2023 Best Places to Retire in New Mexico

• Suburb of Albuquerque, NM

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  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Former Resident: I have thoroughly enjoyed living in this part of Albuquerque, out of all the varying neighborhoods. It is a peaceful, quiet neighborhood, that is full of pleasant people. Aside from the lovely residents, the view is completely breathtaking! The sunsets are especially beautiful.... Read 1 review

• grade A+

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 3,110

• Suburb of Albuquerque, NM

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  Rating 4.6 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: Placitas is barely a town. For what it is, as small as it is, it offers a lot. A great restaurant, decent grocery store, art gallery, above average cafe. It is between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, without the crime of the first or the snobbery of the second. Warm and welcoming neighbors. Extremely good value in housing. Gorgeous views. It is important that it is just off a major artery so getting anywhere is easy. In these times, also notable that the road into town is not on the way to somewhere else, so no traffic. We came here to offer nightlife but alas covid hit. This too shall pass.... Read 5 reviews

• grade B+

• grade C minus

• grade A

• Population 3,863

• Town in New Mexico

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  Rating 3.7 out of 5  20 reviews

Niche User: I came here 20 years ago, thinking we'd be here about 3 years, but it's been a great place to raise a family, and now we've moved our retired parents and other family members into the community! The altitude can be tough for those coming from sea level, but other than that it's a fantastic place. Concerts every Friday night (free) at local parks, parades, art events, a craft brewing cooperative, great neighbors, trails, skiing, it's a super area and it's welcoming and visually appealing. It helps that it has a great climate and good schools, too.... Read 20 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 5,716

• Suburb of Las Cruces, NM

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  Rating 3.91 out of 5  11 reviews

Current Resident: A historical town in the outskirts of Las Cruces, NM. its filled with history from billy the kid, to Pancho Villa. The Plaza area is filled with local shops, great mom and pop restaurants and scenery.... Read 11 reviews

• grade A

• grade B

• grade A

• Population 1,760

• Town in New Mexico

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  Rating 4.06 out of 5  17 reviews

Current Resident: As a life-long resident here, I can say I have had a wonderful experience in Ruidoso. We constantly hear how friendly and helpful the locals here are from people who are visiting. The schools could definitely be better, but it is still a wonderful place to raise a family. We have loved it very much. I hate that it is rated as a top-place to retire though, this is not a retirement town. We are an up and coming town, we are a place for live music, small outdoor music festivals, food festivals, wine festivals. We are a place for camping, hiking, biking, skiing, and more! As someone else mentioned, the health care could be better, and you do have travel at least an hour if not 3 hours to find certain health care specialists. My father drives 3 hours for his health care needs... not ideal.... Read 17 reviews

• grade B

• grade B+

• grade A

• Population 7,636

• Town in New Mexico

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  Rating 3.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Niche User: I used to live in Phoenix, Arizona so moving here was a big change. At first I did not like it but it has grown on me and I love it. I love living in this small town. I see myself living somewhere bigger but when I decide to settle down move back.... Read 2 reviews

• grade B

• grade C+

• grade A

• Population 2,172

• Town in New Mexico

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  Rating 2.33 out of 5  9 reviews

Current Resident: El Dorado is a wonderful place to grow up since it is filled with family life and community. The school in El Dorado is one of the best elementary/middle schools in Santa Fe and is a large draw for families. The nature and space which all homeowners have in El Dorado is hard to come by in many towns, it allows for people living here to easily escape busy life and feel connected with nature. El Dorado also has some wonderful facilities, the pool and parks are wonderful for all ages and the shopping center and restaurants are wonderful and add more life to the community. El Dorado is also extremely safe and eveyone looks out for each other.... Read 9 reviews

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• grade B+

• grade A

• Population 5,419

• Suburb of Albuquerque, NM

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  Rating 4.38 out of 5  8 reviews

Current Resident: The area is very scenic! It is right next to the river so there is a lot of vegitation and in the fall the leaves change color and create a beautiful array of colors that reflect off of the water. Rent is a little high in the area but it is very close to amenities so you never need to travel far.... Read 8 reviews

• grade B+

• grade C+

• grade A

• Population 5,904

• Town in New Mexico

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  Rating 3.61 out of 5  23 reviews

Current Resident: Los Alamos is a great town for outdoor enthusiasts. Miles and miles of trails, great camping sites all over, rock climbing, skiing, rafting...The longest commute to work is 15 minutes. The town is very safe, and the schools are good. Schools used to be 10/10, but in the past few years, they went down to 7/10. My oldest child is much older than my youngest, and helping at schools with both of them, I can see the difference :( The downside of Los Alamos, is that many local residents have a mentality of living here temporary, and do not invest much in local businesses, they shop "off the hill". For the town with a median household income twice the national average, Los Alamos invests very little in itself. Poor entertainment and shopping as a result. The housing also looks a little depressing. The majority of the houses were built in the early era of Los Alamos, and only a few are remodeled. These old houses create a certain look, which may take some time to get used to.... Read 23 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 13,270

• Town in New Mexico

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  Rating 3 out of 5  24 reviews

Current Resident: It's a small town, similar to the town where I grew up. The town rarely gets snow, but the warmth is something i would trade in. I enjoy the small town feel, everyone seems to know each other and look out for each other. I think it's a great town to raise a family... Read 24 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B

• grade A

• Population 6,078

• Suburb of Albuquerque, NM

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  Rating 3.83 out of 5  18 reviews

Current Resident: I love Corrales, NM. It's quiet and a great place to raise a family without the craziness of the city. I could use more cultural acknowledgment for the indigenous people who occupied this land before the colonization of it.... Read 18 reviews

• grade A

• grade B+

• grade A

• Population 8,488

• Town in New Mexico

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  Rating 3.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Niche User: There is a lot of unemployment in this area, so there are some sketchy people around. But overall, there is high visibility of police and military which makes the area very safe.... Read 2 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B

• grade A

• Population 2,511

• Suburb of Albuquerque, NM

• grade B minus

• grade C

• grade A minus

• Population 2,042

• Town in New Mexico

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  Rating 3.63 out of 5  204 reviews

Current Resident: Santa Fe is the perfect place to grow up. There is something to look forward to in every season. In the summer the sun is hot, and in the winter there is always snow. The traditional food is what is most comforting about the city. There are a lot of museums to explore, mountains, jewelry shops, and more! The older I get the more I understand the history of the city and it is fascinating. Santa Fe is a tourist city and the only reason I didn't mark it as excellent is because there is not a lot of things to do for teens.... Read 204 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B minus

• grade A minus

• Population 86,935

• Suburb of Albuquerque, NM

• grade B+

• grade C+

• grade A minus

• Population 12,594

• Town in New Mexico

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  Rating 3 out of 5  7 reviews

• grade C+

• grade B minus

• grade A minus

• Population 2,067

• Town in New Mexico

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  Rating 3.27 out of 5  52 reviews

Current Resident: It's not a bad place to live if you want to get away from the large, over crowed cities that are full of violence and crime. Silver City is a quiet little place to meet nice people and get away from the stress. You have great scenery and lots of places to go hiking and/or camping. I’ve lived here on and off over the past few years and I am so happy to have been here during the pandemic. There are not many placed to shop, so if you love to go out for a night on the town, then Silver City is not the place for you. The largest store here is the local Walmart. They have a very small movie theater downtown with one screen and 156 seats. They usually play older movies which is nice if you like that sort of thing. The shops and restaurants are locally owned and operated, with good food and company. Since Silver City is not far from the famous Hatch, NM where you can enjoy their delicious green or red chili with any meal. If you need a gym, the local No Excuses Gym is open 24/7 and is great!... Read 52 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade C+

• grade A minus

• Population 9,694

• Town in New Mexico

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  Rating 3 out of 5  1 review

• grade B minus

• grade C+

• grade A minus

• Population 6,082

• Suburb of Albuquerque, NM

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  Rating 3.06 out of 5  18 reviews

Current Resident: This area is very small and suburb like, giving you peace of mind and providing you with a secluded atmosphere that is close enough to a Walmart. Most people are friendly and there are several small shops that are worth looking at as well as locally owned restaurants that serve pretty good food.... Read 18 reviews

• grade B

• grade B minus

• grade B+

• Population 3,392

• City in New Mexico

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  Rating 3.77 out of 5  555 reviews

Niche User: Amazing town with great food and resources! I recommend visiting all of the attractions, they're beautiful.... Read 555 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B

• grade B+

• Population 109,934

• Town in New Mexico

• grade B minus

• grade B

• grade B+

• Population 1,580

• Town in New Mexico

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  Rating 3.65 out of 5  20 reviews

Current Resident: I gave Taos, NM 4 stars. Its really beautiful here with the mountains and beautiful scenery. And there are some really nice people here. People's work ethic could definitely change. People just dont seem to care about work.... Read 20 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade B minus

• grade B+

• Population 6,524

• Suburb of Albuquerque, NM

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  Rating 3.94 out of 5  262 reviews

Current Resident: We've lived in a lot of places and Rio Rancho has been our favorite. We've had great experiences with the school (our kids go to MLK). We've noticed that the police have a presence here in the community which makes it feel much safer than ABQ. Our neighbors are very friendly and welcoming, as well as the community at school. Our kids have been involved in sports and music since we've moved here and they love everything about it. We have tons of parks in a two mile radius, including a dog park. That's another thing, everyone seems to have a dog! I love that. We've also taken advantage of the aquatic center and the library. Those are some great amenities. There seems to be a ton of community pools all over the city. There has been a lot of roadwork and beautification projects. I really believe that they have the resident's best interest at heart.... Read 262 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A minus

• grade B+

• Population 102,403

• Town in New Mexico

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  Rating 3.41 out of 5  122 reviews

Current Resident: We moved here 7 months ago. There is a great community feel, the town has a lot of events. The home schooling community is well supported and strong. The parks are well cared for. The trees out here are amazing , and being 15 minutes from the mountains is really nice. There is a small town feeling with the needed amenities. Brown Bag Deli has become a staple for our family. The sandwiches are so good. If you are a hiker, there are trails that are for all levels of expertise. As far as crime goes- we don't really have a lot of it. There is some tagging that is unsightly- and there are some troublesome reports on occasion- but they are far and few between. We have now experienced Summer and fall , and Fall is beautiful. Summer is hot , but the storms make it better! We are happy with the choice to move here.... Read 122 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B

• grade B+

• Population 31,201

• Town in New Mexico

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  Rating 3.14 out of 5  21 reviews

Current Resident: Socorro is a neat, small town. The main events that you will find, are located at the New Mexico Tech campus, along with the Loma Theater. The town is very easy to navigate with a lot of good small restaurants. What I would change about this town is the amount of businesses and places to shop. Other than Walmart, there is a very small variety of businesses to shop and buy products from.... Read 21 reviews

• grade B

• grade C minus

• grade B+

• Population 8,553