Looking for a place to retire in NM or WY (live, state)

[colorado-dreaming]

We are looking at possibly retiring in either southern Wyoming or northern new Mexico. We originally thought we would move to somewhere near Denver, but decided it was way too crowded. We are looking for a small town that with affordable rental housing or out in the country. I am looking for any suggestions that we might consider.

[jdavid93225]

Originally Posted by colorado-dreaming

We are looking at possibly retiring in either southern Wyoming or northern new Mexico. We originally thought we would move to somewhere near Denver, but decided it was way too crowded. We are looking for a small town that with affordable rental housing or out in the country. I am looking for any suggestions that we might consider.

Well, this doesn't really give us much to go on. With the criteria you've given, most of Wyoming fits the bill, as would many parts of New Mexico, though it may be a little bit harder to find in some of the northern parts of the state.

What amenities are you looking for? If all you want is cheap housing in a small town, with no other requirements, it should not be too hard to find something. If you're looking to be in the mountains, surrounded by forest, close to a lake, and withing 30 minutes of the amenities of a big city, it will be harder to find something that meets your requirements.

What are the requirements you are looking for, so we can help you figure out where to look?

[mtlogger]

It's not cheap in Wyoming anymore. Taxes and fees are creeping up. I raised four sons in Wyoming btwn 1975-2000 - back then everything was less expensive - and the uphill creep of outsiders hadn't really started, until we left for Montana.

I made a trip last month to New Mexico - Quemado area - was impressed by the largeness of it all - and scarcity of neighbors. Sorta like here in Montana, but without the trees. I can't live without green stuff around, so we blew it off and returned home.

[Santa Fe]

Also -- what do you mean by a small town? How big is that? What sort of things would you expect to find there? How far would you want to be from a larger city? How far from a major health center?

[rruff]

And add to that the sort of weather you desire. Plenty of places in NM (southern part especially) have an awesome sunny mild climate and you can pick either on the warm side or the cold side depending on elevation. Wyoming is universally cold in the winter, and a bit dreary.

[Santa Fe]

Originally Posted by rruff

And add to that the sort of weather you desire. Plenty of places in NM (southern part especially) have an awesome sunny mild climate and you can pick either on the warm side or the cold side depending on elevation.

Altitude is the controlling factor. 7,000 feet in the north is very much like 7,000 feet in the south of New Mexico. 6,000 feet, etc.

[mtlogger]

Originally Posted by rruff

Wyoming is universally cold in the winter, and a bit dreary.

Long winters for sure - but not dreary.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by Santa Fe

Altitude is the controlling factor. 7,000 feet in the north is very much like 7,000 feet in the south of New Mexico. 6,000 feet, etc.

I used to believe that too, but no longer. Why does a southern place like Cloudcroft (8600+ feet) get less snow than places in the central-north that are at a lower elevation? Santa Fe and Los Alamos got more snow at 7,000 ft than Cloudcroft did. Ruidoso is only slightly lower than Santa Fe, yet it didn't get as much snow and cold weather.

I'd say it's more due to north and south. There are areas in Colorado (more north) at the same or lower elevations that get more snow than in most areas in NM.

[JDTH]

It is supposed to be an El Nino year which should bring lots of precipitation to the Southwest.

[Santa Fe]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

I used to believe that too, but no longer. Why does a southern place like Cloudcroft (8600+ feet) get less snow than places in the central-north that are at a lower elevation? Santa Fe and Los Alamos got more snow at 7,000 ft than Cloudcroft did. Ruidoso is only slightly lower than Santa Fe, yet it didn't get as much snow and cold weather.

I'd say it's more due to north and south. There are areas in Colorado (more north) at the same or lower elevations that get more snow than in most areas in NM.

I got it from an article by D. S. Gutzler University of New Mexico, and published on a NMSU website.

"TEMPERATURE- Mean annual temperatures range from 64o F in the extreme southeast (Division 1) to 40o F or lower in high mountains and valleys of the north (division 2); elevation is a greater factor in determining the temperature of any specific locality than its latitude. This is shown by only a 3o F difference in mean temperature between stations at similar elevations, one in the extreme northeast and the other in the extreme southwest; however, at two stations only 15 miles apart, but differing in elevation by 4,700 feet, the mean annual temperatures are 61o and 45o F—a difference of 16 o F or a little more than 3o decrease in temperature for each 1,000-foot increase in elevation."
http://weather.nmsu.edu/News/climate-in-NM.htm

Gutzler is an expert in the field and widely published. Unless you can match that I am not going to attribute much in the way of climate differences to north v south in NM.

Besides as far as I can tell Ruidoso gets more snow than Santa Fe, and which is colder depends upon how you read the data.