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Ok, I'm going to be moving to Albuquerque sometime in the next few months. Reading through the different posts, I seem to get the whole range of feelings about the city. However, certain comments seem to come up a lot, including:
Now, what I'd like to know is, where are the people who are claiming this originally from? What are they comparing it to?
To explain, I'm from the D.C. Metro Area, and have lived in the D.C.-Baltimore Corridor for 25 years. It's hard for me to imagine any place more tightly packed together, with worse traffic, ruder people and nastier pollution, short of the big three (NY, LA and Chi-town). The statistics seem to point the other way from what everyone is saying, considering:
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1a) The D.C. Metro Area covers 7,500 square miles, and has a population of 5 million people. (That doesn't even cover the Baltimore sprawl connected to it).
1b) The Albuquerque Metro Area covers 9,200 square miles, and has a population of 815,000 people.
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2a) Washington D.C. (the main city) has a density of 9,000 / square mile.
2b) Albuquerque (the main city) has a density of 2,500 / square mile.
2c) Prince George's County (the suburb I live in) has a density of 1,700 / square mile.
2d) Rio Rancho (the suburb I'm moving to) has a density of 900 / square mile.
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3a) Prince George's County had 8,200 violent crimes (150 murders, 266 rapes, 4,400 robberies, and 3,300 aggravated assaults) and 45,500 property crimes (6,300 burglaries, 24,000 thefts, and 15,000 auto-thefts).
3b) Albuquerque had 4,600 violent crimes (51 murders, 385 rapes, 1,100 robberies, and 3,100 aggravated assaults) and 30,200 property crimes (5,700 burglaries, 20,000 thefts and 3,700 auto-thefts).
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4a) Washington D.C. has 19.0% of it's population living in poverty.
4b) Albuquerque has 16.7% of it's population living in poverty.
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5a) Washington D.C. has greater Nitrogen Dioxide, Ozone and Sulfur Dioxide pollution counts.
5b) Albuquerque has greater Particulate Matter pollution counts. (I'm guessing that might be sand?)
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6a) Washington D.C. temperatures range up to 90 F in summer, but with 80% humidity can end up with a Heat Index ranging up to 113 F.
6b) Albuquerque temperatures range up to 92 F in summer, but with 60% humidity can end up with a Heat Index ranging up to 104 F.
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So, in comparison, it seems that Albuquerque/Rio Rancho has less people, more area, lower density, lower crime rate, and lower non-particulate pollution than Washington D.C./Prince George's County.
It has slightly lower poverty rate and Heat Index, and while temperatures are slightly hotter, they're less humid. The only thing Albuquerque seems to have worse than where I currently am is sand.
My question then is, where are the people who seem to be declaring how horrible Albuquerque is comparing to? Where are they living or did they live prior to this, that they make this city sound like a bad place to move to?
I would estimate that sand is not the leading source of particulates in Albuquerque. Auto exhaust, industry emissions, woodburning, pollen, infrequency of rain, and even those faraway coal plants all contribute.
If you fear sand, Rio Rancho is NOT for you. Normally sandstorms in the area aren't bad, but all the construction loosens it up and makes it pretty bad. Most older neighborhoods in the metro area (and these actually include some parts of Rio Rancho now) don't have any issues with it unless they border new construction.
The mercury is supposed to reach 97F this week. Don't know where you got your "up to 92F" info, but I think you need a second source. That said, it's a lot nicer here than it is in DC.
Rio Rancho, with exceptions, of course, has among the tighest housing in the metro area. If you crave wide open spaces between houses, Rio Rancho may not be for you.
Although this is less true than in the past, Rio Rancho is basically a bedroom community for Albuquerque. If you won't be working in or near Rio Rancho and you are sick of the DC-style commutes, Rio Rancho may not be for you.
Regardless, I'd say you are moving away from one of the worst, if not the worst, metro areas out there, and anywhere else would be a step up.
Excellent analysis in that first post. I've lived here for a little of 2-1/2 years and I live in Rio Rancho. I have previously lived in the DC Metro area for over 10 years.
There is no real comparison with the DC metro area to my mind.
DC prices are OUTRAGEOUS compared to Albuquerque. People that complain about Albuquerque traffic really have no clue of traffic unless they have lived in the DC area and braved the Beltway or in Atlanta or Houston or LA or the Bay Area -- that is REAL traffic. Albuquerque is a trickle compared to that.
I live in RR and work at the University and it is about 25-30 minute fairly easy commute in the mornings. In the suburbs of Maryland outside DC... it would sometimes take me the same time to go 5-7 miles. My current commute is about 22 miles.
The crime here is bad in a few places but nothing compared to many areas of the DC metro area.
Now where DC wins big time is the number of jobs and the salaries which can be 40-50% higher than in Albuquerque.
Albuquerque has tons of natural beautry around it and the weather here is top notch compared to the DC area if you like lots of sunshine and almost year round golf and usually only a few small snowfalls.
Thinks are much more laid back here and it is a slower pace of life too. Albuquerque also seems to really be geared towards families with children. If you are a single, much more to do and see and the opportunity to meet people in the DC metro area.
Traffic in Albuquerque is much less bad than Phoenix traffic.
Phoenix traffic is much less bad than D.C. or L.A. or San Fran.
Pollution in ABQ is worse than it was in the 1960's, but then
where is it not?
Dust storms in Phoenix come at you in a big wall of sand called
a haboob. I've never seen one in Albuquerque, but saw them
a lot in Phoenix.
The only bad weather aspect of Albuquerque is that it is windy
in the spring some days. It is hot in summer, but not Ohio hot
for instance. (Don't get me started on Phoenix.) Every morning,
the temperature is nice in the summer, so having the day start
of wonderful is worth a lot to me.
1.) Traffic has gotten steadily worse and worse because we don't devise new plans on bridges from ABQ to Rio. So, it takes a little longer but is no where near as bad as other States.
2.) I wouldn't say the pollution is really that bad. In Rio Rancho its quite a bit less. I use to live close to Los Angeles, and THAT! was bad... this is nothing compared to other states.
3.) Culture? if they're native New Mexicans then they have the culture of the State but its not protective or secluded... its quite nice.
4.) Houses are different in every area. Rio Rancho is new, so they're not that bad. NE heights and other "richer" parts of ABQ have beautiful, dependable homes.
1) Horrible Traffic
--- 30 minutes at most to get from one edge town to the other
2) Bad Pollution
--- only if there is a forest fire, maybe a few times a year
3) Rough/Protective Culture
--- hispanic gangs in bad parts of town, a few car jackings, but they usually just fight and kill each other
4) Tight/Poor Housing Design
--- great builders and a variety of choice and a bunch of room to build
Now, what I'd like to know is, where are the people who are claiming
this originally from? What are they comparing it to?
--I'm from Texas, but have lived all over the States, and travelled a bunch.
--Now here are some good things about it here....
--The Rio Grande Bike trail, The Sandia Mountains Hiking, Camping an hour and a half away in the wilderness, seeing the Indian Ruins, Checking out the Petroglyph National Monument, a casual and friendly atmosphere.... people here don't really expect you to dress up all the time, no annoying accents, great food... not a bad place to be.
Ive lived in Rio Rancho for almost 20 yrs. With all the growth up in Rio and the West side of Abq, traffic has become noticably worse over the years..but comparing to other large metro areas...its not THAT bad. and yes, Rio Rancho is somewhat tight for housing, but there is plenty of room to expand, and there are neighborhoods in Rio that arent cookie cutter homes, but there are a bunch that are like that...depends on exactly what your lookin for. With the pollution issue....I travel alot to Vegas, LA, San Diego and Phoenix...Albuquerque/Rio Rancho area doesnt even begin to compare pollution wise to those cities. Hope this helps..
Quote:
Originally Posted by LonoXIII
Ok, I'm going to be moving to Albuquerque sometime in the next few months. Reading through the different posts, I seem to get the whole range of feelings about the city. However, certain comments seem to come up a lot, including:
Now, what I'd like to know is, where are the people who are claiming this originally from? What are they comparing it to?
To explain, I'm from the D.C. Metro Area, and have lived in the D.C.-Baltimore Corridor for 25 years. It's hard for me to imagine any place more tightly packed together, with worse traffic, ruder people and nastier pollution, short of the big three (NY, LA and Chi-town). The statistics seem to point the other way from what everyone is saying, considering:
------
1a) The D.C. Metro Area covers 7,500 square miles, and has a population of 5 million people. (That doesn't even cover the Baltimore sprawl connected to it).
1b) The Albuquerque Metro Area covers 9,200 square miles, and has a population of 815,000 people.
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2a) Washington D.C. (the main city) has a density of 9,000 / square mile.
2b) Albuquerque (the main city) has a density of 2,500 / square mile.
2c) Prince George's County (the suburb I live in) has a density of 1,700 / square mile.
2d) Rio Rancho (the suburb I'm moving to) has a density of 900 / square mile.
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3a) Prince George's County had 8,200 violent crimes (150 murders, 266 rapes, 4,400 robberies, and 3,300 aggravated assaults) and 45,500 property crimes (6,300 burglaries, 24,000 thefts, and 15,000 auto-thefts).
3b) Albuquerque had 4,600 violent crimes (51 murders, 385 rapes, 1,100 robberies, and 3,100 aggravated assaults) and 30,200 property crimes (5,700 burglaries, 20,000 thefts and 3,700 auto-thefts).
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4a) Washington D.C. has 19.0% of it's population living in poverty.
4b) Albuquerque has 16.7% of it's population living in poverty.
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5a) Washington D.C. has greater Nitrogen Dioxide, Ozone and Sulfur Dioxide pollution counts.
5b) Albuquerque has greater Particulate Matter pollution counts. (I'm guessing that might be sand?)
-----
6a) Washington D.C. temperatures range up to 90 F in summer, but with 80% humidity can end up with a Heat Index ranging up to 113 F.
6b) Albuquerque temperatures range up to 92 F in summer, but with 60% humidity can end up with a Heat Index ranging up to 104 F.
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So, in comparison, it seems that Albuquerque/Rio Rancho has less people, more area, lower density, lower crime rate, and lower non-particulate pollution than Washington D.C./Prince George's County.
It has slightly lower poverty rate and Heat Index, and while temperatures are slightly hotter, they're less humid. The only thing Albuquerque seems to have worse than where I currently am is sand.
My question then is, where are the people who seem to be declaring how horrible Albuquerque is comparing to? Where are they living or did they live prior to this, that they make this city sound like a bad place to move to?
lono...
I too am comming from the DC area (and I live in what was rural afew years ago...)
You made some excellent points and put a great perspective on things.
From reading here I have gather that alot of the traffic and crime complaints are from more long time residents who have seen a realitivly small town experience rapid growth in a short span of time. With that growht comes traffic and crime that we not evident before. So for those who remember a time when you get from the rio rancho area to down in 15 to 20 minutes with just back ups at lights etc... 45 min IS horrible. To those of us who it takes 60 min to drive 15 miles... it's a cake walk.
But right now should be a BIG red flag to ABQ and it's city planners...people are comming here in droves, they are escaping CA and now leaving that once great place of solice...AZ. They need to start now planning the roads and YES another Bridge into ABQ from the west! (or 2!!) that should have been done 5 years ago. But it seems as if the mentality in the city planners (everywhere not just in ABQ) is...no, it won't get that bad...that many poeple aren't going to want to live here... we will build it AFTER they come.
We havethe same problem right now in NOVA 20 years ago no-one thought people would be commuting into DC from Loudoun county... no we don't need a metro to way out there! Well...20 years and traffic is a mess. Did you know that in the 1970's there was a proposal for an Outer loop beltway along the Loudoun co Fairfax county boarder?? hindsite....
5stones: What you and others have stated is essentially true. It is a matter of perspective or context when evaluating the issues cited by the original poster.
Regarding the traffic, pollution & "rough" culture, is it bad compared to a large metroplex (D.C., Phoenix, L.A.)? Not really. Compared to Mayberry RFD? Absolutely.
The only point that I might agree with, is the "tight" housing. Standard house lots are definitely smaller that they used to be, but this seems to be a trend nationwide, not just in ABQ.
And as far as city/traffic planning goes, check out the "highways in Albq" thread. It should tell you all you need to know about the prospects of improving the east-west river crossing situation.
Chap
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been in rio rancho for almost 20 yrs..
