Rate Las Cruces (Albuquerque, Mesilla, Hatch: credit, houses, employment)

[WildWestDude]

Las Cruces receives lots of credits for being a nice place to live.
How do these citi-data.com members rate this southern NM city?

*please vote and discuss below:

[WildWestDude]

I find Las Cruces to be a very pleasant small city
Some people complain that it is getting too big, but I guess they never lived in a big metro area before. If they live in certain parts of Mesilla Valley, that growth is hardly noticable.
I love the southwest flavor, the houses, the sun, the hanging red peppers, its people and scenic landscape. And yah, the much talked about weather.
With a bigger city like El Paso nearby, it makes the small town feeling quickly disappear if one wishes so.

[TKO]

It's my home so I am biased. I've lived all over the country, and part's of the world, and I always come back. The desert gets in you. It's a shame seeing so much of the farmland being lost.

Eventually I think I'll move up around Hatch. By then Cruces will be the big city to come to I'm afraid. For now the benefits of growth have outweighed the detriments but that won't continue forever.

[tecpatl]

I split my time between Mesilla and Michigan, and though I could have picked anyplace in NM to be my second home I picked LC/Mesilla. The climate is just right, it's not too big, and it's a diverse city culturally and economically. Lots of opportunities for outdoor activities, and many interesting places within a couple of hours drive. Like anyplace else I can think of things I'd like to see improve, but all in all it's great place.

[WildWestDude]

how about some more votes!

[mtncat]

Well I didn't vote because I don't and have never lived there. My sister lived there in college a LONG time ago and just recently moved back. She loves it.
Me, I live in the mountains, can't see my neighbors, can't hear my neighbors. Wouldn't have it any other way. So I doubt I could rate Cruces as a good place to live.
I do enjoy visiting, eating out, shopping etc though.

[EnjoyEP]

I have never lived in LC so I can't really vote per se, but when living in Albuquerque for 4+ years, I spent a very high amount of time visiting relatives in both El Paso and Las Cruces.

I would say that dollar for dollar, climate for climate, culture for culture, etc., you would be very very hard pressed to find a better "quality of life" town - if you are looking for a town in that 100K population range - than Las Cruces, NM. I have never been a "small town" kind of fellow myself, but I would really strongly consider living there in the next year if a professional opportunity would present itself. A great town with a near-perfect year-round climate.

[Hungry For Cheese]

I just came back from LC...I rated it above average because I haven't traveled all over, but it is real nice. I would move there, but I worry about employment for myself when I get a BA in Economics...not sure I could get the dollar amount I'd want.
Gas was 2.75 though and it is 3.35 here in Los Angeles...LOVED THAT.

[6 FOOT 3]

I voted excellent since i did live there in the 70's as a kid and have visited LC all these years so thats why i voted.....

[abqsunport]

Las Cruces is a fun place to live. I give it an above avg.