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Greetings everyone! I am curious about Silver City and Socorro and am wondering if anybody could compare and contrast the two small college towns. What is the culture like? Cost of living? Aesthetics?
Silver City is higher in elevation and on the verge of the Gila Natl Forest with more of a "touristy" vibe. Its main economic drive used to be the huge copper mining operations nearby. It is more attractive to people seeking a mild year-around climate for their retirement years. The nearest large city with full medical and other amenities is Las Cruces.
Socorro is a sleepier soporific sort of place with a much warmer climate and less pull for tourism and people looking to retire. The main economy is agriculture along with the small university spin-offs. While the town is close to the Rio Grande river bed, with some irrigated farming along the river, the town itself is in a very sparsely vegetated desert setting. Closest large city is Albuquerque for medical and etc.
Choice of which school to attend would depend on individual goals since both have limited curricula:
It is only warmer than SC in the summer, oddly enough.
I agree, but that's pretty much true of all of southern NM at elevations below 6,000 ft. (high desert areas).
Summer temps are more affected by elevation changes. Anyone traveling from 4,000 ft to 7,000 ft (Tularosa to Ruidoso, for example) can feel the cooling effect in summer. Silver City is at 6,000 ft.
Temps in winter tend to depend on frontal systems and how they impact each locale in the state. But even so, in winter the highway in Tularosa can be bone dry and yet become covered by snow as one approaches Ruidoso, even though there is not much difference in temperature at the time.
Socorro is the land of trailers once you get out of the downtown. The historic square is nice, with farmer's markets and different festivals held there. Some mountain views west over the trailers, but not much else.
Silver City has many artsy type places and thrift stores, and is much closer to mountain view and forest areas than Socorro is. You have to see the copper mine east of town at least once. Also is close to City of Rocks State Park and Faywood Hot Springs, as well as Deming and Mexico access down by Columbus.
If I had to pick one, it would be Silver City hands down.
Socorro is the land of trailers once you get out of the downtown.
The town certainly has its share of mobiles and modulars, but there are some nice houses in the neighborhoods adjacent to the Univ. campus, and a few in the irrigated area between IH-25 and the river.
Socorro is the land of trailers once you get out of the downtown. The historic square is nice, with farmer's markets and different festivals held there. Some mountain views west over the trailers, but not much else.
Silver City has many artsy type places and thrift stores, and is much closer to mountain view and forest areas than Socorro is. You have to see the copper mine east of town at least once. Also is close to City of Rocks State Park and Faywood Hot Springs, as well as Deming and Mexico access down by Columbus.
If I had to pick one, it would be Silver City hands down.
Agreed. However, I am not so sure I would revel in the "artsy" stuff in SC, not that much going on. We like the fact it has a co-op, there is an interesting mix of rancher/farmer types and liberal folks. The downtown is nice and walkable, loved the coffee shop. I found it interesting that the down town is also the local drag, cars driving by slowly with "gangsta" music and tolled down windows right by the coffee shop. One other nice thing is that SC is a gateway to Gila. Not sure what really Socorro has to offer, I thought it was flat and ugly and yes, the trailers down I-25 stick out like sores with the tires on their roofs...
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