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First and foremost, I'm hoping this doesn't turn into a Vegas vs. ABQ thread. Either way, what say you about these two desert states with many similarities and differences . . .
History?
Economy?
Scenery?
Diversity?
Food?
Architecture?
Cost of Living?
Long term outlook?
etc...
History . . . New Mexico
Economy . . .Nevada
Scenery . . . New Mexico
Diversity . . . Toss
Food . . . Toss
Architecture . . . New Mexico
Cost of Living . . . Nevada
Long term outlook . . . New Mexico
In terms of tourists and residents I feel both states for the most part attract a different type of clientele.
History? New Mexico
Economy? Both are equally horrible
Scenery? New Mexico
Diversity? New Mexico
Food? Nevada for fine dining, but otherwise New Mexico
Architecture? Nothing really exciting about either
Cost of Living? New Mexico
Long term outlook? Hard to say. Both have a lot of potential and a lot of problems (long-term water rights, poverty, cruddy economy, corruption, poor infrastructure, poor education system) that need to be addressed before that potential is realized. Whatever state elects smarter, stronger leaders in the next two decades will probably succeed the most.
Last edited by Dawn.Davenport; 11-29-2014 at 04:49 PM..
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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History: New Mexico, from the pre-Columbian history at Taos Pueblo to the echoes of a Spanish colonial past in Santa Fe, New Mexico has a more palpable and older history. Northern Nevada has some interesting mining towns in the north, however Las Vegas has scrapped most of its historical relics of the past.
Economy: Just like DD stated above, both are horrible. New Mexico is not as subjected to the boom and bust cycles that Nevada has, it just plateaus. Reno just scored the new Tesla plant though so good on them for that at least. NM was in the running for it but the governor here couldn't have cared less about it.
Scenery: New Mexico, it has more variation from the Rockies in the north, high desert mesas, the Rio Grande Valley, White Sands, Shiprock, the Caverns, and its eastern plains. Nevada has more featureless desert than any other state in the Southwest, though it does have a part of Lake Tahoe and Death Valley.
Diversity: Nevada, pretty much because the whole world from all walks of life have come through Vegas. New Mexico is a tri-cultural mix of Hispanic, White, and Native American and not very much else.
Food: New Mexico for Mexican, but in terms of food one could likely find anything their heart desires in Vegas.
Architecture: New Mexico, though the adobe/pueblo look can be repetitive, the state has originality and character all its own. There isn't a city anywhere else that looks like Santa Fe.
Cost of Living: They're both cheap aren't they? NM has pretty cheap utilities and gas as well. I'm guessing housing in Vegas is likely a tad more expensive (underwater mortgages notwithstanding).
Long term outlook: Education is abysmal in both states. Until they get they're act together on that front (I'm not holding my breath) I don't see any real prosperity landing in either state. Nevada does benefit a bit more from being near California though.
Last edited by Champ le monstre du lac; 11-29-2014 at 06:14 PM..
Cost of Living: They're both cheap aren't they? NM has pretty cheap utilities and gas as well. I'm guessing housing in Vegas is likely a tad more expensive (underwater mortgages notwithstanding).
Actually, I believe NM has more affordable housing. And I remember when I lived in Vegas, Nevada Power had the highest energy rates in the nation. It was criminal how much we paid for our electric bills. One summer our monthly bill was $450 for an 850 sq foot home, and we kept our thermostat set at a very modest 78. Nevada Power had a monopoly on the entire state (maybe they still do?). Water wasn't cheap either.
I believe NM is significantly more affordable than NV overall.
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
10,745 posts, read 23,801,634 times
Reputation: 14660
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bobloblawslawblog
Actually, I believe NM has more affordable housing. And I remember when I lived in Vegas, Nevada Power had the highest energy rates in the nation. It was criminal how much we paid for our electric bills. One summer our monthly bill was $450 for an 850 sq foot home, and we kept our thermostat set at a very modest 78. Nevada Power had a monopoly on the entire state (maybe they still do?). Water wasn't cheap either.
I believe NM is significantly more affordable than NV overall.
Everything else in your post was spot-on.
Doesn't NV have a fairly low priority on water intake from the Colorado River? I never would have guessed electricity would be so expensive there. NM and AZ have a lot of big coal burning plants on the Res. Where are Nevada Power's sources for power, or is it just a mob like operation?
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