Need safe place to live in ALbuquerque...help!!! (Rio Rancho, Los Lunas: crime rate, townhouse)

[TCK]

I live in Rio Rancho (zip code 87144) We used to have only one zip code but we grew and now have two! My neighbor drives to Kirkland everyday. Have never heard any complaints. The house in back of me when sold became a rental. We have had two families live there where spouse are in military.

Rio Rancho is SAFE. I must say that. People like the schools (I have not been impressed). We do not have a hospital even though I believe that we have 66,000 people now. We are fortunate to have an E.R. which is excellent (we have used a few times since opening and not for minor things either). We supposedly will get a hospital soon. We have lots of stores.
Walking is great. People nice. So, look into it and see if its for you!

Rio Rancho will be big in a decade. I drive to Albuquerque a lot (can find anything you need there) but believe in a few years one won't have to or want to venture out for anything.

Any questions, you can message me. I have lived here since 2001.

[TheFamousAJ]

Overall, the Rio Rancho schools are better than the APS ones are. There are some excellent private schools in the city, however, if you have the cash to spend.

All of the public schools are subject to overcrowding. The only way you are going to escape that in this town is if you send your kids to private school.

Even though it is further, northern Rio Rancho would probably be better for you than Ventana Ranch b/c the traffic there is terrible--with only two roads that lead into the area. Your husband could just hop on to I-25 from the 550.

Your best bet, though, I think, would be to find a home a little closer in, like Taylor Ranch or the Far Northeast Heights. They are safe, middle-to-upper-middle-class areas. Some of the public schools aren't bad, or sometimes even good.

[chubacca]

I used to work on the base and I commuted from northern Rio Rancho (Enchanted Hills area). It took me about 35-40 minutes during rush hour. I just took 550 to I-25. When we were looking for houses we looked in Ventana Ranch. Althought distance-wise it is closer to the base it actually took me an hour during rush hour (I tested it several times) to get to the base because of the traffic. I found the area of RR that I lived in to be very safe and family friendly. We didn't have any problems at all living there and I think it is a good area for families. I know Ventana Ranch has baseball fields and soccer fields within their community so it is also a good area for families but the commute was just too much for us.

[linda1943]

Moving to ABQ, I am sorry I do not have good things to say about ABQ I guess it is nice if you like a big city but I found it to have much to much crime of all kind's and I am not trying to be ugly but I saw drunk Indians walking around every where and also when I went into the stores I found that the Indian population that worked in the stores were rude Also the Mexican population was not much better. I am of fair skin so they had no way to know I was Mexican and Irish and grew up with my Mexican family and never really knew my Irish family so I was shocked and felt uneasy and I could not wait to get out oh by the way we did. And moved to the great state of Alabama. Linda1943

[observe]

Originally Posted by linda1943

Moving to ABQ, I am sorry I do not have good things to say about ABQ I guess it is nice if you like a big city but I found it to have much to much crime of all kind's and I am not trying to be ugly but I saw drunk Indians walking around every where and also when I went into the stores I found that the Indian population that worked in the stores were rude Also the Mexican population was not much better. I am of fair skin so they had no way to know I was Mexican and Irish and grew up with my Mexican family and never really knew my Irish family so I was shocked and felt uneasy and I could not wait to get out oh by the way we did. And moved to the great state of Alabama. Linda1943

What part of town did you live in, Central ave. area?
Well sorry you had a bad experience here, it's not for everyone. Enjoy Alabama, and the horrible humidity!

[klosk]

Originally Posted by moving to ABQ

Hi. There might have been a post similar to this already, but I must have missed it... my family and I are being sent to Kirtland AFB soon and I need to know where the safer neighborhoods and schools are. It is okay if my husband has to make a daily commute (no more than 30-40 minutes hopefully). I currently live in Tucson so I am familiar with the desert environment, I am just worried about all the crime I've been reading about. I have a middle schooler, a grade schooler, and a newborn so safety and decent schools are the most important issue for us. We don't know if we will rent or try to buy at this point, we just want to be safe. If anyone has information (details are great too, like specific streets or condos, etc.) I would really appreciate it. Thank you!

S

Oh no! Stay away from the west side!!!! It is nothing but bumper to bumper traffic and will take him an hour to commute to the base. La Cueva is a good area in the NE Heights. The school is good but because of the abundance of money the kids have I have heard there is alot of drugs going on around the school. More so then the poorer schools because the kids all have money. The Eldorado School district is known to be very good. Some think Manzano is bad but it depends it's not the school it used to be. The commute from Eldorado and Manzano Districts would be about 20 or 30 minutes to the base.

[klosk]

Originally Posted by TCK

I live in Rio Rancho (zip code 87144) We used to have only one zip code but we grew and now have two! My neighbor drives to Kirkland everyday. Have never heard any complaints. The house in back of me when sold became a rental. We have had two families live there where spouse are in military.

Rio Rancho is SAFE. I must say that. People like the schools (I have not been impressed). We do not have a hospital even though I believe that we have 66,000 people now. We are fortunate to have an E.R. which is excellent (we have used a few times since opening and not for minor things either). We supposedly will get a hospital soon. We have lots of stores.
Walking is great. People nice. So, look into it and see if its for you!

Rio Rancho will be big in a decade. I drive to Albuquerque a lot (can find anything you need there) but believe in a few years one won't have to or want to venture out for anything.

Any questions, you can message me. I have lived here since 2001.

That's because you won't be able to get out of RR!!!!! I just can't believe how that side of town has grown. I become a nervous reck when I have to go anywhere close to the west side. Coors bypass is just unbelievable with traffic. There is alot of new housing over there but no trees. It's just brown and the homes are so close together you can reach out your window and shake hands with your neighbor. West side NOT FOR ME!!!!!!

[chubacca]

Originally Posted by klosk

That's because you won't be able to get out of RR!!!!! I just can't believe how that side of town has grown. I become a nervous reck when I have to go anywhere close to the west side. Coors bypass is just unbelievable with traffic. There is alot of new housing over there but no trees. It's just brown and the homes are so close together you can reach out your window and shake hands with your neighbor. West side NOT FOR ME!!!!!!

They were talking about zip code 87144 not 87124, zip code 87144 is Northern Rio Rancho. I lived there and had a lot 70 feet by 155 feet, way bigger than most lots in ABQ. We also didn't use Coors to get to ABQ we used 550 to I-25, it is much faster and if you cut thorugh Bernalillo and take their exit it is even faster. It took me 25-30 minutes to get to ABQ Uptown in traffic, not bad considering the distance. My husband also got to his office on Jefferson in 20 minutes. I wouldn't even think to live in 87124. The area you are referring to Southern Rio Rancho and they have to take Coors.

[lacey]

Four Hills Area is great; nice homes, nice neighborhoods, and you don't have to deal with the horrendous traffic problems the west side sees daily, that is due to poor planning and not enough bridges and quick development to take up all the open land that could have supported another bridge across the Rio Grande.

[linda1943]

Originally Posted by observe

What part of town did you live in, Central ave. area?
Well sorry you had a bad experience here, it's not for everyone. Enjoy Alabama, and the horrible humidity!

I lived on tramway at the prairie apts I love where I lived but you leave the complex and it got scary,and that was in 03-04 can't emagine how it is now and maybe the hot dusty desert did not help . Yes we love the lush green state of alabama and it's humidity it helps smooth out the wrinkles, Also we have been in Canada also for a couple of yrs. and we still can't wait to get back to the Great State of Alabama where my father was born.

Thank you .

Linda1943