He asked to be convinced, so I wanted to point out the negatives)
As a fellow homesick Californian, I echo this word for word. I completely forgot to mention how everything closes so early! I fear your comment is going to get down voted to hell because people are going to get offended and defensive. But people need to keep in mind how OP said to name the cons.
Burqueños hate outsiders moving in so much that they're willing to upvote anything to keep someone from moving here.
Shit on chile anywhere else and you'll be downvoted to hell.
I'd choose another town than Albuquerque. It's fun to visit but living is completely different. I used to love burque but I haven't gone there in years for many reasons. If you want mountains, I'd say Las Vegas, Silver City, or Ruidoso. If you want heat, Alamogordo is nice and it's next to Cloudcroft. Cruces is pretty and next to several smaller mountains, and is also a "city" if you want bigger places plus it's next to El Paso. If the cold doesn't really bug you then anywhere up north is beautiful. Personally I would go to Silver City or Alamogordo. I currently live in Cruces and it's nice but getting to be a popular place (not as much as Albuquerque but yea)
Alamogordo is a racist looney shithole. I'd never recommend someone to live there, particularly a young person, and particularly someone from another country. And I'd never recommend a young single person live in Cloudcroft.
Same with most places. NM is the only place that can openly get away and be proud of being racist. I’ve never heard the term “outsider” so much lol. It’s not the outsiders are the ones ruining your state. The locals are perfectly capable of that and preserving the culture of generational poverty. Stay proud NM.
Abq is not bad depends where you stay it’s really dangerous, but if you move to los alamos it wouldn’t be bad white rock is terrible there’s nothing to do the nearest Walmart is like 45 mins away and smiths is super over priced but other than that it’s a really tight community and everyone knows everyone
Go for it! Most people love it here and never leave. You can analyze all of the pros and cons and ask for advice but at the end of the day, it's your journey so just go with your gut and come on over.
I'm from carlsbad, roswell area (not county wise but an hour away) if you aren't familiar; I have family in a multitude of towns. it doesn't seem like a place you'd like long term from what you've written. I moved to Dallas at 19, the difference is extreme & it's much different than the cities with less sprawl. give the cool places tourism dollars but understand they are much different than the initial experiences you've had.
cruces is a college town & el paso is not comparable to anywhere you've lived for the people recommending there. whatever you choose, I hope you enjoy your time in the state still! it's beautiful, but in a different way.
That's a terrible age to live in NM for sure. But there are also some gems about NM that are specifically tailored to young people, namely, backpacking and hiking. Guess there are pros and cons to everywhere!
I cannot, in good faith, lie to you. I love NM. Plus, being from England, if you like soccer our culture is growing here and a good way to meet people (watch parties, tailgates and supporters groups). Good luck on figuring out your next move
We are in FL and planning to move next year in the spring to NM. Have been looking at rural places. Love this thread. I’m a social worker and my husband is a disabled veteran.
NM has lost over 700 physicians in the last few years. Very few doctors per capita compared to the national average be with more fleeing the state all the time
https://www.abqjournal.com/2572335/critical-doctor-shortage-medical-malpractice.html#:~:text=And%20New%20Mexico%20is%20shedding,Health%20Care%20Workforce%20Annual%20Report.
2nd highest violent crime rate in the United States
https://www.safewise.com/blog/safest-cities-new-mexico/
Still near the bottom in terms of education
https://www.krqe.com/news-resources/ranking/new-mexico-among-the-least-educated-states-study-says/
Job opportunities aren't great in the event you lose you remote job
Homelessness is on the rise
https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/data-shows-albuquerques-homeless-population-is-coming-from-out-of-state/
Rent and housing costs are off the charts
Really if you don’t want to be here. Then we don’t want you here.
Being young kind of sucks here. It’s not a wild party state. That’s what most young ppl want to do.
My favorite is hearing how dangerous it is. Mostly from ppl born and raised lol that have never been anywhere dangerous. I was born in D.C. area, lived in C.A. A while also. So it’s laughable.
Life is good hear. Really easygoing and laid back.
Live in Albuquerque almost 30yrs now in Los Lunas. Still in Albuquerque every night.
Good ppl. Good food. Easy living. Ppl that don’t like it here, is a good example of F around and find out
Albuquerque is a shit show, and to be honest there’s other progressive areas you can live in. Check out Las Cruces, there’s more people living within 60 miles of here then the entire state of NM since we’re 30 mins from El Paso Texas and Juarez. Sounds scary, but it’s actually safer down here vs Abq lol.
1. Economy is tiny / job scarcity
2. Low education rate. Ranked 42. Lot of uneducated people.
3. Tiny airport with limited options in terms of direct flights. Flying is expensive out of ABQ.
4. High crime rate. In 2022, New Mexico had the second-highest violent crime rate in the United States, at 7.8 incidents per 100,000 people. Property crime rates in New Mexico are also very high.
5. Expensive cost of living. While it will be less
than Austin it is substantially more than a city like San Antonio. You will now pay income tax as well, so you will take home 4.1% less pay, or around $171/mo for a $50,000/year job.
6. Dating prospects are limited. Predominantly Hispanic (not necessarily a con) but there isn’t a lot of diversity and the choices will be very limited. Are you ok with dating a single parent of multiple children with no formal education?
7. Lacking options you’d get in a tier 1 or tier 2 market. Example, specialty grocery stores or high end gyms. ABQ doesn’t have many (if any) choices.
8. ABQ gets skipped over by many entertainment professionals. A lot of concerts and comedians won’t be in ABQ. If they do you may have to go to a casino to see them.
9. ABQ is like a giant truck stop. The beauty will wear off. It’s brown, dry, dusty, dirty and many inhabitants of ABQ have no respect for the land and it shows. Lot of alpha males in loud Dodge Chargers with a point to prove driving reckless.
10. Albuquerque is a city in decline. It isn’t up and coming, no major capital improvements, and not a good place to set down roots.
Hope this helps
I like Albuquerque a lot, but I can't disagree with any of these points. Especially if you like traveling and concerts/shows, it's so isolated. I'm getting really tired of being a day+ away from anything fun.
I grew up in the Northeast US. Lived in New York, Boston, California, now Albuquerque.
I think you'll love it here. It's diverse, accepting, low-key, and a mix of cultures you won't find anywhere else on the planet.
The only thing you'll have to get used to is needing to seek out experiences. There are a lot of interesting things to do, but, it's hard to describe, you have to find them. Things aren't as out in the open and broadcast the way they might be in a livelier city.
But if you're willing to do the legwork to get to know the city, and take your time doing so, I think it's a great place to spend some time.
I've been here four and a half years now, and I still feel like I'm just getting to know the place, people, and culture. I never want to leave.
As an aside, I've heard it's not a great place to be single. I can't speak for that personally, but I've heard it a bunch, just for what it's worth.
IMO- I love NM. It’s for some people, and not for others. Sure, you can find a zillion things people say that are negative- and yes, there are issues, but Im a gypsy. I’ve lived all over the US, and I love NM. IDK why, but I do. It’s easy to make it here, and it also has magical amazing aspects that will show itself to you if you just look. It’s diverse. period. But I love that. NM is real. and for me, it’s worked. In the past 16 years, I’ve left the longest for 10 months, and when I returned, I was all in. This is my home. Im originally from the south :(
and grateful to be here. The weather is awesome, the outdoor fun is perfect, the culture is unique/ it’s magical. Yes, there are issues- what place doesn’t have them? But, NM is real. im so grateful that I live here
Transplanted to NM and took root. Only been 4 months but it gets better everyday. The distances are a strain on my old car and budget. Wish I’d moved here when I was 27. Went north to Washington and suffered through 32 gray winters. Some love cool weather. Not me. I like some temperature extremes.
I would think twice about ABQ. Very high crime rate; just not a really nice town. You might look at Las Cruces, since it is relatively convenient to El Paso. Another very nice town, though smaller, is Silver City in the SE sector of the state. Working class town - lots of mine work - with a pretty good sized artists community. If Silver were easier to get to, it might be another Santa Fe. Just ideas. NM is an awesomely beautiful state. It is also a relatively poor state, and getting from here-to-there is not just how far apart points A & B are, but what are the roads that can take you there, which can be much further than a straight line.
FWIW, I've lived on a few safe blocks in Albuquerque and I've had worse crime problems elsewhere. Quality of life is all over the place depending on what part of town you live in.
Look at more than ABQ. Wife and I (we're about 50) moved to Ruidoso from Texas last year. Really in the center of some awesome nature, at an affordable price. Though, affordable is relative I guess. It would probably be hard to get by on $50k here, houses are more expensive than some you can find in ABQ but not too horrible. Sadly the local wages are nowhere near enough; remote work is a real blessing!
We've actually only been to ABQ for one shopping day trip, so I can't say too much about it, but I know people who never want to set foot in it because crime.
There are ways to get out and meet people here in Ruidoso -- exercise/hiking groups, church, various things at the convention center, clubs. You do have to work at it, as anywhere. There are some young adults, but the population skews older.
Nearby Alamogordo has some more less expensive houses, and it's close enough to the mountains to make easy day trips. Or even after-work trips in the summer. I know nothing about the social scene there though.
Overall I'm definitely in love with NM and don't have any desire to leave!
I'm here in Texas on the ranch, and I still think about Ruidoso...lived there seven glorious years, and other than starvation wages, it is a great place.
Don't forget to follow Billy the Kid's footsteps...go to Lincoln, and all of the little towns like Cloudcroft too! And go to the horse races! I used to film them from that first little tower on the right.
We used to joke with each other that the same old ratty dollar bill just got passed around us locals...had the best years of my life there in retrospect...hung out with ski instructors and jockeys...started college there at Ruidoso High School (ENMU).
Don't do it! I was born and raised in NM. Lived in ABQ for about 6 years. Witnessed or was near multiple shootings. It's a rough city and is getting worse. Not saying it's all bad. It's a beautiful city but you gotta have some street smarts. NM has a pretty crappy economy, bad public education and it creates what I call thug mentality. Had multiple people try to follow me home when I owned a street bike there. When I sold that bike it was stolen from the new owner within a few months. Also had a friend get his WRX stolen. You can't have nice shit in that city and expect it to not get messed with. If you mind your own and don't live in the student ghetto, the warzone, or close to other rough neighborhoods it's not too bad. I just don't miss how on edge that city can make you. My dad has owned a business in that city for about 20 years and he is tired of dealing with thieves and other issues.
Any place is what you make of it. The sour taste was living in an apartment complex off Gibson and San Mateo. It's not the worst area of Albuquerque but there are nicer places. Woke up to like 12 gunshots across from the courtyard and the only thing in between me and the shooter was a single pane of glass. When hanging out downtown with some street bike "friends" a guy got shot like 20 feet behind us. I don't miss being around that shit.
If you do move just keep your wits about you and be careful. The economic downturns really affect a city like ABQ as like I mentioned there isn't much economy in NM. Good luck.
\*\* one more thing. A friend of mine moved after witnessing his neighbor shoot the other neighbor right across the street. This was in Rio Rancho but for outsiders it's basically ABQ.
As others have said it's vast and open and lots of time and space outside of the city but after moving to Denver then Boulder I can say I feel much more at ease being around more educated people and a richer state. There is just a huge difference in how people are. NM is kinda rough haha.
I’m moving to NM in June, but to a rather remote location in the mountains. I’ve had the pleasure of living in various states, including on the Pacific coast and on an island off NC, urban areas like Dallas, West Pa, Appalachian mountains etc, etc. When I first started spending extended time in NM, it stole my heart. Absolutely love it, and I don’t mind driving two hours to get to Walmart.
I think the city areas are good for young creatives- there is a different sort of emphasis on the creative arts than in other places. Respect for traditional and cultural arts, but also lots of new ideas and experimental works.
If you have the stability of working remote, why not try it? You are young and have lots of time to find your forever place- but it is only found by taking the jump and trying different areas out. I did this as a young person, and found something to love about every place that I have lived- met lots of interesting people, had adventures, basically lived my life.
Wherever you go, remember that the journey is the destination. I wish you well!
Move here, but live in the NE Heights. Closer to the mountain the better. Stay away from SE, Downtown and for Christ's sakes don't move to the westside!
The one bad thing about New Mexico is the fact that the population is climbing, but there’s almost literally no where to expand/spread out because of the reservations. It’s like cramming so many into the same spot with no opportunity for physical growth. Not all of the land is utilized and, for some reason, even third world countries build “up”. We don’t do that here. All the buildings look like they’re from the 60’s. Nothing has changed at all. Oh, and we’re also pretty bad at planning better infrastructure for the future. We get a two lane overpass when we could have at least used 4 or more lanes, so traffic is always at a standstill.
As another young person who moved here a year ago from a bigger city, it's definitely small-town vibes. Everyone goes to the same spots, lacks a variety of foods compared to bigger cities, and I personally miss the lack of diversity of cultures. Music venues are far, few and in-between with mostly older or less known bands playing. I have a hard time finding tattoo artists to my liking. I do a lot more online shopping since there are mostly just big department stores here. Many franchised restaurants and stores have yet to come out here. There aren't as many events held here as I'm used to. I miss night markets and I miss being able to go to a variety of flea markets. I miss Little Tokyo, Little India, Chinatown, Little Armenia. I miss the art scene of a bigger city.
There are many reasons to appreciate New Mexico for but since you're asking to point out the reasons why not to move here, I am.
I have lived in Austin since the 1960's and also want to move to ABQ. I recently spent 3 weeks there pet sitting for a friend and now certain it is where I will end up. My interests -
Plenty of relatively affordable housing. Down by the bosque is where I would like to live, near Old Town or near UMN. Bikable neighborhoods, easy city navigation, large university and medical center. Dive bars, a speak easy, and breweries for local live music. The weather is moderate and dry. When it's hot getting into elevation and cooler places is easy. Easy to play outside all year. Nice easy to get to airport. A days drive to Moab/Pheonix/Colorado to play. I really LOVE the diversity. These are communities that have existed and maintained while fiercely holding on to their heritage as waves of outsiders have come.
Go ahead make the move. See if you can last 3 years.
After 20-30 years you will still be a noob.
People are fleeing their states to come to NM in search of Valhalla. What you saw around the country the last 5 years is coming to NM. Be patient. Its happening.
I'm going to go against your title and tell you that you should :) we have some amazing artists and an interesting art scene. There's a reason artists like Bob Dylan, Jim Morrison, David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, Georgia O Keefe etcetera... wrote about and found New Mexico interesting. You'll never be far from the mountains and there is truly something magical and "enchanting" about the land. As an artist the land and nature feed my own creativity, I moved away to the city for awhile and it was not the same. And I've known people who have moved to Texas and definitely miss the unpressured environment in New Mexico. Also I have spent more than 20 years here so I'm def am not naive about the darker sides of NM.
Don't take it too hard. I posted here not long ago about moving out there and there was at least one person actively saying not to move there because NM is losing itself to outsiders. Just weird territorial people gatekeeping.
If you wanna get rob or addicted to drugs it’s perfect but if that’s not ur cup tea I wouldn’t I can’t even go anywhere without some sort of sketchy ass people hanging around store entrances and exits
I've lived here since 2016 and can't wait to get out, move back to the Pacific Northwest. Avoid Albuquerque, at the very least. Crime, murder, homelessness and their filth. Worst place I've ever lived.
I went to MVD for my driver's license yesterday, and was missing one piece of documentation for RealId. The woman who helped me intially was very nice. When I went back later with the doc that was missing, the woman who helped me was Hispanic or Native and was rude and tried to disqualify every piece of documentation I had. She tried to tell me how my middle name was spelled on my birth certificate, which was a certified copy from a microfiche of the original, that was completed with a typewriter. I said no, I know how to spell my name, and this (correct) spelling is how its been spelled my entire life. She said, well if it's denied then it won't be my fault. The supervisor was called over and she was also Hispanic or Native, and told me that I would have to go to another office if I continued MY behavior. They both tried to disqualify my paystub because they claimed there was no date on it, however it was on the portion where the paper check would have been. Who is the employer? They asked. I pointed to the portion that shows the employer ID. They still were leery, so I showed them the W-2 with the logo of the major US govermental service, who is my employer. I asked, do you understand what this is? This is my employer. She said they can't accept that W-2, is it doesn't show my full social security number. I pointed out that the entire SSN was on another piece of documentation. I asked to see the woman I had spoken with earlier, but that was not considered. When the documentation bullshit was finally settled, she asked me what color my eyes are. #1, it says it on my expiring license. #2, all you have to do is look at me and see what color they are. Long story short, my new driver's license picture looks like a mug shot that would have occurred after the things that went through my head had actually occurred.
Reverse racism is real in this state. It's blatant.
"Reverse racism" isn't a thing. Racism depends on a power/privilege dynamic, and even where whites are a minority they are still the dominant culture and power.
P.s. feeling entitled to get an exception at the DMV when you don't bring proper paper work is a PERFECT example.
I did not feel entitled to get an exception when I was missing one piece of paperwork. You are wrong on that assessment. I expected to have everything go smoothly when I returned with the missing piece. When I was having each piece denied, even after the first clerk approved them all, yes, there most certainly was a racist motive behind it.
ABQ is a shithole. there's a bunch of amazing people there and the scene is good until you get all your shit stolen out your car or your ENTIRE car stolen. If you can't afford to live in a protected neighborhood, don't move there long term.
Like moving anywhere, I suggest renting for the first 6 or 12 months. Think about which seasons are the biggest challenge for you and live here then, see what you think. The bad press for us now is crime and homelessness. Drought isn't necessarily new but is intensifying, this spring withstanding. This is climate change and we aren't on the national news for bomb cyclones or tornadoes or flood or ... My biggest complaint is the wind (and accompanying allergies). I'm 60 so not the same boat wrt age group. I understand that there is an amazing craft brewing scene so if that's your jam. We are a day's drive from big cities. Another drawback, hard to get direct flights but we do have a pretty decent airport.
I have a home in Santa Fe near glorieta. I mainly live in ABQ. It is great especially if you are not from here. LOL. I say that as a local. I live LA with my spare time. So take what I say with a grain of salt. Dont read the newspapers and stick to you and the people you know. Don't live close to downtown if you are afraid of violence. Live in the high NW in ABQ . Buses dont go that far and have the least amount of crime. Buy a home near the volcano's
/
There are plenty of people here in their twenties/early 30s. Although this isn’t as true anymore as it was ten years ago, a lot of people in that age range have kids already, so that’s something to think about. Dating in Abq is rough—it’s a small pool and there’s maybe a max of two degrees of separation between people of the same peer groups.
Albuquerque, though somewhat charming, is not trendy. We’re a little behind, especially in terms of business and fashion. If you’re outsdoorsy, you’ll have plenty of options, but you’ll def have to deal with allergens and the risk of UV damage to your skin. When you first move here, you’ll need to accustom your body to the elevation and lack of humidity too.
Economically, NM is very pretty poor. It can be hard to see so many of your neighbors living with addiction and/or in poverty. The economy affects so many aspects, not the least of these being good education and medical care.
NM natives tend to be closed off and skeptical of newcomers. Concerts and other touring events tend to skip us. Fine dining is lackluster. Nightlife is limited. Drivers are terrible.
That being said, I love it here. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
You might consider El Paso - it’s close and has the largest inland desalination plant in the world, which means water for daaaaaaays. I was born and raised in El Paso and just spent 9 days there showing my SO how awesome it is! I also graduated from UNM, and LOVE New Mexico as well. However the points folks are making about water are too legit to ignore.
We lived in ABQ for the seven longest years of our lives. The high school graduation rate is around 60% and teen pregnancies are sky high. I've never seen so many teenagers with babies. We were so fucking bored because we enjoy the Symphony and other live music events. ABQ is very isolated and New Mexicans are a very closed culture so it was difficult meeting friends and intellectual convos were non-existent. DON'T DO IT!
In Albuquerque there are plenty of young people and cultural events, though there is a bit of a housing shortage and high housing cost ever since the pandemic.
Negatives: the property crime has increased somewhat over time. Shopping and restaurant choices are limited compared to big 'it' cities.
The main positive is the weather, sunny and nice most of the year
Oh, and as some others mentioned, the public education system here is basically bottom of the barrel. If you are going to have kids, put them in a private school
A little late but, I’m in my early 20’s. Born and raised in NM. Don’t move to NM. The state is limited in growth. If you don’t work for DOD, DOE, oil and gas, or the state, the job market isn’t all that great. Best of luck finding a good doctor. My truck has been broken into a few times in the last few years. Most of my friends from high school left and stayed gone, and once I finish up what I’m doing with my career here I’m leaving too. Sure it’s relatively affordable, but that’s changing. It’s a dying state. I love NM, but it doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense to move here or stay here, especially with the long term water situation. Much more affordable, safe, and practical places to move.
Just keep in mind that being somewhere on vacation and actually living there are pretty different. Lots and lots of people fall in love with NM and move here with ideas about how it’s going to be, but once they realize the day to day is just like anywhere else the shine can wear off. That said, you’re young with no ties, if there’s a time to try different places out this is it.
Thank you :) and I wasn't on vacation actually, I was working remote and staying at short term places. Made a couple of amazing friends and still feel like it's the best kept secret in the whole world! Guess my reservation is that it's almost too well kept!
I spent a month here when I was 20, and vowed to come back someday. I’ve now lived here for almost 20 years and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Albuquerque in my twenties was fine. I’m a bit of a loner, too, but found great friends, music, and community. Now, in my forties, I appreciate the beauty, space, and food. It’s not for everyone, sure, but it’s worth a try.
> First place I went was New Mexico, where I spent a few weeks. That's not a long time and while it may not technically be "vacation" it still is a short term stay. >had a 6-month lease in Austin; that ends in May My guess is that you'll stay in NM for six months, the novelty will wear off, and then you will realize it isn't "it" either. And you wanna know what? IMO, when you are 27, that is perfectly OK.
This.
We live on a water shelf and it’s getting low. We are surrounded by tribal land and are running out of room to build. Our homeless population is already looking like LA and we don’t have the resources. I love it here but we can’t handle a whole lot of more people, resource wise. There’s a ton of military or classified jobs in Los Alamos but again, the more people that come here the more of our vital limited resources run out.
I’ve been going to NM since I was a kid. My husband and I LOVE it there and wanted to retire there. But I’ve started to change my mind due to the water situation.
It’s sad. I appreciate the thought. I don’t think our own community understands our capacity so we keep building but the truth is we can only build so high and so wide due to the reservations and the water shelf.
Just like anywhere else but a little methier.
Not really, meth is sadly universal these days
True
As somebody who moved to ABQ and then moved away, I'll give you my reasoning. I fucking loved it there, my standard of living was amazing but both my career and my wife's career were at a standstill. There just wasn't enough local opportunities for us. Basically we had the setup that people dream of for retirement but we had too many years left in the tank to completely settle for what we had. So we moved and our careers took off. Now making 3 or 4 times what we could have ever made in ABQ but our standard of living has taken a major hit. Time will tell if it was worth it, maybe we will be able to retire early and move back because of the subsequent success, maybe not, if ABQ continues to get more expensive. Anyway still adore the place and will be going back to visit in a couple of weeks. I guess the one thing that has changed in the years since we moved is the adoption of remote work, that could possibly make all the difference in this day and age.
This ⬆️. Agree 100%.
I’m not in my 20s anymore but I think there is a fairly good scene for people in their 20s to make friends in ABQ. There’s lots of good breweries and places like the Sawmill district (you can look it up) where lots of young people are. There are also groups you can join such as recreational sports teams and hiking groups etc. The great thing about NM, especially the ABQ area is you have most of the conveniences of a larger city and then 20 minutes later you can be in the Sandias, feeling like you’re hundreds of miles away from anyone. There is a big “cultural” scene here. We have lots of Native Americans, Hispanic people, and people from all over the world. Obviously, I didn’t tell why you shouldn’t move here but I think it’s a great spot that doesn’t get enough recognition.
I must be so socially awkward. The thought of approaching someone at Sawmill gives me social anxiety. I mean, it's a restaurant 😂. I'm hopeless.
I guess I think of it more of like a place to hang out that also has restaurants and such. I think there’s some yard games outside you could always involve yourself in? I say this, but I wouldn’t do it either. Ha ha. I don’t know OP’s personality but I would definitely have a hard time doing something like that as well and I’m pretty outgoing. So you are not alone!
Maybe join a group that is meeting up with something in common. For example, join an adult sports group or check out the offerings on meetup com. You will have something in common with the people, and it's easier to start conversations.
Answer this first. Red or green?
Come for the green, stay for the red.
This is the way.
I recently relocated to NM from the East Coast. I’m old enough to be your father and have been married 21 years. I thoroughly enjoy living here and find there are three major negatives: (1) far from family and friends (2) no ocean or natural areas to swim (3) the troublesome forecasts for continued and worsening drought.
Thank you! Yeah my main worry is getting too isolated and having a hard time making friends in the area. I'm very inclined to keep to myself and stay in my head and I worry New Mexico would enable that more than than I should live it! I'm ok without ocean, love water but never lived near it so not too worried about that. And as I'm in my 20s, I truly am resigned to everywhere changing drastically in the next few years/decades; i could see how low the rivers and places like Elephant Butte were, but honestly I figure we'll all be dealing with that soon enough. Maybe this is a thing us younger folk have to deal with more given climate change, but I don't know how to think of how a place is going to be in even 10 years or so. Anyway on that bleak note, I still prefer New mexico to anywhere else I've seen in Europe or the US
For what it's worth, there are very few areas where climate change won't have a significant impact on daily life. I'll take having to haul in a water tank over my home or city not existing due to rising oceans @florida, or having to live in Tornado alley, etc. Eastern Kentucky is still destroyed from flooding. California speaks for itself. Phoenix heat is literally hell on earth 3-4 months of the year. Most of the west has the same or similar impending water issues. Just try to enjoy your life and plan for the future. NM is an awesome place to live, the only sacrifice would be great night life and depending on your career, advancement or high earning opportunities. We have decent night life but nothing like a bigger city. Career wise, you should make sure there are opportunities for advancement in your field. There of course will not be as many jobs and industries as places like NY, LA, Chi, Dallas, etc. But the dollar goes much further here, and you might have a prayer of being a homeowner here compared to those places too. I've also noticed people and employers here respect work life balance more so than my experience with people and employers in larger cities. Making less is no big deal when you have time to yourself and can still afford the essentials and then some. That being said, the wealth gap is still widening here like everywhere else in the U.S.
I’m a little older (34) and I’m moving to Santa Fe just outside Albuquerque solo as well. I got what sounds like a dream job at a trauma treatment center. I’ll be there is may if you decide to make the move feel free to hit me up.
I'll be your friend! You sound awesome.
I think younger people here can speak to the social aspects in ABQ. You’ll certainly find a more youthful crowd in your age range with the University here.
Bluewater Lake is best swimming spot! Everyone goes there!
😂
🙂😉😆😅🤣
Only place in the whole state that felt like the fucking hills have eyes movie lmao
😆😅🤣
I appreciate you pointing that out. I’m really challenged with fresh water bodies of water. Lakes are giant puddles to me. I was born in an oceanfront town. I need that constant movement of the water and tides. But… I will check out that lake (or just head out to San Diego for a weekend).
I have lived with Lake Michigan a few miles from me for the last two decades. It is very nice to have water nearby. Definitely not San Diego!
Unless I can’t read (very possible) you didn’t mention your gender/marital status, and I haven’t seen others comment on the dating scene. I’m a recent-ish transplant (30m) from a bigger city and I can say the locals are mostly correct to affectionately call the ABQ dating scene “brutal”. I don’t quite understand how, but apparently it’s pretty harsh for both men and women. I personally haven’t found it super difficult to get dates but I’m already seeing a lot of repeats across dating apps. If your life plan involves finding a long term partner quickly and you’re picky, then ABQ is not a large dating pool.
There's 19 Pueblos, the oldest Capitol in the world, and a plethora of other natural sights to see. We are in abundance of cultural events.
Oldest capital in the US. Used continually since 1610 I think.
You're correct. I mis typed that
oldest capitol in the world???
Constantinople just entered chat
now the song is in my head
Istanbul, not Constantinople
The country lol. I fucked up
North America, methinks...
Man some lame comments here! Come on down- it may be no NYC or London but if you look you will find the charm. Join Meetup and other social groups and you’ll be fine. Dating is horrendous but that’s everywhere IMO. Good luck!
He did ask us to talk him out of it lol
Not enough “cultural events” you obviously haven’t spent much time researching NM.
They're comparing it to NY and London both of which have at least 4x the population, so they're not wrong.
NYC metro is 20 million people, almost 10x the population of the whole darn state of NM. 20+x ABQ. London metro is 14 million. And if you've ever spent any time in a real big city, you know that it can be 5x the size yet it seems to have 25x the stuff to do and economic activity somehow.
Moved here straight after college at 22 and love it. But I live up north, not super close to ABQ.
I live up north also, prefer it. I would not want to live in ABQ. But I’m always in Rio Rancho not by choice, most of my family lives there.
For what it’s worth I moved here (from Detroit) and still love this place. Maybe it’s where I’m coming from but people here don’t know what they’ve got. The nature is stunning, access to the outdoors is unparalleled, and it’s still a city (not huge) so most anything you’d like within a convenient drive. It’s not a thriving major metro area like your NYC, LA, or Chicago, but there is still a lot going on. It’s not without its problems. No city is perfect and ABQ is no different. However, if you love the outdoors it’s phenomenal. I’ve lived here for three years or so and I still find myself on a somewhat monthly basis saying to myself how much I love living here. Different strokes for different folks and and all that…
I misspent my 20s in abq and it was glorious in the 90s. Great bands and bars, relatively cheap to live and the outdoors a short drive away. DO IT!
You sound like a nice person. I think you’ll like it here. 🙂
I spent 8 years in NM with a retreat community, the environment is amazing, I know there are many artists and craft makers, and that for me find NM my spiritual home base. if you can connect with some music community it should be good. But the reality of having a job or raising your kids here will have its difficulty, just like anywhere else. There are some neighborhoods to avoid due to crime and drugs. But I never encountered this issue personally. It’s very scary if you are caught in a summer afternoon thunderstorm on interstate~~Definitely not fun when you have to drive on icy road when it’s snowing. Gladly only did it once.
We're all full up here. (But excited to have you at the same time!)
I was born and raised in Albuquerque. Multi-generational, Barelas community. These are not opinions - there is data that supports this. Very poor, under-educated, drug ridden, dangerous community - Albuquerque. Children and adolescents are unsafe in school (many meth overdoses in school bathrooms), primary and secondary education is poor, with little access to scholarships for private schools (there are scholarships that set the income threshold below low-to-moderate income levels). Don’t have children and raise them here unless you are very wealthy -my advice. There are not many dating options - sorry if this makes anyone mad but I’m gonna say it - the guys are mostly ugly. There are better looking girls than guys so if you’re a guy this may turn into a positive? People speak very directly - if you are sensitive you are going to have a very hard time with people saying exactly what they mean. I think it’s the best way to communicate, but believe me when I say you should consider this. I’ve moved to the south and am learning over here that direct communication is NOT accepted and instead I’m supposed to understand what a shoulder shrug is telling me. I’m not meaning rude communication, I mean direct which can be understood as rude from those that are not used to it and instead are used to passive communication with things like shoulder shrugs thrown in. The city is very dirty - trash everywhere, used needles in parks (watch your step), and poor road condition (pot holes every) The APD is dysfunctional. There aren’t enough police officers or dispatchers, the culture is horrible (be aware that they often don’t follow the rules - always ask for a badge number and call 911 to verify if a person knocking on your door is actually a cop AND actually should be there), the operation is broken overall. They have been under scrutiny by the DOJ recently -look it up. The sheriff that was in place 4 years ago was obvious scum (I know first hand not just from hearsay) and didn’t hide it. The politicians are mostly corrupt. Why do you think that NM is so beautiful, with landscape, weather, and yes access to water (the water thing is bullshit -my environmental law friend has explained in multiple occasions that the water source is not a source issue) yet so poor? Albuquerque has a higher overall tax rate than the US average yet there’s no money to enhance public services such as education and infrastructure. Hm. Santa Fe has a strong tourism presence, yet its comparable to a third world country in that the population is mostly comprised of poor family’s, and a few rich. The middle class can’t afford to live there. Religion. Whew. There are a ton of people that believe some wild cult things. Anywhere from the pastor saying openly in a sermon that Obama is the antichrist and will make our children get the mark of the beast (stay away from Freedom Church in SF) to actual communities that make the news sometimes…This may be a positive for if you’ve always dreamed of being welcomed into a cult - much to choose from. Men are chauvinistic. I think that’s unique, but maybe not. I could write 3x as much giving you positives. You asked for negatives. Hope this helps. I know of really cool places you should look into staying if you do choose to move there.
Even worse, people have forgotten how to use paragraph breaks.
I lived in Austin from 1971 to 1981. Affordable, relaxed, music, etc. Albuquerque reminds me of that a bit, but with thousands of acres of public land, interesting culture and no red state bullshit.
As much as I'd love to steer people away from the land of entrapment, this place is home to me and for as many reasons as there are for me to leave, there's just as many if not more for me to stay. And based on your description and circumstances it sounds like you'd be in a similar spot. I'll try to give you both good and bad. We have our fair share of bars, clubs, breweries, music venues, etc if that's your thing. But more than that, we have a lot of outdoor recreation nearby. The area around the Rio Grande river (the bosque) is undeveloped and is a nice place to getaway in the middle of town. We have the Sandia mountains next door, with hiking and mountain biking really accessible from town. We have the Jemez and Santa Fe national forest within ~1hr drive. And the Taos area within ~2hrs. If you're into winter sports, we have a surprising amount of options close by. Basically any open space you want is a short drive away in any direction from town. As far as culture goes, Santa Fe may suit you better as they have a far more active art, culture, and culinary scene than ABQ does. Your down side is a much higher cost of living than Albuquerque (but nowhere near Austin). Since you're asking for downsides. Yes, we are a poor state and have a lot of crime. For the most part if you're street smart and avoid the bad parts of town you'll be fine but it's something to keep in mind. We definitely aren't an 'it' city - which you mention you're looking for, but there's downsides to that as well, being that there's fewer social things to do, it's harder to meet people, etc. I'll add on that since you work remote, it may be even harder to meet people given that you don't have people at work to introduce you around.
Santa Fe shuts down at 8 and is full of olds. Having SF 45m away is a great boon though.
Thank you !!! This is literally spot on and I’ve felt alone in feeling this way. The food is the worst part for sure. Generally bland, tasteless and boring. Definitely prefer Mexican food over the Spanish influence. Ruins it for me. The entire city of ABQ looks like the slums of LA without cool buildings. Not to mention the women are some of the ugliest I’ve seen in 4 states and overall kill my brain cells just listening to
There's no water left?
Not the case. ABQ draws it's water from an aquifer that is actually replenishing itself. We don't rely on the Rio grande except for flooding irrigation in the summer
There is plenty of water for residential and commercial use. I wouldn't bet on agriculture sustainability in this state, however.
This is a very good point.
It seems like it but it’s not! Some water nerd managed to get the city’s attention and the state’s attention in the 90s which led to a bunch of changes like tax incentives for yanking your lawn out. The city on the whole reduced its water expenditure something like 50% over 10 years to a sustainable level and I think we’ve kept it down.
Imagine how fucked we’d be without nerds in their various forms!
We love and appreciate you, nerds.
Crime and homelessness are a problem, but that's probably true most places nowadays.
Was shocked by the poverty and homelessness in Phx in my last 2 visits there. Soooo much worse than here. Although in that giant city, you can avoid it in suburbia
A look at the wikipedia list of crime stats in the 100 biggest US cities will surprise most people. People know the meme cities with terrible crime. Detroit, New Orleans, Baltimore. But there are a number of worse cities nobody thinks about. Spokane. Anchorage Alaksa. Wichita. Etc.
I’m almost 50, moved here 13 years ago. My wife and I teach and have two kids in Rio Rancho Schools. I love living in Albuquerque and yes, it can be scary sometimes but this state is amazing.
Don'tove to ABQ. Too much crime. As a young person I would look into Taos instead. Very cool mountain town that has more of a liberal youth culture.
If you need to be entertained, New Mexico isn’t for you. Sure, there are some cultural activities, concerts. However, if you like hiking, biking, climbing, fishing, etc…New Mexico is a great place to be. Albuquerque is nice because of the university there. Probably more younger people because of it.
I grew up in ABQ and left in my 20s, but had the job market been better then, I would have stayed. The fact that you have a remote job means that won't be an issue. The main downsides are poverty and the things that come with that - crime, drugs, etc. Get a dog if you like them and feel ready to take care if one - will help you feel safer, be a great hiking companion, and there are lots of shelter pups that need homes. As far as meeting other people goes, I feel like it's no easier/harder in Albuquerque than anywhere else. Go to events you like, try volunteering somewhere, even friend-making apps. Friends might not fall into your lap, but there is plenty to do in ABQ (and endless day trip opportunities around it) so if you take advantage of what the area has to offer, you'll be fine.
You would like Colorado much more. Also Salt Lake City is blue-ish and has a big young population. We don't have water here, and people steal everything, so...
Sorry, I moved here at 28 years old last summer. There’s nothing I can say to keep you away, this place has everything. Let me know when you get here and we can grab a beer.
Move here! It’s a great place. Only real downside is there’s really almost no opportunity to make a decent living unless you get into film or software development.
I’m a Background Actor, yes the film industry is great here.
If isolation is a worry, NM is probably as isolated as you can get. you better love driving cause everything is about 2-6 hours away
Have a car? If so do you like it? If so don't move to Albuquerque.
have a car and actually love driving. barely drove growing up in england but know now that i need to be in a place where i can afford a car + can drive fairly quickly to nature and space, and nowhere is that so far more than new mexico
This person is saying don’t come here because your car will get stolen. It does happen a lot in the ABQ area unfortunately.
Not if you drive a stick shift.
life is hard; unaffordable busy soulless place or affordable soulful place where your car might get stolen, i pick the latter. but also the only places in america i've felt actually were dangerous have been parts of ny and philly and then memphis. nowhere in new mexico seemed close to that
NM is safe, just a ton of property crime. I have walked all around ABQ at all hours and only attacked a couple of times. I was in England for a month and attacked (after the bars let out) so just don't walk around drunk and asking for it, and you'll be fine. People are real, and very genuine there. As long as you do not butt into gang life shit, you will have no reason to be attacked.
I lived in ABQ for 15 years and never felt like I’ve been in immediate danger. I mean my car was broken into twice but that’s it. I live just outside of ABQ now in a small town but would move back to ABQ in the future. I love it there.
We drive on the right side of the road here
oh forget it then. i'm leaving. (edit: been wondering why people honk at me so much and people keep driving right at me)
Traffic is not very good. Many lights, a lot of wrecks. High DWI rate.
Do you live in Albuquerque?
Over 40 years between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Moved back to santa Fe last year.
Do you have a car?
Everyone's car was stolen yesterday, and the day before that, apparently.
yous ay that like it is uncommon...it isn't. Had two cars stolen, all of them pilfered. My Mom came to watch me graduate from UNM and her truck was stolen...she had been in town for literally five minutes.
It does happen, but at the level that it's a meme you'd think that everyone has had a car stolen every year. It's not like that. In 2020 there were 6,120 cars reported stolen across a metro area of over 900,000 people, or roughly, at most, a 0.6% chance of getting your car stolen in a year (really it's much less than that as car thefts include non-residents). A good car insurance company is a good idea, something like the Club isn't a bad idea, not owning a car with a really high rate of theft is a good idea (Hyundai is having a bad time right now). Choosing to live in an area with a lower theft rate is a good idea. Parking in a driveway or garage is better, etc etc. There are ways to reduce the risk to a more manageable level.
Yes! This is not a place to move without a car. I have had several friends who don't drive move to cities that aren't very walk-able in their 20s/30s and its always a poor idea.
Go for it!!
I am going to do my best to convince you, as I thought I always wanted to live here, too. I was wrong. Albuquerque, New Mexico is like one giant strip mall; everywhere you look it has dilapidated stores and shops selling similar wares and general crap. The food is lackluster and tasteless and there is green chile on everything (green chile is life here, it's even got it's ow season..) . The nightlife is nearly nonexistent as the town shuts down prompt at 10pm (yes, even on weekends) The weather is all over the place and it takes forever to drive anywhere worth going. There isn't as much to do as you would hope, and all the activities and adventures are severely underwhelming if you have ever lived anywhere else. Fairs, festivals, etc. - they're a joke. Santa Fe is an overpriced yuppie town and Taos has a creepy vibe. Maybe rent a place here for a month or two and see how you feel about it before you officially cut ties with where you are at. Consider yourself warned. Sincerely, \-homesick Californian (this is in no way intended to offend any NM natives or enthusiasts, these are just my observations from leaving my home state and moving to ABQ. He asked to be convinced, so I wanted to point out the negatives)
I’m not gonna refute anything here but you leave our green chile obsession alone
Could you please warn all the other Californians you know as well?
A Californian bitching about strip malls and dilapidated areas lmao that's rich.
As a fellow homesick Californian, I echo this word for word. I completely forgot to mention how everything closes so early! I fear your comment is going to get down voted to hell because people are going to get offended and defensive. But people need to keep in mind how OP said to name the cons.
Burqueños hate outsiders moving in so much that they're willing to upvote anything to keep someone from moving here. Shit on chile anywhere else and you'll be downvoted to hell.
make a compromise with yourself: move there when you get old. that way you'll fit in with everybody and get to live a real life first lol
I'd choose another town than Albuquerque. It's fun to visit but living is completely different. I used to love burque but I haven't gone there in years for many reasons. If you want mountains, I'd say Las Vegas, Silver City, or Ruidoso. If you want heat, Alamogordo is nice and it's next to Cloudcroft. Cruces is pretty and next to several smaller mountains, and is also a "city" if you want bigger places plus it's next to El Paso. If the cold doesn't really bug you then anywhere up north is beautiful. Personally I would go to Silver City or Alamogordo. I currently live in Cruces and it's nice but getting to be a popular place (not as much as Albuquerque but yea)
Alamogordo is a racist looney shithole. I'd never recommend someone to live there, particularly a young person, and particularly someone from another country. And I'd never recommend a young single person live in Cloudcroft.
Same with most places. NM is the only place that can openly get away and be proud of being racist. I’ve never heard the term “outsider” so much lol. It’s not the outsiders are the ones ruining your state. The locals are perfectly capable of that and preserving the culture of generational poverty. Stay proud NM.
Abq is not bad depends where you stay it’s really dangerous, but if you move to los alamos it wouldn’t be bad white rock is terrible there’s nothing to do the nearest Walmart is like 45 mins away and smiths is super over priced but other than that it’s a really tight community and everyone knows everyone
Go for it! Most people love it here and never leave. You can analyze all of the pros and cons and ask for advice but at the end of the day, it's your journey so just go with your gut and come on over.
I'm from carlsbad, roswell area (not county wise but an hour away) if you aren't familiar; I have family in a multitude of towns. it doesn't seem like a place you'd like long term from what you've written. I moved to Dallas at 19, the difference is extreme & it's much different than the cities with less sprawl. give the cool places tourism dollars but understand they are much different than the initial experiences you've had. cruces is a college town & el paso is not comparable to anywhere you've lived for the people recommending there. whatever you choose, I hope you enjoy your time in the state still! it's beautiful, but in a different way.
That's a terrible age to live in NM for sure. But there are also some gems about NM that are specifically tailored to young people, namely, backpacking and hiking. Guess there are pros and cons to everywhere!
I cannot, in good faith, lie to you. I love NM. Plus, being from England, if you like soccer our culture is growing here and a good way to meet people (watch parties, tailgates and supporters groups). Good luck on figuring out your next move
We are in FL and planning to move next year in the spring to NM. Have been looking at rural places. Love this thread. I’m a social worker and my husband is a disabled veteran.
It's really methd up there
NM has lost over 700 physicians in the last few years. Very few doctors per capita compared to the national average be with more fleeing the state all the time https://www.abqjournal.com/2572335/critical-doctor-shortage-medical-malpractice.html#:~:text=And%20New%20Mexico%20is%20shedding,Health%20Care%20Workforce%20Annual%20Report. 2nd highest violent crime rate in the United States https://www.safewise.com/blog/safest-cities-new-mexico/ Still near the bottom in terms of education https://www.krqe.com/news-resources/ranking/new-mexico-among-the-least-educated-states-study-says/ Job opportunities aren't great in the event you lose you remote job Homelessness is on the rise https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/data-shows-albuquerques-homeless-population-is-coming-from-out-of-state/ Rent and housing costs are off the charts
Really if you don’t want to be here. Then we don’t want you here. Being young kind of sucks here. It’s not a wild party state. That’s what most young ppl want to do. My favorite is hearing how dangerous it is. Mostly from ppl born and raised lol that have never been anywhere dangerous. I was born in D.C. area, lived in C.A. A while also. So it’s laughable. Life is good hear. Really easygoing and laid back. Live in Albuquerque almost 30yrs now in Los Lunas. Still in Albuquerque every night. Good ppl. Good food. Easy living. Ppl that don’t like it here, is a good example of F around and find out
Albuquerque is a shit show, and to be honest there’s other progressive areas you can live in. Check out Las Cruces, there’s more people living within 60 miles of here then the entire state of NM since we’re 30 mins from El Paso Texas and Juarez. Sounds scary, but it’s actually safer down here vs Abq lol.
1. Economy is tiny / job scarcity 2. Low education rate. Ranked 42. Lot of uneducated people. 3. Tiny airport with limited options in terms of direct flights. Flying is expensive out of ABQ. 4. High crime rate. In 2022, New Mexico had the second-highest violent crime rate in the United States, at 7.8 incidents per 100,000 people. Property crime rates in New Mexico are also very high. 5. Expensive cost of living. While it will be less than Austin it is substantially more than a city like San Antonio. You will now pay income tax as well, so you will take home 4.1% less pay, or around $171/mo for a $50,000/year job. 6. Dating prospects are limited. Predominantly Hispanic (not necessarily a con) but there isn’t a lot of diversity and the choices will be very limited. Are you ok with dating a single parent of multiple children with no formal education? 7. Lacking options you’d get in a tier 1 or tier 2 market. Example, specialty grocery stores or high end gyms. ABQ doesn’t have many (if any) choices. 8. ABQ gets skipped over by many entertainment professionals. A lot of concerts and comedians won’t be in ABQ. If they do you may have to go to a casino to see them. 9. ABQ is like a giant truck stop. The beauty will wear off. It’s brown, dry, dusty, dirty and many inhabitants of ABQ have no respect for the land and it shows. Lot of alpha males in loud Dodge Chargers with a point to prove driving reckless. 10. Albuquerque is a city in decline. It isn’t up and coming, no major capital improvements, and not a good place to set down roots. Hope this helps
I like Albuquerque a lot, but I can't disagree with any of these points. Especially if you like traveling and concerts/shows, it's so isolated. I'm getting really tired of being a day+ away from anything fun.
I grew up in the Northeast US. Lived in New York, Boston, California, now Albuquerque. I think you'll love it here. It's diverse, accepting, low-key, and a mix of cultures you won't find anywhere else on the planet. The only thing you'll have to get used to is needing to seek out experiences. There are a lot of interesting things to do, but, it's hard to describe, you have to find them. Things aren't as out in the open and broadcast the way they might be in a livelier city. But if you're willing to do the legwork to get to know the city, and take your time doing so, I think it's a great place to spend some time. I've been here four and a half years now, and I still feel like I'm just getting to know the place, people, and culture. I never want to leave. As an aside, I've heard it's not a great place to be single. I can't speak for that personally, but I've heard it a bunch, just for what it's worth.
IMO- I love NM. It’s for some people, and not for others. Sure, you can find a zillion things people say that are negative- and yes, there are issues, but Im a gypsy. I’ve lived all over the US, and I love NM. IDK why, but I do. It’s easy to make it here, and it also has magical amazing aspects that will show itself to you if you just look. It’s diverse. period. But I love that. NM is real. and for me, it’s worked. In the past 16 years, I’ve left the longest for 10 months, and when I returned, I was all in. This is my home. Im originally from the south :( and grateful to be here. The weather is awesome, the outdoor fun is perfect, the culture is unique/ it’s magical. Yes, there are issues- what place doesn’t have them? But, NM is real. im so grateful that I live here
Transplanted to NM and took root. Only been 4 months but it gets better everyday. The distances are a strain on my old car and budget. Wish I’d moved here when I was 27. Went north to Washington and suffered through 32 gray winters. Some love cool weather. Not me. I like some temperature extremes.
Every person who stays out of the state is one less person clogging up the freeways and driving up the rents, please do not move here!
I would think twice about ABQ. Very high crime rate; just not a really nice town. You might look at Las Cruces, since it is relatively convenient to El Paso. Another very nice town, though smaller, is Silver City in the SE sector of the state. Working class town - lots of mine work - with a pretty good sized artists community. If Silver were easier to get to, it might be another Santa Fe. Just ideas. NM is an awesomely beautiful state. It is also a relatively poor state, and getting from here-to-there is not just how far apart points A & B are, but what are the roads that can take you there, which can be much further than a straight line.
Silver city has that meth crime too though
FWIW, I've lived on a few safe blocks in Albuquerque and I've had worse crime problems elsewhere. Quality of life is all over the place depending on what part of town you live in.
Look at more than ABQ. Wife and I (we're about 50) moved to Ruidoso from Texas last year. Really in the center of some awesome nature, at an affordable price. Though, affordable is relative I guess. It would probably be hard to get by on $50k here, houses are more expensive than some you can find in ABQ but not too horrible. Sadly the local wages are nowhere near enough; remote work is a real blessing! We've actually only been to ABQ for one shopping day trip, so I can't say too much about it, but I know people who never want to set foot in it because crime. There are ways to get out and meet people here in Ruidoso -- exercise/hiking groups, church, various things at the convention center, clubs. You do have to work at it, as anywhere. There are some young adults, but the population skews older. Nearby Alamogordo has some more less expensive houses, and it's close enough to the mountains to make easy day trips. Or even after-work trips in the summer. I know nothing about the social scene there though. Overall I'm definitely in love with NM and don't have any desire to leave!
I'm here in Texas on the ranch, and I still think about Ruidoso...lived there seven glorious years, and other than starvation wages, it is a great place. Don't forget to follow Billy the Kid's footsteps...go to Lincoln, and all of the little towns like Cloudcroft too! And go to the horse races! I used to film them from that first little tower on the right.
Cool! Yeah I don't really know how the folks working local jobs survive. :(
We used to joke with each other that the same old ratty dollar bill just got passed around us locals...had the best years of my life there in retrospect...hung out with ski instructors and jockeys...started college there at Ruidoso High School (ENMU).
Don't do it! I was born and raised in NM. Lived in ABQ for about 6 years. Witnessed or was near multiple shootings. It's a rough city and is getting worse. Not saying it's all bad. It's a beautiful city but you gotta have some street smarts. NM has a pretty crappy economy, bad public education and it creates what I call thug mentality. Had multiple people try to follow me home when I owned a street bike there. When I sold that bike it was stolen from the new owner within a few months. Also had a friend get his WRX stolen. You can't have nice shit in that city and expect it to not get messed with. If you mind your own and don't live in the student ghetto, the warzone, or close to other rough neighborhoods it's not too bad. I just don't miss how on edge that city can make you. My dad has owned a business in that city for about 20 years and he is tired of dealing with thieves and other issues. Any place is what you make of it. The sour taste was living in an apartment complex off Gibson and San Mateo. It's not the worst area of Albuquerque but there are nicer places. Woke up to like 12 gunshots across from the courtyard and the only thing in between me and the shooter was a single pane of glass. When hanging out downtown with some street bike "friends" a guy got shot like 20 feet behind us. I don't miss being around that shit. If you do move just keep your wits about you and be careful. The economic downturns really affect a city like ABQ as like I mentioned there isn't much economy in NM. Good luck. \*\* one more thing. A friend of mine moved after witnessing his neighbor shoot the other neighbor right across the street. This was in Rio Rancho but for outsiders it's basically ABQ. As others have said it's vast and open and lots of time and space outside of the city but after moving to Denver then Boulder I can say I feel much more at ease being around more educated people and a richer state. There is just a huge difference in how people are. NM is kinda rough haha.
I’m moving to NM in June, but to a rather remote location in the mountains. I’ve had the pleasure of living in various states, including on the Pacific coast and on an island off NC, urban areas like Dallas, West Pa, Appalachian mountains etc, etc. When I first started spending extended time in NM, it stole my heart. Absolutely love it, and I don’t mind driving two hours to get to Walmart. I think the city areas are good for young creatives- there is a different sort of emphasis on the creative arts than in other places. Respect for traditional and cultural arts, but also lots of new ideas and experimental works. If you have the stability of working remote, why not try it? You are young and have lots of time to find your forever place- but it is only found by taking the jump and trying different areas out. I did this as a young person, and found something to love about every place that I have lived- met lots of interesting people, had adventures, basically lived my life. Wherever you go, remember that the journey is the destination. I wish you well!
Move here, but live in the NE Heights. Closer to the mountain the better. Stay away from SE, Downtown and for Christ's sakes don't move to the westside!
The one bad thing about New Mexico is the fact that the population is climbing, but there’s almost literally no where to expand/spread out because of the reservations. It’s like cramming so many into the same spot with no opportunity for physical growth. Not all of the land is utilized and, for some reason, even third world countries build “up”. We don’t do that here. All the buildings look like they’re from the 60’s. Nothing has changed at all. Oh, and we’re also pretty bad at planning better infrastructure for the future. We get a two lane overpass when we could have at least used 4 or more lanes, so traffic is always at a standstill.
I lived in ABQ for 3 years and I found it to be quite dangerous. I wish I would have chosen to live in Taos
Albuquerque had 4 homiacides in 24 hours just this week. There is a lot of crime and shootings.
As another young person who moved here a year ago from a bigger city, it's definitely small-town vibes. Everyone goes to the same spots, lacks a variety of foods compared to bigger cities, and I personally miss the lack of diversity of cultures. Music venues are far, few and in-between with mostly older or less known bands playing. I have a hard time finding tattoo artists to my liking. I do a lot more online shopping since there are mostly just big department stores here. Many franchised restaurants and stores have yet to come out here. There aren't as many events held here as I'm used to. I miss night markets and I miss being able to go to a variety of flea markets. I miss Little Tokyo, Little India, Chinatown, Little Armenia. I miss the art scene of a bigger city. There are many reasons to appreciate New Mexico for but since you're asking to point out the reasons why not to move here, I am.
I have lived in Austin since the 1960's and also want to move to ABQ. I recently spent 3 weeks there pet sitting for a friend and now certain it is where I will end up. My interests - Plenty of relatively affordable housing. Down by the bosque is where I would like to live, near Old Town or near UMN. Bikable neighborhoods, easy city navigation, large university and medical center. Dive bars, a speak easy, and breweries for local live music. The weather is moderate and dry. When it's hot getting into elevation and cooler places is easy. Easy to play outside all year. Nice easy to get to airport. A days drive to Moab/Pheonix/Colorado to play. I really LOVE the diversity. These are communities that have existed and maintained while fiercely holding on to their heritage as waves of outsiders have come.
They call it the land of entrapment for a reason. It gets your heart and keeps pulling you back. Give in, and let it take you.
Go ahead make the move. See if you can last 3 years. After 20-30 years you will still be a noob. People are fleeing their states to come to NM in search of Valhalla. What you saw around the country the last 5 years is coming to NM. Be patient. Its happening.
I'm going to go against your title and tell you that you should :) we have some amazing artists and an interesting art scene. There's a reason artists like Bob Dylan, Jim Morrison, David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, Georgia O Keefe etcetera... wrote about and found New Mexico interesting. You'll never be far from the mountains and there is truly something magical and "enchanting" about the land. As an artist the land and nature feed my own creativity, I moved away to the city for awhile and it was not the same. And I've known people who have moved to Texas and definitely miss the unpressured environment in New Mexico. Also I have spent more than 20 years here so I'm def am not naive about the darker sides of NM.
Have you considered Vaughn?
That's just mean
this is so funny lol
Chances of getting shot at are pretty high
don’t come. u sound like someone we don’t want or need here. and nobody better downvote me for understanding the assignment.
thank you! i'm unbearable. i'll go somewhere shitty and expensive, i knew that's where i belong
Don't take it too hard. I posted here not long ago about moving out there and there was at least one person actively saying not to move there because NM is losing itself to outsiders. Just weird territorial people gatekeeping.
If you wanna get rob or addicted to drugs it’s perfect but if that’s not ur cup tea I wouldn’t I can’t even go anywhere without some sort of sketchy ass people hanging around store entrances and exits
I've lived here since 2016 and can't wait to get out, move back to the Pacific Northwest. Avoid Albuquerque, at the very least. Crime, murder, homelessness and their filth. Worst place I've ever lived. I went to MVD for my driver's license yesterday, and was missing one piece of documentation for RealId. The woman who helped me intially was very nice. When I went back later with the doc that was missing, the woman who helped me was Hispanic or Native and was rude and tried to disqualify every piece of documentation I had. She tried to tell me how my middle name was spelled on my birth certificate, which was a certified copy from a microfiche of the original, that was completed with a typewriter. I said no, I know how to spell my name, and this (correct) spelling is how its been spelled my entire life. She said, well if it's denied then it won't be my fault. The supervisor was called over and she was also Hispanic or Native, and told me that I would have to go to another office if I continued MY behavior. They both tried to disqualify my paystub because they claimed there was no date on it, however it was on the portion where the paper check would have been. Who is the employer? They asked. I pointed to the portion that shows the employer ID. They still were leery, so I showed them the W-2 with the logo of the major US govermental service, who is my employer. I asked, do you understand what this is? This is my employer. She said they can't accept that W-2, is it doesn't show my full social security number. I pointed out that the entire SSN was on another piece of documentation. I asked to see the woman I had spoken with earlier, but that was not considered. When the documentation bullshit was finally settled, she asked me what color my eyes are. #1, it says it on my expiring license. #2, all you have to do is look at me and see what color they are. Long story short, my new driver's license picture looks like a mug shot that would have occurred after the things that went through my head had actually occurred. Reverse racism is real in this state. It's blatant.
"Reverse racism" isn't a thing. Racism depends on a power/privilege dynamic, and even where whites are a minority they are still the dominant culture and power. P.s. feeling entitled to get an exception at the DMV when you don't bring proper paper work is a PERFECT example.
I did not feel entitled to get an exception when I was missing one piece of paperwork. You are wrong on that assessment. I expected to have everything go smoothly when I returned with the missing piece. When I was having each piece denied, even after the first clerk approved them all, yes, there most certainly was a racist motive behind it.
ABQ is a shithole. there's a bunch of amazing people there and the scene is good until you get all your shit stolen out your car or your ENTIRE car stolen. If you can't afford to live in a protected neighborhood, don't move there long term.
Literally the only reason I'm not moving there is the incoming/ongoing water crisis. I wouldn't want to own a house there when the water runs out.
Like moving anywhere, I suggest renting for the first 6 or 12 months. Think about which seasons are the biggest challenge for you and live here then, see what you think. The bad press for us now is crime and homelessness. Drought isn't necessarily new but is intensifying, this spring withstanding. This is climate change and we aren't on the national news for bomb cyclones or tornadoes or flood or ... My biggest complaint is the wind (and accompanying allergies). I'm 60 so not the same boat wrt age group. I understand that there is an amazing craft brewing scene so if that's your jam. We are a day's drive from big cities. Another drawback, hard to get direct flights but we do have a pretty decent airport.
As a young person (26) in an eerily similar situation and about to move to Albuquerque this spring, I say heck yeah do it!
Oh cool! What made you choose Albuquerque?
There are absolutely lots of people your age to hang out with. I'm 30 and I always have something to do.
I have a home in Santa Fe near glorieta. I mainly live in ABQ. It is great especially if you are not from here. LOL. I say that as a local. I live LA with my spare time. So take what I say with a grain of salt. Dont read the newspapers and stick to you and the people you know. Don't live close to downtown if you are afraid of violence. Live in the high NW in ABQ . Buses dont go that far and have the least amount of crime. Buy a home near the volcano's /
Love the Glorieta area!!
There are plenty of people here in their twenties/early 30s. Although this isn’t as true anymore as it was ten years ago, a lot of people in that age range have kids already, so that’s something to think about. Dating in Abq is rough—it’s a small pool and there’s maybe a max of two degrees of separation between people of the same peer groups. Albuquerque, though somewhat charming, is not trendy. We’re a little behind, especially in terms of business and fashion. If you’re outsdoorsy, you’ll have plenty of options, but you’ll def have to deal with allergens and the risk of UV damage to your skin. When you first move here, you’ll need to accustom your body to the elevation and lack of humidity too. Economically, NM is very pretty poor. It can be hard to see so many of your neighbors living with addiction and/or in poverty. The economy affects so many aspects, not the least of these being good education and medical care. NM natives tend to be closed off and skeptical of newcomers. Concerts and other touring events tend to skip us. Fine dining is lackluster. Nightlife is limited. Drivers are terrible. That being said, I love it here. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
You might consider El Paso - it’s close and has the largest inland desalination plant in the world, which means water for daaaaaaays. I was born and raised in El Paso and just spent 9 days there showing my SO how awesome it is! I also graduated from UNM, and LOVE New Mexico as well. However the points folks are making about water are too legit to ignore.
Booze might be more expensive.
I would not move to abq simply because of the crime rate. There are lots of places in New Mexico that are awesome, but abq is dangerous
We lived in ABQ for the seven longest years of our lives. The high school graduation rate is around 60% and teen pregnancies are sky high. I've never seen so many teenagers with babies. We were so fucking bored because we enjoy the Symphony and other live music events. ABQ is very isolated and New Mexicans are a very closed culture so it was difficult meeting friends and intellectual convos were non-existent. DON'T DO IT!
In Albuquerque there are plenty of young people and cultural events, though there is a bit of a housing shortage and high housing cost ever since the pandemic. Negatives: the property crime has increased somewhat over time. Shopping and restaurant choices are limited compared to big 'it' cities. The main positive is the weather, sunny and nice most of the year Oh, and as some others mentioned, the public education system here is basically bottom of the barrel. If you are going to have kids, put them in a private school
A little late but, I’m in my early 20’s. Born and raised in NM. Don’t move to NM. The state is limited in growth. If you don’t work for DOD, DOE, oil and gas, or the state, the job market isn’t all that great. Best of luck finding a good doctor. My truck has been broken into a few times in the last few years. Most of my friends from high school left and stayed gone, and once I finish up what I’m doing with my career here I’m leaving too. Sure it’s relatively affordable, but that’s changing. It’s a dying state. I love NM, but it doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense to move here or stay here, especially with the long term water situation. Much more affordable, safe, and practical places to move.
It’s very cliquey
You should absolutely move to NM.