Retire - Retirement to New Mexico (Santa Fe, Rio Rancho: credit, community college, cost of living)

[psbcap]

I have lived in Florida much of my life and will be retiring in a few years. I would like to find somewhere else to live. Florida is very flat and way to hot from May thru November.

One of the places on my radar is NM and I will fly in over the Xmas holidays, rent a car and spend a week looking around.

My wish list 1st and formost the weather. Not to hot or not to cold. San Diego CA would be perfect but it cost way too much! 2nd some views, no more sea level. 3rd cost of living. I dont want to sink all my money into a house. Just need a modest place with a little land so I can grow some of my food.

I am just looking for a nice town maybe 30k population so it has some ammenities.

Now all you nice people in The Land of Enchantment tell me where to visit.

Thanks


Preston



Posted URL's fixededited by Poncho_NM;

[karmathecat]

I take responsibility for the Tripadvisor url weirdness in Preston's post. I advised he cut n paste and did not realize it'd come out that way.

When you come to NM, check out the East Mountains close to ABQ for the occasional trip in for bigger city amenities but rural enough to give you a small town feel......Edgewood, Moriarty, etc.

[psbcap]

I thought it was odd as well. Thanks for the start. Anyone else?

[Poncho_NM]

Originally Posted by psbcap

no more sea level.

3rd cost of living. I dont want to sink all my money into a house. Just need a modest place with a little land so I can grow some of my food.

I am just looking for a nice town maybe 30k population so it has some ammenities.

Now all you nice people in The Land of Enchantment tell me where to visit.

Thanks


Preston

Preston, I grew up in Miami, got to travel around the world and ended up here in the Albuquerque area 13 years ago. We live in Rio Rancho.

The the highest point in New Mexico is 13,161 feet and the lowest is 2,842 feet. I have listed our cities by population below, you can also go to the entire page here: http://www.city-data.com/city/New-Mexico.html

Housing is one issue, land to grow food is another issue... We are a dry state meaning a lot of it is desert...


Albuquerque, NM 528,497
Las Cruces 93,570
Rio Rancho 82,574
Santa Fe, NM 73,720
Roswell, NM 46,576
South Valley, NM 44,084
Farmington, NM 43,420
Alamogordo 35,984
Clovis, NM 32,899
Hobbs 30,838
Dona Ana-Hill 28,982
South Dona Ana 26,463
Carlsbad, NM 26,259
Red Rock, NM 24,465

If you are flying in our major airport is Albuquerque. From the list above, our family would prefer Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe and Alamogordo. For personal reasons I have a warm spot for Deming... The 30,000 population criteria does not fit with me. And when you come out, one week? My first visit was 3 days, then a week, then 4 months etc... Then we just moved to the Southwest...

So, read through some threads here. There is a lot to absorb. And looking forward for you to come and and visit, and hear what you have to say...

Good luck to you Preston!


Rich

[NMHacker]

Originally Posted by psbcap

2nd some views, no more sea level. 3rd cost of living. I dont want to sink all my money into a house. Just need a modest place with a little land so I can grow some of my food.

I am just looking for a nice town maybe 30k population so it has some ammenities.

Los Lunas sounds like a spot for you. Town is about 15k people not including the surrounding communities. It is situated near and around the Rio Grande. Meaning that there is fertile land that is used for all sort of farming. Lots of irrigation ditches to water your plants. If you are not near an irrigation ditch it only takes a well of about 40' for landscaping water. The main part of town does have city water.

It is 25 minutes from Downtown Albuquerque. Which puts you right were all the Hospitals and other amenities that Los Lunas does not have. Housing is reasonable and slightly less expensive than in Albuquerque.

Oh and the view from many part of Los Lunas. Depending on where you are you get either the Sandia Mountains or the Monzano Mountains.

[Poncho_NM]

Originally Posted by NMHacker

Los Lunas sounds like a spot for you.

I agree. And one reason why the population should not always be used. Sometimes also looking at maps can help.

Los Lunas population 14,362

and nearby Belen population 7,411



Rich

[NMHacker]

Originally Posted by Poncho_NM

I agree. And one reason why the population should not always be used. Sometimes also looking at maps can help.

Los Lunas population 14,362

and nearby Belen population 7,411



Rich

All of these communities are in the immediate area of Los Lunas also.

Bosque Farms Pop. 4,092

Los Chaves Pop. 5,419

Peralta Pop. 3,626

================================================== ==========================

Valencia County Pop. 72,913

Most of those 72k people are situated along the river between Bosque Farms and Belen.

[psbcap]

Rich and Hacker this is just the type of info I am looking for. One thing you did not address is the weather. Can you tell me more?

Rich where in Miami are you from?

Preston

[Dancingearth]

sunny sunny sunny dry no humidity very few bugs....lovely

I have a friend that lives in the East Mountains and she can grow veggies - she's closer to the mountain and gets more rain because of it. I don't think it's inexpensive though but I don't know since the housing crash.

I know people who live in Bosque Farms - very nice. We walked to the Rio Grande from there. That's the area I'd pick if I could live somewhere other than Santa Fe. Have to be here for my job.

[GregW]

I suggest looking somewhere along the Rio Grande Bosque (woods). There is some small plot irrigated farmland all along the river from Santa Fe to Las Cruces. I have no idea about the prices but you can find a lot about the climate and wealther right here on City Data.