Las Cruces to El Paso Commute (Sunland Park, Santa Teresa: real estate, crime, how much)

[cdcdguy]

Is it close enough to commute to El Paso everyday? Are their any suburbs in New Mexico of El Paso, and what are they like? Would it be ceaper to live in El Paso or Las Cruses?

[Informer]

Originally Posted by cdcdguy

Is it close enough to commute to El Paso everyday? Are their any suburbs in New Mexico of El Paso, and what are they like? Would it be ceaper to live in El Paso or Las Cruses?

Greetings,

The commute from El Paso to Las Cruces is approx. 46 miles - it would take about 45 minutes to an hour travel time.

El Paso never imppressed me as somewhere I would want to reside.

El Paso would be a more economical place to reside than Las Cruces.

Your decision.

Good Luck.

[Cathy4017]

Las Cruces, NM, is 45-50 miles from El Paso.

There are two towns very close by El Paso in New Mexico....Santa Teresa and Sunland Park. Some people move from El Paso to cut their property taxes, but the real estate is more expensive there, and New Mexico has a state income tax, which Texas does not.

Seems like a wash to me.

Real Estate is definitely going to be more expensive in Las Cruces than El Paso.

[Crackerjack]

Cathy, Texas makes up for no state tax with a high tax for schools with your property. Like one of my cousins live in Texas has a 2,000 square foot house in the DFW area and school tax with the property tax is 2,800 a year. My aunt in Denver City, TX pays lower taxes but still the property school tax is quite high.

[Cathy4017]

...pays lower taxes but still the property school tax is quite high.

Yes, it does take quite a bite out of it. Recent new legislation was passed that might help alleviate some of that, but I sort of have my doubts as to how much it will really help.

I don't have any experience with a state income tax, since I have lived in TX all of my life other than a short work-related stint (better word, stink) in MS for 6 months.

What's strange about New Mexico...it is generally a poor (economically-speaking) state, yet I'm finding that real estate prices are much higher in many places.

[Disenchanted]

Cathy, you are so right about the "lower housing costs" not being off-set by other aspects of NM life. If the housing is cheap, it is because it is cheap housing. Folks need to look closely at what this very site shows about wages. Yes, these are median wages, but they are incredibly low compared to housing costs, and fuel costs, even though NM is a top producer of crude and natural gas. Food is more expensive, even though NM is a major producer of agriculture. Something is dreadfully wrong with NM.
In this thread, what we all need to know is why they want to live close to El Paso, and why they think living in NM is a viable option.

[Lowcountry Girl]

Disenchanted, I cannot speak for others but I will try to answer your question why we would want to live close to El Paso, TX or in New Mexico. First though, I'm quite curious about the name "Disenchanted", that would imply that once you were "enchanted" it would be helpful to know what happened. You sound like an intelligent woman and so I can't help wondering why you would stay somewhere you hate (is that too strong a word?) Most of us I think, stay somewhere we're unhappy because of work, or family.

We are not ignorant, the employment that we would take certainly will keep us in a style of living that we're used to. The homes are no more expensive in NM than most of the US, I have looked. The weather is just gorgeous IMHO. Yes, I know it's not perfect.. but pretty close most of the time. I know it's not everyones cup of tea but I think the desert is beautiful, the higher elevations are unbelievable! That's still not enough to pick up and move though..we will be close to my Texan hubbys family, without the humidity. The schools in Las Cruces have passed the AYP for the most part some small areas not affecting us didn't. I will tell you that the majority of New Mexican natives who have responded to all of our questions have given well balanced, all the good and bad info about the areas in question. They have not looked down their noses at us, even if they don't care to live in New Mexico any longer.

Oh, crime is not rampant in Las Cruces, probably more in line with US average. I'm not a criminal, don't involve myself in crime so I'm not going to live my life in fear..no offense to those who don't believe..but God will take me when it's my time.

There are reasons that I cannot explain why I AM enchanted with New Mexico, have you never been anywhere and you just loved being there? Probably those reasons ARE more heart than brain...

Sorry about getting long winded..just one more thing, while the greater part of my life I've never had to worry about feeding or clothing my children, and have lived in a beautiful home...I can tell you that the housing that you call "cheap" is the where "they" call HOME. My husband and I as a young US Navy couple lived in a trailer.. and we were no less happy than we are now.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by Disenchanted

In this thread, what we all need to know is why they want to live close to El Paso, and why they think living in NM is a viable option.

Well, what is funny? The housing in El Paso is more like that in New Mexico, rather than the rest of Texas.

[cdcdguy]

Thanks for the help.... I was actually wanting to know if New Mexco was cheaper than living in El Paso, but it sounds like Texas would be cheaper.

[NativeTXn]

Originally Posted by cdcdguy

Thanks for the help.... I was actually wanting to know if New Mexco was cheaper than living in El Paso, but it sounds like Texas would be cheaper.

The cost of living in El Paso is a lot cheaper than the cost of living in New Mexico these days. The property taxes can get a bit high in Texas though. But overall, I think you get more bang for your buck especially when it comes to buying a house in El Paso than you do in New Mexico.