New Mexico: a well kept secret in the USA? (Silver City: university, living in)

[crayola]

I frequently spend time trying to decide what states I would be willing to live in after college, and of course Southern California calls out, as well as Georgia, and possibly North Carolina. I never really considered New Mexico, but after spending a bit of time looking at pictures, and features of the state, it looks like it may be a nice place to live.

My main criteria is the weather. Michigan winters are killing me, and maybe after I leave for a few years I will come to miss the snow, but right now I'm ready to get out. The weather there looks nice, not overly hot like Phoenix and obviously much warmer than Michigan. The whole landscape looks interesting actually.

Of course there will need to be jobs, and I'm going into Information Systems, so I'm not sure how that outlook is there.

But overall is New Mexico as pleasant of a place as it seems to me?

[chilegal]

Originally Posted by crayola

I frequently spend time trying to decide what states I would be willing to live in after college, and of course Southern California calls out, as well as Georgia, and possibly North Carolina. I never really considered New Mexico, but after spending a bit of time looking at pictures, and features of the state, it looks like it may be a nice place to live.

My main criteria is the weather. Michigan winters are killing me, and maybe after I leave for a few years I will come to miss the snow, but right now I'm ready to get out. The weather there looks nice, not overly hot like Phoenix and obviously much warmer than Michigan. The whole landscape looks interesting actually.

Of course there will need to be jobs, and I'm going into Information Systems, so I'm not sure how that outlook is there.

But overall is New Mexico as pleasant of a place as it seems to me?

I am from IL and have been out here for 12 years in the winter, I can visit snow in the mts. I do not miss the midwest winter at all.
I love it here. Good luck on the job hunt.

[Poncho_NM]

Originally Posted by crayola

But overall is New Mexico as pleasant of a place as it seems to me?

It could be, but you really need to come out and see it...


Rich

[40FORDJIM]

Crayola,
We moved here from Michigan also 17 years ago. We live on the SW corner of the state at 6000ft altitude. This moderates the summer heat and you still get just a touch of winter snow. We left any ill feelings of Michigan behind and really enjoy it here.
Employment would probably be the #1 thing for you and jobs are not plentiful (nor anywhere else now). But you should come visit all parts of the state before deciding. There are parts of the state I would not want to live in due to weather or big cities. But that's just my feeling. Good Luck !

[nmnita]

NM is a wonderful state, with lots of scenery, low cost of living, nice climate and nice people. What more is there to say?

Nita

[catman]

40FORDJIM: Silver City sounds like a great place. The SW part of NM is the only part I've never been to. Maybe I'll make it to that part of the state this year! As a professional musician, I'm wondering whether there is any musical opportunity there.

[40FORDJIM]

Silver city has a population around 10,000 right now. It is a small old western town. I seriously doubt that one could earn a living in the musical field. One would have to have some other primary job and there are very few. There is also a university here so there are many students that are employed at several locations.

[dracul]

Professional musicians are rather plentiful everywhere, like artists of other stripes. Unlikely to make a primary living of it in such a small town as Silver City unless you really are a Mozart or a Charlie Parker...even then it would probably be "iffy". Musicians need big cities...patrons...fans...mildly interested foot traffic... for the most part, unless you can create a recording studio, retreat to a NM forest, keep bees and specialize in fine woodworking (not nec. in that order) like the musician Deuter does!!!