garota123 -
I am a bit older than you admittedly (low-30s) and lived in ABQ from early 2003 until July this past year (07) and admittedly am not single (married with kids) or a female (male), however, I AM a "young professional"!
OK, maybe young-ish professional.
Well, ABQ isn't a retiree hotbed in the Palm Springs, Scottsdale, Key West kind of stereotypical sense by any means. Sure, you've got your aged, retiree segment in ABQ, but I wouldn't say it is especially a real hotbed or haven for retirees like some other prominent Arizona, Florida, or Nevada areas have become. Heck, it isn't even the retiree "hotbed" that Las Cruces, NM is.
You'll have a decent-sized contingent of retiring folks from the upper Midwest, and you'll get even more folks who ended up via the air force in Albuquerque, loved it so much and decided to retire there. However, they just "blend in" much more to the general city fabric, unlike, say, a Sarasota FL where you really feel huge "snowbird retiree" segments.
Having said that, to this point - yet - I wouldn't say that Albuquerque is quite in all fairness a booming haven for young [b]single[/b[ professionals either. And this is coming from a person who would sell Albuquerque pretty much up and down and sideways to most anyone; I love Albuquerque, NM and think it is one of the great cities in the US. It offers so incredibly much. However, I would say to this point, it is still somewhat so-so for young single professionals.
Now don't get me wrong, it isn't terrible for young single pros either in my opinion. They definitely are there. And they are growing in numbers constantly. Albuquerque is a rapidly growing metro desert/sunbelt city. With that growth, there is an ever-growing professional segment. And with that, an ever-present growth in young professionals.
However again, to be fair, I was struck in ABQ that it largely is a community that seems to appeal - at least at this point - at the strongest point - to professional FAMILIES. You have A LOT of married folks who work at the labs, Kirtland, in the tech or science fields, etc., and they have spouses and little ones.
I just think that at this point, the types of careers out there and fields, as well as the relative affordability still for housing / cost of living, etc., that Albuquerque offers, it still appeals most strongest to families. Whereas alot of young single folks are still attracted to the bigger, brighter lights of the 2, 3+ million metros like Denver, Phoenix, or Vegas, etc.
Albuquerque is a metro of 850,000. It still seems a bit more like a mid-sized big city with a touch of small town added in, in comparison to the big, bloated metros formerly mentioned.
However, if you come with that expectation and realization, and realize that as a single, you're cost of living / housing will go so much farther, your weather will be so much better, and you'll still have SOME good bars / nightlife options (maybe just 75 instead of 500) I think you'd really enjoy it. Professionals are pouring in more and more each and every month...with that, more and more of the young, professional, single scene.
Remember, Albuquerque is 45 minutes away from a world-class resort getaway destination in Santa Fe, and is only a couple of hours away from another...Taos...so this is not only a rapidly growing, incredibly thriving desert city, but it is also close in proximity to a "destination" zone too.
I can't say that for young, single professionals, if you are looking to fit the "city data young single professional stereotype of a hip bar / restaurant / club" on every corner and are looking for a field of 100,000 that Albuquerque is quite there yet. However, if you are one of those not looking for that, looking for some incredible year-round weather, awesome outdoor recreation opportunities in mountains etc., looking for cheap taxes and a good cost of living, and looking for a unique and new culture and way of life, (all with a readily growing professional segment - constantly), ABQ is a potentially amazing choice.
Viva ABQ!
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Good place socially for young professionals?
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