Best counties to live in New Mexico

Written by:
April 8, 2024
Laura Beach // Shutterstock

Best counties to live in New Mexico

More counties in the United States experienced population growth in the last year, according to the latest Census data, even as pandemic-related moving trends begin to normalize.

Counties in the South continued to experience growth, particularly in Florida, where 96% of its 67 counties gained new residents. Polk County, Florida, a suburb of Orlando, added the most, with 26,000 people moving there in 2023.

Meanwhile, counties in the Midwest and Northeast continued to lose population, but at slower rates than the year before. Some of the biggest losses were in counties home to large cities, including Cook County, Illinois (home of Chicago) and the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens in New York.

Many counties are experiencing growth due to their job opportunities, education, or relatively affordable housing costs. Others are favored for their historic or well-designed downtowns or access to cultural opportunities.

Stacker compiled a list of the best counties to live in New Mexico using rankings from Niche. Niche ranks counties by various factors including public schools, educational attainment, cost of living, and housing.

Keep reading to see if your county made the list.

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#22. Torrance County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: Not ranked
- Population: 15,203
- Median household income: $50,727
- Median home value: $132,600 (83% own)
- Median rent: $731 (17% rent)
- Top public schools: Estancia Valley Classical Academy (grade B+), South Mountain Elementary School (grade B+), Route 66 Elementary School (grade B)
- Top private schools:
- Top places: Mountainair (grade B), Estancia (grade B minus), Willard (grade C)

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#21. San Juan County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: Not ranked
- Population: 121,798
- Median household income: $50,734
- Median home value: $170,700 (70% own)
- Median rent: $894 (30% rent)
- Top public schools: San Juan College High School (grade A), Mesa Verde Elementary School (grade A), Heights Middle School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Grace Baptist Academy (grade A), Sacred Heart Catholic School (grade unavailable), Casa Montessori Preschool (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Farmington (grade B), Aztec (grade B minus), Spencerville (grade B minus)

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#20. Cibola County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: Not ranked
- Population: 27,211
- Median household income: $49,866
- Median home value: $101,900 (71% own)
- Median rent: $753 (29% rent)
- Top public schools: Bluewater Elementary School (grade B+), Milan Elementary School (grade B minus), San Rafael Elementary School (grade C+)
- Top private schools: St. Teresa of Avila Catholic School (grade unavailable), St. Joseph Mission School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Milan (grade C+), Grants (grade C+), North Acomita Village (grade C+)

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#19. Socorro County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: Not ranked
- Population: 16,453
- Median household income: $40,699
- Median home value: $132,700 (75% own)
- Median rent: $702 (25% rent)
- Top public schools: Cottonwood Valley Charter School (grade B), Magdalena High School (grade B), Midway Elementary School (grade C+)
- Top private schools:
- Top places: Socorro (grade B), Magdalena (grade B minus), Alamillo (grade C minus)

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#18. Sierra County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: Not ranked
- Population: 11,506
- Median household income: $35,256
- Median home value: $138,400 (73% own)
- Median rent: $729 (27% rent)
- Top public schools: Truth or Consequences Elementary School (grade B+), Truth or Consequences Middle School (grade B+), Sierra Elementary School (grade B)
- Top private schools:
- Top places: Truth or Consequences (grade B), Elephant Butte (grade B minus), Williamsburg (grade C+)

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#17. Lea County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: Not ranked
- Population: 73,103
- Median household income: $65,855
- Median home value: $162,000 (68% own)
- Median rent: $1,031 (32% rent)
- Top public schools: Tatum Junior High School (grade B+), Mills Elementary School (grade B+), Broadmoor Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Junction Christian Academy (grade unavailable), St. Helena School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Lovington (grade B), Hobbs (grade B minus), Eunice (grade B minus)

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#16. Quay County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: Not ranked
- Population: 8,641
- Median household income: $38,998
- Median home value: $76,800 (68% own)
- Median rent: $710 (32% rent)
- Top public schools: Logan Elementary School (grade A minus), Logan Middle School (grade A minus), San Jon Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools:
- Top places: Tucumcari (grade B minus), San Jon (grade B), Logan (grade C)

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#15. Taos County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: Not ranked
- Population: 34,475
- Median household income: $55,145
- Median home value: $313,400 (81% own)
- Median rent: $982 (19% rent)
- Top public schools: Taos Integrated School for the Arts (grade A), Anansi Charter School (grade A minus), Taos Academy (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Anansi Day School (grade unavailable), UNM Taos Kid's Campus Center for Early Learning (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Taos (grade B minus), Ranchos de Taos (grade C), Talpa (grade C)

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#14. Colfax County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: 1,395
- Population: 12,370
- Median household income: $46,286
- Median home value: $138,400 (72% own)
- Median rent: $656 (28% rent)
- Top public schools: Cimarron Middle School (grade A minus), Eagle Nest Middle School (grade A minus), Eagle Nest Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools:
- Top places: Raton (grade B minus), Cimarron (grade B), Angel Fire (grade B)

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#13. Grant County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: 1,354
- Population: 28,006
- Median household income: $44,895
- Median home value: $153,900 (71% own)
- Median rent: $802 (29% rent)
- Top public schools: San Lorenzo Elementary School (grade A minus), Cliff Elementary School (grade B+), Jose Barrios Elementary School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Calvary Christian Academy (grade B+), Guadalupe Montessori School (grade unavailable), WNMU Early Childhood Programs (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Santa Clara (grade B minus), Silver City (grade B minus), Bayard (grade B minus)

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#12. Valencia County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: 1,349
- Population: 76,613
- Median household income: $56,246
- Median home value: $184,400 (83% own)
- Median rent: $873 (17% rent)
- Top public schools: Katherine Gallegos Elementary School (grade A minus), Bosque Farms Elementary School (grade A minus), Sundance Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Calvary Chapel Academy (grade B minus), St. Mary's School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Bosque Farms (grade B), Los Lunas (grade B), Los Chaves (grade B)

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#11. Curry County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: 1,320
- Population: 48,327
- Median household income: $55,427
- Median home value: $151,300 (59% own)
- Median rent: $956 (41% rent)
- Top public schools: Texico Middle School (grade A), Grady Elementary School (grade A), Melrose Junior High School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Clovis Christian School (grade A minus)
- Top places: Clovis (grade C+), Texico (grade B), Melrose (grade C+)

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Gestalt Imagery // Shutterstock

#10. Lincoln County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: 1,212
- Population: 20,222
- Median household income: $47,919
- Median home value: $195,800 (78% own)
- Median rent: $831 (22% rent)
- Top public schools: Capitan Elementary School (grade A minus), Capitan Middle School (grade B+), Capitan High School (grade B+)
- Top private schools:
- Top places: Ruidoso (grade B minus), Ruidoso Downs (grade B minus), Capitan (grade B+)

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Cheri Alguire // Shutterstock

#9. Chaves County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: 1,073
- Population: 64,701
- Median household income: $49,673
- Median home value: $133,200 (67% own)
- Median rent: $850 (33% rent)
- Top public schools: Early College High School (grade A minus), Sidney Gutierrez Middle School (grade A minus), New Mexico Military Institute (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Gateway Christian School (grade B+), All Saints Catholic School of Roswell (grade unavailable), Immanuel Lutheran School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Roswell (grade B minus), Hagerman (grade B minus), Lake Arthur (grade C+)

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#8. Roosevelt County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: 977
- Population: 19,142
- Median household income: $52,644
- Median home value: $128,100 (60% own)
- Median rent: $795 (40% rent)
- Top public schools: Dora High School (grade A), Dora Elementary School (grade A minus), Floyd Middle School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Eastern New Mexico University Child Development Center Laboratory (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Portales (grade B), Elida (grade B minus), Floyd (grade unavailable)

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Kristi Blokhin // Shutterstock

#7. Otero County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: 939
- Population: 67,850
- Median household income: $50,833
- Median home value: $139,100 (66% own)
- Median rent: $882 (34% rent)
- Top public schools: Cloudcroft Elementary School (grade A minus), Cloudcroft Middle School (grade A minus), Holloman Middle School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Imago Dei Academy (grade A), Legacy Christian Academy (grade unavailable), Father James B. Hay School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: La Luz (grade B+), Alamogordo (grade B+), Boles Acres (grade B minus)

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#6. Sandoval County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: 908
- Population: 149,460
- Median household income: $76,424
- Median home value: $258,100 (81% own)
- Median rent: $1,280 (19% rent)
- Top public schools: Mountain View Middle School (grade A), Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School (grade A), Enchanted Hills Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Sandia View Academy (grade A minus), Gospel Light Baptist Academy (grade B), St. Thomas Aquinas School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Corrales (grade A minus), Rio Rancho (grade A minus), Placitas (grade A minus)

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#5. Doña Ana County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: 593
- Population: 219,870
- Median household income: $51,232
- Median home value: $187,400 (64% own)
- Median rent: $858 (36% rent)
- Top public schools: Arrowhead Park Early College High School (grade A+), J. Paul Taylor Academy (grade A minus), White Sands Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Las Cruces Catholic School (grade A), Mesilla Valley Christian School (grade A minus), Mission Lutheran School (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Mesilla (grade A minus), Las Cruces (grade A minus), Santa Teresa (grade B+)

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#4. Eddy County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: 475
- Population: 61,264
- Median household income: $77,458
- Median home value: $188,400 (73% own)
- Median rent: $1,095 (27% rent)
- Top public schools: Carlsbad Early College High School (grade A), Artesia Zia Intermediate School (grade A), Yeso Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools:
- Top places: Artesia (grade A minus), Atoka (grade B minus), Carlsbad (grade B minus)

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#3. Santa Fe County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: 464
- Population: 154,481
- Median household income: $70,522
- Median home value: $374,200 (72% own)
- Median rent: $1,252 (28% rent)
- Top public schools: Mandela International Magnet School (grade A), Academy for Technology & the Classics (grade A), The MASTERS Program (grade A)
- Top private schools: Santa Fe Preparatory School (grade A+), St. Michael's High School (grade A), Fayette Street Academy (grade A)
- Top places: Eldorado at Santa Fe (grade B+), Pojoaque (grade B+), Edgewood (grade B+)

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#2. Bernalillo County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: 338
- Population: 674,692
- Median household income: $62,220
- Median home value: $247,300 (63% own)
- Median rent: $1,017 (37% rent)
- Top public schools: Nex+Gen Academy (grade A+), East Mountain High School (grade A+), La Cueva High School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Albuquerque Academy (grade A+), Sandia Preparatory School (grade A+), Menaul School (grade A+)
- Top places: Sandia Heights (grade A+), Nob Hill (grade A+), Eastside (grade A)

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#1. Los Alamos County, New Mexico

- Overall Rank: 2
- Population: 19,253
- Median household income: $135,801
- Median home value: $412,700 (73% own)
- Median rent: $1,235 (27% rent)
- Top public schools: Los Alamos High School (grade A), Mountain Elementary School (grade A), Barranca Mesa Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Ponderosa Montessori School (grade unavailable), Canyoncito Montessori School & Child Care Center (grade unavailable)
- Top places: Los Alamos (grade A+), White Rock (grade A+)

This story features data reporting and writing by Elena Cox and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

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