Possible to live in ABQ and work in Los Alamos? (Rio Rancho: environment, rent)

[mortimer]

EnjoyEP warns about long commutes:

> ... it would put tons of miles on the car quickly, it would cost mega $$ in gas, ...

One thing that many people don't realize is that gasoline is *not* usually the biggest expense in operating an automobile. The IRS gives 48 cents per mile as an allowance when you deduct it from your income. Most companies pay that out to employees driving. This is pretty close to my experience.

We have two cars, one a 1990 Lexus sedan purchased in 1999 and another, a Rav4 purchased new in 1997.

I keep track of all the expenses (because I'm a cheap b@stard) and the cars have cost this much money over about 90k miles (cents per mile):

..................Lexus...Toyota
...............------- --------
Gasoline........14.1.......12.8
depreciation...11.3.......15.9
insurance.......8.9.........9.1
maintenance...7.9.........8.3
repairs..........12.9........1.4
.................-------..--------
Totals...........0.476...0.556

Total miles.....88,155..94,411
Years owned.......8.6.....10.7
Mpg experienced..24.7...24.5

Note that I adjusted the actual purchase price of gasoline to an assumed price of $3.15 for the regular that the Toyota uses and $3.50 for the premium required in the Lexus.

Also note that insurance is not really a relevant cost since you pay for that whether you drive it or not. Some depreciation will occur if your car just sits in your garage - via time, but more will happen if you "put tons of miles on the car."

Even if you assume gasoline goes up to $5.25/gallon (it will someday) it only brings the cents/mile to 19.3 and 21.2 respectively as compared to depreciation & maintenance of 25.6 and 32.2 cents.

Commuting is way more expensive than you think.

[penelopelp]

Originally Posted by mortimer

One thing that many people don't realize is that gasoline is *not* usually the biggest expense in operating an automobile.

I think I need a scooter.

[Hullster]

Sorry ABQSunport I gotta call you out. La Cueva and Sandia are not the top schools in the state. Ironically, it is consistently Los Alamos, with wealthy descendants of scientists who ranks #1 academically in the state. And from my personal experience, Sandia would rank 3rd in APS behind La Cueva and El Dorado as far as quality education goes. While I will say that APS westside schools are not that great I would not include Rio Rancho PS in that mix. Rio Rancho is overcrowded but their academics tend to be very good. For the original poster, I would say that if you are looking in ABQ based on good schools then look at La Cueva, El Dorado, or Rio Rancho. Then look into Sandia.

[abqsunport]

Hullster, your comments made me dig deep into research.

This site New Mexico State Elementary Schools - NM School Rankings <Make sure you select High Schools>
puts schools in this order as of 2006:
1. La Cueva
2. Los Alamos
6. El Dorado
10. Sandia
15. Cibola
17. Rio Rancho

To be honest, I couldn't find any other published info on the web. So unless you can find something different and more recent, I have to believe LC is number 1. However, this doesn't really matter, because the question was which were the best schools in ABQ, and I will stick with my answer LC, Sandia, Eldo, and Rio Rancho

[jrod2828]

Very good info. Where area those good schools located.. La Cueva, El Dorado, Sandia?

I'm using abqrealtors.com to find homes so I need codes. Here is the listing of codes. If you could just let me know which codes each high school falls under I'd appreciate it.

Ok, scratch the codes.. that didn't turn out very well when I copied and pasted them. Perhaps just street boundaries. Thanks.

[Towanda]

This is a GREAT thread!! So much really good information!

EnjoyEP:

I don't think I would get into an argument with you about ABQ vs. Santa Fe because I love them both, and one of the best things about living in either one is that you are not far from the other. I like bigger cities too ... and have always lived close to one (Rochester, NY, San Antonio TX, Detroit MI and Kansas City) ... and though I am about to move to the ourtskirts of a small city, knowing I have ABQ with all its amenties close by is just an added bonus!

[Towanda]

Originally Posted by abqsunport

You are right, cookie cutter in New Mexico is still vastly more interesting than cookie cutter in other parts of the nation.

Okay, ABQSunport, that is a good point and I will concede that I agree with you.

Any tract home subidivision here in Kansas would not have the AWESOME view of the Sandias that Rio Ranch has!

[ABQConvict]

Originally Posted by Towanda

Any tract home subidivision here in Kansas would not have the AWESOME view of the Sandias that Rio Ranch has!

Albuquerquean: Welcome to Albuquerque, how do you like the view?

Kansan tourist: It's nice but it would be better if that darn mountain weren't in the way!

ABQConvict

[abqsunport]

Ha great joke ABQConvict!

La Cueva is 87122 The major cross streets are wyoming and alameda, barstow and alameda, wilshire and wyoming, wishire and barstow

Sandia is right next to Wyoming and Candaleria, and Louisiana and Candaleria

El Dorado is next to Juan Tabo and Montgomery

However, it would be best to live in their boundaries, not neccessarily next to the school

[Devin Bent]

Originally Posted by abqsunport

Hullster, your comments made me dig deep into research.

This site New Mexico State Elementary Schools - NM School Rankings <Make sure you select High Schools>
puts schools in this order as of 2006:
1. La Cueva
2. Los Alamos
6. El Dorado
10. Sandia
15. Cibola
17. Rio Rancho

To be honest, I couldn't find any other published info on the web. So unless you can find something different and more recent, I have to believe LC is number 1. However, this doesn't really matter, because the question was which were the best schools in ABQ, and I will stick with my answer LC, Sandia, Eldo, and Rio Rancho

The ranking cited is based on the total of the student's math and reading scores. However, the best predictor of the math and reading scores of high school students are their junior high school scores. Thus the high school scores tell us little or nothing about the quality of the high school.

A sad fact but true. No one wants to take the trouble to do the analysis that might give us some insight into school quality.

Nonetheless, in the absence of better information, you might want to send your child to a high ranked school.