Santa Fe, New Mexico: What They Don't Tell You (Albuquerque: for sale, 2013)
Santa FeSanta Fe County
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I also said that $7 an hour is too low for a housekeeper at a major hotel in Albuquerque. However since then I believe that state has raised the minimum wage. The minimum wage, however, is much higher in California.
Actually, this is not true. The minimum wage in Santa Fe will move to $10.29 (from the current $9.85) on March 1. I think that will make it the highest minimum wage in the US. San Francisco is $10.24 and the California state law is $8.00.
As for your other comments, I think that you are ascribing your own feelings to everyone else.
So I don't know where you get your ideas unless you had blinders on while you were in New Mexico and only saw what you wanted to see. I'm sorry you had a bad experience. But I don't think you can criticize Santa Fe and Albuquerque the way you do while comparing Sedona favorably using your criteria, the facts just don't add up. Sedona is primarily a city of rich, old, white people. Santa Fe and Albuquerque are not, and are more diverse by far than Sedona.
Very Well Said.
I have spent a lot of time in Sedona, Santa Fe and Albuquerque. I am a upper middle class Hispanic. I can tell you from my experience that I have felt more isolated in Sedona than almost anywhere else I have visited and that is a lot of places. I have a very diverse lifestyle. I like to eat at hole in the wall places as well as places like Dahl & DiLuca. I will shop at Fashion Island in Orange County and at Wal-Mart as I did last night. Point being that I experience all facets of many communities and Sedona just never felt inviting to this middle class Hispanic.
Hi Everyone - My husband and I have been visiting Santa Fe for many years and are considering a relocation to Santa Fe in the next year. We have always found folks here friendly - which is a big part of the draw for us. We're looking for a sense of community and opportunities to get involved and feel a part of things. We met an older couple on our way here that had lived in Santa Fe for 10 years and currently live in Portland and were very surprised by their account of living in Santa Fe. They said that "educated white people" (sorry - direct quote) were treated poorly by locals and long-time residents and that it was a hostile enviornment to move to. They described an environment with Mexican gangs, feeling unsafe and high crime. We'd love to hear thoughts on their comments - it just didnt' fit for what we've experienced here over the last 15 years of visiting. Thanks!
I just say come out and try it. Its a friendly environment, at least from what I have experienced here. I don't think I ever recall a situation where I was ever treated poorly. But maybe I haven't been here that long. There is (or seems to be) an insider/outsider mentality here, but I found that if you treat people the way you want to be treated you will be fine. I haven't experienced any hostility in SF ever. And I'm black.
how much is average rent-like 2 bedroom apartment in Santa Fe???? I went there as a tourist last year and met one asian shopkeeper there in plaza area. She said that they are struggling there as cost of living is very high in Santa Fe.
Average rent is one dollar per square foot per month. Depending on neighborhood it might be a little more or less than that, but that's a good yardstick to go by.
After nearly seven years, two cents on Santa Fe as it relates to what you heard from that other couple is this... I find this place to be lacking a middle class. There are plenty of political and economic reasons for that, but that's an entirely different discussion. Most people here seem to be well-off or just scrapping by. New Mexico is interesting in that it has the most Phd's per capita of any state... at the sometime however, half of the adult population cannot read at a sixth grade level. With a large class differences like that, I'm thinking it just depends what circle you run in as to what kind of experience your going to have.
The reason why it might seem that New Mexico has a high level of PhDs per capita is exactly that: the state has just hovering around 2 million "capita" to count. The level of poverty "per capita" is extraordinarily high, too. Also, the percentage non-whites is only a slight majority because the total population is so low. Keep in mind the low population in one of the largest states in land area before considering "rates" of anything.
And most of the PhD's work in Los Alamos - as there are very few State government jobs which either require nor desire any college education higher than a Bachelor's.
how much is average rent-like 2 bedroom apartment in Santa Fe???? I went there as a tourist last year and met one asian shopkeeper there in plaza area. She said that they are struggling there as cost of living is very high in Santa Fe.
If they're going to complain about the cost of living in Santa Fe they should try San Francisco on for size for a while and see how long it is before they change their tune.
Now factor in the Cost of Living in, say, San Francisco on $9.36 as Minimum Wage vs Santa Fe or anywhere else in New Mexico.
If you do THAT math, it's clear who wins. Then add the Shorter Waiting Lists for Income Based Housing to the equation.....
Now factor in the difference in cost of car ownership (keeping in mind that nowhere in New Mexico except Albuquerque do you just HAVE to smog your car just to get its Plates) and again, viola, who's the winner......
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