Best counties to raise a family in New Mexico

- Population: 40,347
- Median home value: $179,800 (78% own)
- Median rent: $667 (22% own)
- Median household income: $46,994
- Top public schools: La Tierra Montessori School of the Arts & Sciences (grade B+), Dixon Elementary School (grade B+), Abiquiu Elementary School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Victory Faith Christian Academy (grade B+), St. Francis School (grade unavailable), Rock Christian Academy (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: La Mesilla (grade B minus), Los Luceros (grade C minus), Española (grade C minus)

- Population: 27,357
- Median home value: $143,800 (71% own)
- Median rent: $641 (29% own)
- Median household income: $36,492
- Top public schools: Mike Sena Elementary School (grade B), Los Ninos Elementary School (grade B minus), Sierra Vista Elementary School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: United World College-USA (grade A+)
- Top places to live: Las Vegas (grade C+), Rowe (grade C minus), Pecos (grade C minus)

- Population: 16,605
- Median home value: $112,500 (78% own)
- Median rent: $688 (22% own)
- Median household income: $38,242
- Top public schools: Cottonwood Valley Charter School (grade B), Magdalena High School (grade B minus), Midway Elementary School (grade C+)
- Top private schools: Alamo Navajo Community School (grade B minus)
- Top places to live: Socorro (grade B), Magdalena (grade C+), Lemitar (grade C minus)

- Population: 27,284
- Median home value: $86,800 (75% own)
- Median rent: $711 (25% own)
- Median household income: $47,300
- 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 to live: Milan (grade B minus), Grants (grade C+), North Acomita Village (grade C+)

- Population: 72,946
- Median home value: $67,100 (71% own)
- Median rent: $717 (29% own)
- Median household income: $40,262
- Top public schools: Middle College High School (grade B+), Red Rock Elementary School (grade B+), Gallup Middle School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Rehoboth Christian School (grade B), Gallup Christian School (grade A minus), St. Bonaventure School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Gallup (grade B), Zuni Pueblo (grade C), Black Rock (grade C minus)

- Population: 25,282
- Median home value: $88,800 (63% own)
- Median rent: $545 (37% own)
- Median household income: $33,914
- Top public schools: Early College High School (grade A minus), Columbus Elementary School (grade B), Memorial Elementary School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Deming (grade C+), Columbus (grade C), Sunshine (grade C)
- Top places to live: grade C

- Population: 15,150
- Median home value: $121,100 (83% own)
- Median rent: $704 (17% own)
- Median household income: $44,819
- Top public schools: Estancia Valley Classical Academy (grade A minus), South Mountain Elementary School (grade B+), Route 66 Elementary School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Mountainair (grade B+), Estancia (grade B minus), Willard (grade C+)
- Top places to live: grade C+

- Population: 28,178
- Median home value: $125,000 (69% own)
- Median rent: $720 (31% own)
- Median household income: $39,429
- Top public schools: San Lorenzo Elementary School (grade A minus), Jose Barrios Elementary School (grade B+), Cliff 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 to live: Bayard (grade B), Arenas Valley (grade B minus), Silver City (grade B minus)

- Population: 34,322
- Median home value: $280,700 (80% own)
- Median rent: $927 (20% own)
- Median household income: $49,481
- Top public schools: Anansi Charter School (grade A minus), Taos Academy (grade A minus), Taos Municipal Charter School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Anansi Day School (grade unavailable), UNM Taos Kid's Campus Center for Early Learning (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Taos (grade B minus), Ranchos de Taos (grade C+), Talpa (grade C+)

- Population: 11,512
- Median home value: $122,800 (76% own)
- Median rent: $606 (24% own)
- Median household income: $35,939
- Top public schools: Truth or Consequences Elementary School (grade B+), Truth or Consequences Middle School (grade B+), Sierra Elementary School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Truth or Consequences (grade B+), Elephant Butte (grade B minus), Williamsburg (grade B minus)
- Top places to live: grade B minus

- Population: 8,675
- Median home value: $72,200 (68% own)
- Median rent: $593 (32% own)
- Median household income: $33,067
- Top public schools: Logan Elementary School (grade A), Logan Middle School (grade A minus), San Jon Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Tucumcari (grade B minus), San Jon (grade B), Logan (grade B minus)
- Top places to live: grade B minus

- Population: 122,912
- Median home value: $155,000 (71% own)
- Median rent: $839 (29% own)
- Median household income: $47,485
- Top public schools: San Juan College High School (grade A), Mesa Verde Elementary School (grade A), Country Club Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Grace Baptist Academy (grade B), Sacred Heart Catholic School (grade unavailable), Casa Montessori Preschool (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Farmington (grade B), Aztec (grade B minus), Spencerville (grade B minus)

- Population: 75,992
- Median home value: $154,400 (82% own)
- Median rent: $843 (18% own)
- Median household income: $53,752
- Top public schools: Katherine Gallegos Elementary School (grade B+), Bosque Farms Elementary School (grade B+), Sundance Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Calvary Chapel Academy (grade B+), St. Mary's School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Valencia (grade A minus), Bosque Farms (grade B), Los Chaves (grade B)

- Population: 12,406
- Median home value: $125,300 (70% own)
- Median rent: $619 (30% own)
- Median household income: $39,483
- Top public schools: Eagle Nest Middle School (grade A minus), Eagle Nest Elementary School (grade B+), Moreno Valley High School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Raton (grade B minus), Angel Fire (grade B+), Cimarron (grade B minus)
- Top places to live: grade B minus

- Population: 147,327
- Median home value: $222,200 (79% own)
- Median rent: $1,146 (21% own)
- Median household income: $68,947
- 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: Gospel Light Baptist Academy (grade B minus), Sandia View Academy (grade A minus), St. Thomas Aquinas School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Corrales (grade A), Rio Rancho (grade A minus), Placitas (grade B+)

- Population: 72,743
- Median home value: $144,400 (68% own)
- Median rent: $967 (32% own)
- Median household income: $62,319
- Top public schools: Tatum Junior High School (grade A minus), Mills Elementary School (grade B+), Coronado Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Junction Christian Academy (grade unavailable), St. Helena School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Lovington (grade B minus), Hobbs (grade B minus), Eunice (grade C+)

- Population: 20,084
- Median home value: $171,400 (79% own)
- Median rent: $763 (21% own)
- Median household income: $47,247
- Top public schools: Capitan Elementary School (grade A minus), Capitan Middle School (grade B+), Ruidoso Middle School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Ruidoso (grade B), Ruidoso Downs (grade C), Carrizozo (grade B+)
- Top places to live: grade B

- Population: 48,716
- Median home value: $139,300 (57% own)
- Median rent: $917 (43% own)
- Median household income: $51,199
- Top public schools: Texico Middle School (grade A), Grady Elementary School (grade A), Texico Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Clovis Christian School (grade A)
- Top places to live: Clovis (grade B minus), Texico (grade B), Melrose (grade C+)

- Population: 218,157
- Median home value: $162,200 (65% own)
- Median rent: $785 (35% own)
- Median household income: $47,151
- Top public schools: Arrowhead Park Early College High School (grade A), White Sands Elementary School (grade A minus), J. Paul Taylor Academy (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Mesilla Valley Christian School (grade A minus), Las Cruces Catholic School (grade A), Calvary West Christian High School (grade B+)
- Top places to live: Mesilla (grade A), Las Cruces (grade A minus), Santa Teresa (grade A minus)

- Population: 153,632
- Median home value: $315,100 (71% own)
- Median rent: $1,164 (29% own)
- Median household income: $64,423
- Top public schools: Turquoise Trail Charter School (grade A), Mandela International Magnet School (grade A), Academy for Technology & the Classics (grade A)
- Top private schools: Santa Fe Preparatory School (grade A+), St. Michael's High School (grade A), Santa Fe Waldorf School (grade A)
- Top places to live: Eldorado at Santa Fe (grade B+), Pojoaque (grade B+), Santa Fe (grade B+)

- Population: 67,298
- Median home value: $123,000 (65% own)
- Median rent: $826 (35% own)
- Median household income: $46,949
- Top public schools: Cloudcroft Elementary School (grade A), Holloman Middle School (grade A minus), Cloudcroft Middle School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Imago Dei Academy (grade A minus), Legacy Christian Academy (grade A minus), Father James B. Hay School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Boles Acres (grade B+), La Luz (grade B+), Alamogordo (grade B+)

- Population: 19,223
- Median home value: $117,600 (59% own)
- Median rent: $769 (41% own)
- Median household income: $47,897
- Top public schools: Floyd Elementary School (grade A minus), Dora Elementary School (grade A minus), Valencia Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Eastern New Mexico University Child Development Center Laboratory (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Portales (grade B), Elida (grade B), Floyd (grade unavailable)

- Population: 65,014
- Median home value: $117,100 (67% own)
- Median rent: $819 (33% own)
- Median household income: $47,620
- Top public schools: Sidney Gutierrez Middle School (grade A minus), Del Norte Elementary School (grade B+), 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 to live: Roswell (grade B minus), Hagerman (grade B minus), Dexter (grade C+)

- Population: 674,919
- Median home value: $216,200 (63% own)
- Median rent: $934 (37% own)
- Median household income: $56,920
- Top public schools: La Cueva High School (grade A+), Albuquerque Institute of Math & Science (grade A), Nex+Gen Academy (grade A)
- Top private schools: Albuquerque Academy (grade A+), Sandia Preparatory School (grade A+), Menaul School (grade A+)
- Top places to live: Sandia Heights (grade A+), Nob Hill (grade A+), Downtown (grade A)

- Population: 61,096
- Median home value: $166,900 (71% own)
- Median rent: $1,040 (29% own)
- Median household income: $67,759
- Top public schools: Roselawn Elementary School (grade A), Artesia Zia Intermediate School (grade A), Yeso Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Artesia (grade B+), La Huerta (grade B), Carlsbad (grade B)
- Top places to live: grade A minus

- Population: 19,169
- Median home value: $343,100 (74% own)
- Median rent: $1,143 (26% own)
- Median household income: $123,677
- Top public schools: Mountain Elementary School (grade A+), Los Alamos High School (grade A+), Chamisa Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Ponderosa Montessori School (grade unavailable), Canyoncito Montessori School & Child Care Center (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Los Alamos (grade A+), White Rock (grade A+)