Las Cruces vs Albuquerque (Santa Fe, Las Vegas: fit in, crime, mobile home)

[norm]

What is the difference between Las Cruces & Albuquerque with regards to:

Weather
Allergy problems
Shopping
Crime
Racial prejudice

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by norm

What is the difference between Las Cruces & Albuquerque with regards to

:

---Weather

Albuquerque year-round averages:
Average Weather for Albuquerque, NM - Temperature and Precipitation

Las Cruces year-round averages:
Average Weather for Las Cruces, NM - Temperature and Precipitation

Actual temps for DECEMBER 2007, Albuquerque:
Monthly Weather Forecast for Albuquerque, NM - weather.com

Actual temps for DECEMBER 2007, Las Cruces:
Monthly Weather Forecast for Las Cruces, NM - weather.com

Essentially, the difference in weather isn't great, although more pronounced in the colder months. Usually Las Cruces' temps are 7-to-12 degrees warmer than ABQ's in the winter (although both are relatively mild compared to much of the US in the winter). In the summer, Las Cruces' temps are usually only 2-to-5 degrees warmer than Albuquerque's.

Edge in my book weather-wise goes to Las Cruces, but only because LC and El Paso, TX have two of the best climates in the US in my opinion. Winters are milder and slightly shorter and springs/falls are a bit warmer, so LC wins.

However, both average over 310 days of sunshine annually, both are bone-dry deserts, and both have overall mild climates. Slight edge to Las Cruces, but Albuquerque has a great year-round climate too.

---Allergy problems
Allergies always have such disagreement on this forum because they really vary from person-to-person. My wife has the worst allergies of anyone I have ever known, and she's never had a problem of significance ever in either ABQ or LC. The dry desert does wonders for her allergies. However, some people have issues in ABQ and in LC. Overall I wouldn't say there is a great difference between the two for allergies for most people. They have similar climates, vegetation, etc.

---Shopping
Albuquerque is a city of over 500,000 in population with a metro of over 815,000; Las Cruces is shy of 100,000. Thus, much, much more shopping in Albuquerque. Las Cruces is about a 45 minute drive from El Paso, a city of over 600,000 (metro of over 700,000) where shopping would be more comparable to Albuquerque (El Paso has some shopping ABQ doesn't, and the same is true vice/versa).

---Crime
Albuquerque is a city of over 500,000 in population with a metro of over 815,000; Las Cruces is shy of 100,000. Thus, like most big cities v. smaller towns, crime stats are much higher in Albuquerque. There are many sections of Albuquerque that are very safe and there are a few parts that are very sketchy...again, like most big cities. Las Cruces is relatively safe but does have crime too. However, assuming you'd live in one of the many places in Albuquerque that is pretty safe versus the areas that are sketchy, I would say that there wouldn't be a huge difference "felt" to you...you would just need to decide on big v. small city.

---Racial prejudice
There aren't many differences here either between the two.

Really, the decision between the two should be more about if you'd prefer A) a big city v. a smaller town (that is still fairly close to a big city), B) if you prefer the climate of Central NM or the Southern NM one, and C) which area (Central NM or Southern NM) you like more.

[norm]

EnjoyEP,

I can't thank you enough for you reply, it looks like I will be visiting both cities this spring along with Reno. The one answer that is kind of muddy is about racial prejudice. Does your answer mean that there isn't too much of it in either place or that it is very prevalent in both cities?

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by norm

EnjoyEP,

I can't thank you enough for you reply, it looks like I will be visiting both cities this spring along with Reno.

Reno seems to be pretty nice. It is a cooler (weather-wise I am speaking about) version of Albuquerque. Weather-wise, you could kind of say that Reno is to Albuquerque what Albuquerque is to Las Cruces. All are relatively sunny and dry though.

Originally Posted by norm

The one answer that is kind of muddy is about racial prejudice. Does your answer mean that there isn't too much of it in either place or that it is very prevalent in both cities?

Well, racial prejudice is such a hesitant subject for me on this message board because it is such a subjective thing. You'll find tons of people coming onto this board saying silly things like "it is a fact that such-and-such area is filled with racists" when any freshman-year college course would have taught them that such a statement is logically not a fact, it is one's opinion.

Unlike things like weather where average temps / cloudiness v. sunshine, etc. can be easily tracked or measured etc., or shopping where a number of stores / malls etc. can be shown, or crime can be ranked by crime stats, etc., racial prejudice is a highly subjective matter, given to one person's own personal experiences, perceptions (whether warranted or accurate or not), anecdotes, etc.

Does it exist? Of course it does. It has from the beginning of time and will until the end. It exists everywhere and anywhere.

Now that I have said all of that! ...

I am a white guy. I couldn't get much whiter. I lived for 4+ years in Albuquerque which is pretty much split between white folks and Hispanic / Mexican folks - 45% or so for each category. I never once experienced racism - that I was aware of - in Albuquerque.

When I have been in Las Cruces, which has been alot, there the Hispanic / Mexican population is even greater, as you can imagine being so close to the Mexican border. Again, I - personally - never once experienced racism that I was aware of.

Nor, was I PERSONALLY aware of anyone who felt they had experienced racism in either city either.

However, there will be some that will come here and say "oh, Albuquerque is full of racists" or "Las Cruces is a racist haven", etc.

Again, part of this may be true. Part of this may be the attitude of the person themself. Part of it may be a false perception. Who knows?

I really think in general people in Las Cruces and Albuquerque are pretty laid back, open, friendly, accepting people. They are used to seeing a mix of races in this area, so they typically are a kind of "live and let live" kind of folk, regardless of if they are white, Mexican / Hispanic, African American, etc. However, are there exceptions to the rule? Absolutely. Just like there are racists in Portland, San Diego, Dallas, Jacksonville, Louisville, Albany, St. Louis, Tampa, and in ever other city and town in between, you'll find racists in Las Cruces and Albuquerque.

However, I don't think a worry over being disliked because of your race should stop you from considering either of these two cities.

[norm]

Thanks again. I was brought up in a New York City ghetto and now live in a suburb of NYC so I have been at both ends of the prejudice spectrum. I am white (raised in a very mixed community) my wife is a dark skinned white who speaks Spanish and is always taken to be a Latina. Our son was adopted from Columbia.

I just wanted to make sure that the place we chose to move to has a live and let live atmosphere.

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by norm

Thanks again. I was brought up in a New York City ghetto and now live in a suburb of NYC so I have been at both ends of the prejudice spectrum. I am white (raised in a very mixed community) my wife is a dark skinned white who speaks Spanish and is always taken to be a Latina. Our son was adopted from Columbia.

I just wanted to make sure that the place we chose to move to has a live and let live atmosphere.

No problem Norm. I think you'll find that this area of the country ABQ / LC is pretty much as "live and let live" as you'll find. With your family's racial diversity, I think you'd feel very comfortable in either city, I really do.

[norm]

I'm going to bother you with two more questions about Las Cruces.

1. What is the long term outlook water availability from the aquifer and other water sources on a long term basis.

2. What is the political atmosphere i.e. moderate, liberal or conservative.

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by norm

I'm going to bother you with two more questions about Las Cruces.

1. What is the long term outlook water availability from the aquifer and other water sources on a long term basis.

No bother at all Norm, although I am afraid that hopefully some local currently in Las Cruces would be better equipped to address this question. I am sorry...I just can't be too specific with this as I have never resided in Las Cruces (only spent extensive time there). I hope someone else will see this and help out here - I don't want to give you bad info.

I do know that while water is a very scarce, precious resource in any desert city, that the cities of Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and even El Paso have done a much better job of equipping themselves water-wise for the long-haul then some other counterparts in the Southwest like Phoenix or, more notably, Las Vegas NV. (The Chama River water project in Albuquerque is a good example).

It can be an issue that everyone in a desert city should be aware of, but I would say that I wouldn't worry too much about it if looking to relocate into the area.

Originally Posted by norm

2. What is the political atmosphere i.e. moderate, liberal or conservative.

Fairly moderate. You'll find Democrats (who are some of the more conservative Democrats in the nation...nothing like NY Democrats) and Republicans (who are a mix of very conservative and very moderate Republicans). But you'll find a good mix. Steve Pearce is the local congressman (representing Southern NM of which Las Cruces is a part obviously) and is a fairly conservative Republican. However, Las Cruces has a large Hispanic / Mexican population who still tends to be more Democratic than Republican - although that can vary by election.

I do observe that New Mexican Democrats outside of Santa Fe, Taos, and the artsy/hippie/college area of Albuquerque, tend to be very conservative Democrats if that makes sense in that they are more fiscal and international-affairs liberals but socially are rather conservative (as it applies to abortion, gay marriage, etc.). For instance, Bill Richardson the popular governor who is a Democrat is very outspoken against the Iraq War, however, is relatively pro-gun, etc.

I think if you are Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Green, conservative, liberal, or moderate, you'll fit in rather fine in a pocket in Las Cruces (or Albuquerque) as long as you aren't terribly obnoxious about it. The only areas where a Republican/conservative might not fit in as well would be Santa Fe or Taos, and a Democrat/liberal might not fit in as well would be some East Mountain communities (suburbs of Albuquerque), the military areas, and the eastern plains.

[funkymonkey]

Originally Posted by norm

I'm going to bother you with two more questions about Las Cruces.

1. What is the long term outlook water availability from the aquifer and other water sources on a long term basis.

From what I understand, the city of Las Cruces believes there is enough water to last quite a while.

2. What is the political atmosphere i.e. moderate, liberal or conservative.

I'd say both areas are pretty moderate, though Las Cruces does tend to be a little more conservative and Albuquerque a little more liberal.

[smarino]

Having lived in Reno and Albq, and now off to live in Las Cruces, I would point out the weather differences. Reno and Albq get much colder winters. Snow and iced roads for instance. Two things come to mind about Reno. One, the day that I walked 25 minutes to work and arrived w/ snow frozen to my beard, and two, the day that I looked around the corner from my desk clerk job and saw someone cross country skiing. In the street! That's when I decided that Reno winters were not for me, and I have not been through another one since. Also, Reno is a gambling town, w/ all that goes w/ that. While I loved the University area in Albq, the whole city is quite spread out, and for sure the crime is much worse than Las Cruces. Keep in mind though that the word is out about Las Cruces and people are moving there. It will change the city. Just days after we bought a mobile home there I read in the paper that they had approved a development on the East side that was going to add up to 60,000 homes! It may become another Albq somewhere down the line, but for now I found the town to be smaller, safer, and friendlier. There is a feeling of optimism, right now anyway, while I felt that Albq just had too many ongoing problems that didn't seem to be getting any better. It seemed that much of the political energy and money was going to law enforcement (and w/ good reason) and addressing other quality of life issues, while Las Cruces seems to be looking more toward the future. I also found the fact that L.C budgets $500,000 a year for graffiti removal to have great meaning. It's very wise. Maybe it's because there are a lot of retirees there, but the focus seems to be on keeping the city safe and clean, which is exactly the sort of place I want to be. W/ that comes a certain amount of boredom if you don't have ways to entertainment yourself. There isn't a casino, and in general there are less places to go and things to do than there would be in the two other cities you are interested in.