Artesia (Roswell, Carlsbad, Las Vegas: mover, crime, homes)

[mpassaro]

I am thinking about relocating from NY to Artesia. Can anyone tell me a little about this city. I read on a post here where someone said to avoid it, I was wondering why.

[spindoc]

Originally Posted by mpassaro

I am thinking about relocating from NY to Artesia. Can anyone tell me a little about this city. I read on a post here where someone said to avoid it, I was wondering why.

Artesia is a small town with nothing to do. There are two major businesses there- the oil refinery and the border patrol training center. The oil co. has invested some money back into the city and created a small little downtown area. Otherwise it is a run down place with lots of trailer homes. One small hospital with only a few basic doctors. Most people with any bit of money would rather live in Roswell or Carlsbad which are not too far from Artesia (Roswell about 50 miles and Carlsbad about 30). Roswell has more to do but is not vey pretty, Carlsbad has nothing to do but has a river and hills.

[Crackerjack]

Spindoc is right. It is a small town which my dad calls a "roughneck town" that is oil workers. It really isn't a town to settle down to live in unless you are tied to a business there. Carlsbad is better but like Spindoc said, not much to do there either. If you are interested in working in the oil fields, you might look at Lovington, NM or Odessa, TX, but otherwise go elsewhere.

[_yb]

They have a great high school football team every year.

[qubies]

I don't know why but spindoc and crackerjack are blowning a lot of smoke at you about Artesia , NM -- Its a townof about 12,000 with great places to see , hunt and fish in a few hours drive -- Some beautiful mountains within two hours -- Two horses racing tracks within a two hours drive --3 gambling casinos with in the same distance -- a town of about 60,000 43 miles away and a town of about 30,00 36 miles the other direction -- some of the prettest sunsets you will ever see - it never really gets to hot or to cold unless your my age and just like to gripe about things -- it has a fantastic school system-- they have free concerts all the time --two newyears ago Charlie Danels Band head linned --this year its Diamond Reo-- they have a senior citzen org - that has manty events each and every day -- I could go on and on , but I think you get the picture --I grew up here and in that era I truly believe it was the greatest place on earth to grow up -- I mover away to see the world -- I moved back for my old age --I have been to somewhere and found it was nowhere at all --but Artesia , New Mexico is someplace else --as for yb's statement that it has a good football team - it has some of the best sports facilities anywhere for even pro events let alone high school --and that pretty good football team , if I'm not mistaken has won mre state championships than any other school in the nation --check out the water tower and count them -- so don't believe the smoke thats being blown at you

[spindoc]

Originally Posted by qubies

I don't know why but spindoc and crackerjack are blowning a lot of smoke at you about Artesia , NM -- Its a townof about 12,000 with great places to see , hunt and fish in a few hours drive -- Some beautiful mountains within two hours -- Two horses racing tracks within a two hours drive --3 gambling casinos with in the same distance -- a town of about 60,000 43 miles away and a town of about 30,00 36 miles the other direction -- some of the prettest sunsets you will ever see - it never really gets to hot or to cold unless your my age and just like to gripe about things -- it has a fantastic school system-- they have free concerts all the time --two newyears ago Charlie Danels Band head linned --this year its Diamond Reo-- they have a senior citzen org - that has manty events each and every day -- I could go on and on , but I think you get the picture --I grew up here and in that era I truly believe it was the greatest place on earth to grow up -- I mover away to see the world -- I moved back for my old age --I have been to somewhere and found it was nowhere at all --but Artesia , New Mexico is someplace else --as for yb's statement that it has a good football team - it has some of the best sports facilities anywhere for even pro events let alone high school --and that pretty good football team , if I'm not mistaken has won mre state championships than any other school in the nation --check out the water tower and count them -- so don't believe the smoke thats being blown at you

Here is some more smoke - right at you from the city-data statistics. Wow that sounds like some wonderful crime statistics for a nice cozy little town. Maybe this is normal for a trailer park town. And the last time I checked if something is 200 miles away or a 2 hour drive it is not part of that city so if the mountains are 200 miles away then they are no where near Artesia neither is anything else for that matter.

Crime in Artesia (2004):
1 murder (9.4 per 100,000)
8 rapes (74.9 per 100,000)
2 robberies (18.7 per 100,000)
34 assaults (318.4 per 100,000)
344 burglaries (3221.3 per 100,000)
430 thefts (4026.6 per 100,000)
36 auto thefts (337.1 per 100,000)
City-data.com crime index = 521.5 (higher means more crime, US average = 315.1)

[catman]

Ruidoso, a town everyone (including myself) seems to love, has a crime index of 526.6. That's higher than the crime index of Artesia or Las Vegas, another towm regularly trashed.

[spindoc]

Originally Posted by catman

Ruidoso, a town everyone (including myself) seems to love, has a crime index of 526.6. That's higher than the crime index of Artesia or Las Vegas, another towm regularly trashed.

You're probably right - numbers don't tell eveything but here are some trends for the statistics between the two cities:

Crime in Artesia (2002):
City-data.com crime index = 420.7 (higher means more crime, US average = 328.4)

Crime in Artesia (2004):
City-data.com crime index = 521.5 (higher means more crime, US average = 315.1)


Crime in Ruidoso (2002):
City-data.com crime index = 543.8 (higher means more crime, US average = 328.4)

Crime in Ruidoso (2004):
City-data.com crime index = 526.6 (higher means more crime, US average = 315.1)

[Crackerjack]

Mpassaro, I would suggest you visit Artesia first because it sure isn't a town I'd pick for myself, but that is me. You really have to visit it to see if it is right for you.

Qubies - The only smoke that is blowing, is the smoke from all the oil fields around Artesia.

[catman]

Spindoc: Good point about the trends. I've been through Artesia once, and it just seemed like a little hot town out in the flatlands, not much different from a host of towns in West Texas.