Leaving the city life (Albuquerque, Las Cruces: fit in, home, school)

[thomasm]

Looking for a small home or trailer in one of the New Mexico cities not too crowded but active.

Prefer an area where a single middle aged guy fits in well and not too expensive too live.

Any recomendations as to what areas of what cities offers a good social atmosphere.

[Rothbard]

I enjoyed living in Gallup, NM. It's a mostly quiet little town of about 20,000. It's roughly 1/3 white, 1/3 hispanic & 1/3 Navajo. Most of the people you see are Navajo because there is a nearby reservation and folks come into town to do their shopping. I am white and I felt perfectly welcome there.
Gallup is in the Northwest and has a high elevation, which is great if you like a multi-season but mild climate. The summers are warm, but not too hot (really cools off at night, like southern California). The winters are mild too. It snows a few times per year, but usually melts by 10 AM.
As in most small southwestern towns, the cost of living is low. You mentioned you were single and wanted a place where you would fit in. I prefer small towns but just bear in mind that it's harder for a single person to meet people in any small town. If you want an active social scene, the native cultural events (not just for natives, though) might be of interest. To be honest, I can't think of any small town I've lived in anywhere with a truly "active" social scene.
Farmington is another nice town about the same size a little farther north. If you want a REALLY small town (1500-2000 pop.), there are a few of those within an hour or so of Albuquerque, which is convenient- Estancia, Mountainair.
I'm sure there are others who will add input on some of the nice low desert towns farther south like Alamogordo and Las Cruces. I don't know much about them, but I've heard great things. I can only personally vouch for Gallup, though!

[paleo99]

I've met alot of people of your demographic that live around the Socorro area. It has the technical school bringing an influx of interesting people of all ages, very laid back, and cheap living. If you could manage to find work there, I think it would be worth a look.