It may be not a great state to live in but I gotta say it’s one of the most underrated states when it comes to natural beauty. It’s got some majestic mountains!
That's good to know. I'm considering NM as I have stage 4 cancer and NM is affordable and has death with dignity. I don't want hospice. Mountains and hills are important, though I suspect there are not many trees. I never been to a desert and that's what I picture.
@@MsThebeMoon I'm sorry about your diagnosis. There's actually quite a few mountain towns in New Mexico and it can resemble some of the mountains of Colorado (I live at 7000 ft) I would suggest that you check in the general area around Santa Fe and Albuquerque if you will need to be close to medical care since that's where the most hospitals are. There are other places around the state that have mountains and trees (mostly evergreens) but that could leave you up to 3 or more hours from a major hospital. And you don't need to know Spanish 😊
New Mexico was my favorite place to work wildfire. The summer weather is wonderful. Pretty much zero humidity. No mosquitoes, few flies. Hot days, yes, but your sweat evaporates immediately so you stay comfortable, cool even cold nights perfect for sleeping. Best food anywhere in the US. Natural beauty everywhere. Biggest elk I've ever seen. Trout. Turkey. Mountain lions. Silver, turquoise, art, architecture, history. Most importantly, nice, nice, friendly people.
New Mexico has always been my favorite place to visit in the US. The summers were beautiful and I loved everything about it. I haven’t been there in awhile but I don’t remember bad roads. I remember great food and extraordinary beautiful scenery. I’ve wanted to live there for so long. I’m from New York and have lived in California. It’s still a dream of mine.
Having lived in Northern NM for 35 years and frequently traveled through the nearby states of CO, UT and AZ... Thank you, thank you, thank you for this negative review of NM! It should help keep the hordes of "coasters" from moving into New Mexico and ruining the place like they have all our neighboring states! Freeway along the Front Range in CO now looks like the freeways of LA. Same for the freeways in SLC along the Wasatch Range. Tucson and Phoenix? Explosive growth with too many people and crowding now present. I like the quiet and the wide open spaces of NM. Winters are also fairly mild for a western Rocky Mountain state. Summers are not that hot if you living above 5,000 feet elevation (which most do here). Yeah, the SE section is the pits and I don't much care for ABQ but the rest of the state is nice. For some people the positives (esp. the lack of overcrowding and mild winters) are worth an awful lot.
Don't worry, with the fact that you all can't get your crime rate under control you all are doing a fine job ruining it yourselves. I was stationed in NM for four years. I met a lot of wonderful people there, but crime is so out of control, and it shouldn't be. That and the fact that NM is one of the few states that tax retirement residual income makes it a giant "NOPE" for me.
I just moved to T or C from Denver, it’s a radical change, which is why I like it. There’s some really nice hiking spots around, including Turtleback Mountain and the townspeople are pretty friendly. Yeah drugs are a problem here but they were a problem in Denver too, along with every city and town in America, so there’s really no escaping that.
My thoughts exactly. We don't need any more transplants. Especially if you're too closed-minded to see what a beautiful place it is. Yes, Albuquerque has crime. Yes, it's a relatively poor state. I still love it even after having lived in a few other places (CA, NY, OH). There's much more good here than bad.
My wife and I just came back from vacation in NM ! We fell in love with it and are thinking of retiring there soon ! We're from AZ and hate the heat.....NM is slightly larger than AZ with a quarter the population...can't beat that !
Devil's Hwy. (US 491) is called "Devil's Hwy.", not because it's a dangerous road, but because it used to be designated as US 666. In 2003, the route number was changed to US 491 mainly because too many people were stealing the "US 666" signs.
I lived in Shiprock, New Mexico for 13 years. I don't know how dangerous the road is now, but when I was there it was a dangerous road. The section of the road on the reservation had a lot of accidents due to people driving under the influence.
666 , is not the devil's number anyway it's 999, devil will reverse everything. Satan exploits ignorance thru lies n deception, Those that deceive shall be deceived in the end. I ran with the devil's crowd but grew up the hard way , embrace Christ n his teachings is the only way towards salvation, that or end up like those stolen 666signs your soul stolen thru a lie n deceit.
Native New Mexican here. My ancestors came here from Texas over a 100 years ago to ranch and stayed. I’ve lived in San Diego and LA but glad to be home again because the best part of this state is you can drive for miles and miles without seeing one city after another. It’s wide open spaces everywhere and most of that is open to the public. I don’t worry about people moving here and changing it because that hasn’t happened since NM became a state in 1912. 😂
There’s no perfect state, I’ve lived in 7 states throughout my life, but when I moved up to northern NM to Los Alamos in 1975 from Chicago area I fell in love with this state. Friendly people that are laid-back, multi-cultures, beautiful blue skies, mountains, desert areas, lots of open land, nice weather - noting too harsh. I like that this state isn’t over populated and hope it stays that way!!!
@@Eric_Von_Yesselstyn what are you even saying, it's a desert but not like they make it out to be , it's not desolate, and it gets really cold , sometimes the winter is really harsh, Albuquerque is dangerous, New Mexico is a country of it's own, we are not Mexico either we have different Cultures and people,
@@Eric_Von_Yesselstyn idk, I gotta agree with you... And I live here!! LOL 😆 in reality tho it's not as "harsh" as most deserts in the world, but still very much a desert. Despite that, the weather here is pretty chill and unique
I traveled all over the USA looking for a place to retire and I chose a small rural town in south central NM. Love it here as a refugee from the SF area. Friendly, affordable, beautiful, funky and wild. What is there not to like? Keep New Mexico underpopulated!
I moved to Silver City, New Mexico a couple of years ago for retirement and I love it. Great scenery, great food, favorable climate, housing is cheaper and so are taxes compared to Arizona. Crime in my area is low and the people are friendly. Here in southwest NM, we lack many of the problems cited in the video.
@@AngelaB2024 The isolation is an asset that many treasure. In the summer, visitors from El Paso, Tucson, and Phoenix flock here for the mild summer temperatures and isolation.
You should have seen the place before the mine shut down. It had an energy that is gone now. I still like Silver City, but it's half way to a ghost town now.
I'm really missing Las Cruces and can't wait to move back! Right now, I'm stuck in Denver, CO, and honestly, it's not my vibe. There are just way too many people, and the cost of living is insane. Las Cruces is so much more affordable, plus the weather is just right. The best part? The food! You can pop into any little restaurant, and it's guaranteed to be amazing. I left because the job market was pretty rough, mostly low-paying service jobs. If I could make what I do in Colorado, I'd be living the good life in Las Cruces. I'm planning to make the move back in the next five years!
Thanks for helping to keep people out of our awesome state. I absolutely love it here & can think of nowhere else I would rather live (and yes, I’ve lived in 2 overseas countries and over 10 other states).
Happy to add my voice to those thanking you for discouraging people from moving to NM and turning it into another Arizona. I’ve lived in Santa Fe for eleven years and have no air conditioner because the temps on some high desert summer nights can drop into the fifties. Yes, we’re rural, we’re poor, we’re proudly Hispanic and Native American and like not being like every green-front lawn boring suburban state in America. And thanks for not mentioning the food. Oh, man, the southwestern cuisine. I mean - sorry - the food is terrible here. Just terrible!
I have been living in New Mexico since 2017 and I have no idea what you are talking about. The statistics you are using include the Indian reservations. If you are not Native American, issues like no wifi do not apply at all. I have not run into one person here who did not speak English. I do not speak Spanish. The cost of living here is great. 5 bedroom house for $223k. We have free colllege and legal pot, which is financing preschool and childcare. I have the most friends I have ever had. All of them are extremely well educated and interesting. We have every imaginable group of religions. Art is everywhere, even on public trash cans. New Mexico is a beautiful state full of art galleries, hot springs, hiking trails, and balloons. The sunsets are amazing and the people are laid back and friendly. I always trusted your videos, but now I'm beginning to wonder. Who the hell did you talk to?
It's nice to see someone likes the place! I traveled through NM ages and ages ago, and loved the place. It is the only hot-weather state I would even consider moving to... if not for the growing problem of water supply. Do you worry about that at all?
The crime rate is off the rails. I used to live there. Stats say it is, so it is. Stats are facts. Facts matter. Opinions aren't facts, so they don't matter.
I have to say, the last time I was in the SW, I couldn't get over the differences between AZ and NM. In New Mexico I just felt this very relaxed, easygoing vibe, which was directly the opposite of what I got in AZ. Not slagging anybody's home state, just saying the atmosphere seemed very different somehow. Sort of like Northern Cali vs. SoCal.
I'm from AZ but left 33 years ago as it was already overpopulated. NM is a different animal as you can find a place out a ways and not be concerned about developers building a high rise or subdivision in your back yard. They are still recklessly building in the Phoenix area planning for like 750,000 new homes by 2040 which is insane.
Grew up in NM, and came back for a short time in my early 20s, but the lack of decent jobs or even decent paying jobs, was the single worst part of living there. I miss the culture, the people, the weather, the whole feeling of the state, but if you can’t make a living, then it makes it hard to stay.
That is the only thing that is making me want to leave. It’s nearly a year since I got here and I’m still not sure mainly because of my pay and the type of job I have, companies in other states pay much more 😢
2:14 I was born in Las Cruces, NM and just as I was entering elementary school, my parents moved the whole family to rural Pennsylvania. Once my youngest sibling graduated high school, my parents turned right back around and returned to NM. Apparently they liked it but not enough to screw up our education lol. Thanks, mom and dad! 😂
I grew up in Seattle in the 1970s. My family is from New Mexico and Southern Colorado. You DON'T want people to "discover" your state because all it will do is push out the middle class. Seattle in the 1970s was very blue collar, but losing population to the suburbs. After 1990, the tech jobs came, and most of us who lived here got pushed out. Lucky for me that my parents bought their house cheap in 1966 and is now worth $$$$. I sold it and moved to the so called ritzy Eastside of Seattle. I am blessed, but I know many who are not😢
n New Mexico will be part of Mexico if the" Reconquista" crowd has their way. They include former gov. "Cowboy Bill" Richardson. With third worlders flooding in, it won't be long. IK have a front row seat, goodie?
Where is this New Mexico “middle class” of which you speak? A few developments around Alb and Rio Rancho? I’ve been all over NM. I love it precisely because it’s like a third world country: a few islands of rich, a sea of poverty, and almost nothing in the middle. This is the recipe for desperate adventure and fatalism, not to mention interesting food.
Seeing it in Austin. Many of the kids that grew up there in the 80s, early 90s are now adults that must inherit wealth, become high earners or move outward as they cannot afford the high cost of home ownership/rental in the city proper.
I used to live in NM. I still live just 30 miles away across the border in TX. NM is a beautiful state with wonderful food and a unique blend of cultures. They need a serious change in state government but they keep voting in the same type of leadership. That's too bad.
I would say they same I'm from California and I assure you Democrats are not any better ..😂 LA is disgusting I mean DISGUSTING..atleast you don't pay high taxes or cost of living like we do
I was stationed at Holloman AFB back in the mid seventies. After a year overseas, I returned to Alamogordo and packed up my uhaul and started out for the Univ of Tennessee. Got as far as Artesia and realized that I really liked the area and headed back. I enjoyed the desert and the mountains equally. So, enrolled at New Mexico State in Cruces and completed a graduate degree in Chemical Engineering. Great education that served me well. Live in Montana now, but just spent a month and half in Alamogordo as a snowbird. Pretty easy town, but I can understand why it might not be for everyone. But then, what place is. You can have Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
@@Psmitty97 Not while I was there, but a few years later came across some of the stories related to the landing. I remember reading about the air force sargeant that claimed to have been abducted by aliens. Now I want to re-watch select X-Files reruns for some reason.
I just moved to Las cruces New Mexico from Orlando Florida. Life is slow ,dusty ,windy, and there is nowhere to shop. I will be going back to Florida in a few years.
Go back to Florida as soon as you can New Mexico is a crap hole I've been living here for 20 years and soon I will be moving to Kansas I hate New Mexico with a passion too many crackheads and too many violence
Great content as always. I plan to move from Alabama to New Mexico once my elderly father passes on. I love it, it suits me perfectly since I don't really have to be concerned with most of the negatives you mention. I can understand why many people won't consider it, but for me, it's ideal. Of course, the crime rate is concerning, but like most places I think it depends on what area you live in. Plus, I tend to keep to myself. For me, personally, the good far outweighs the bad.
I lived in NM for four years. Outside of some pockets where crime isn't bad, MOST of NM is very high in crime. Their communities have a much higher per capita crime rate than they should have.
I'm in the same situation. Taking care of an elderly father in Florida and am moving to New Mexico afterwards. I've lived there a total of 4 years in two different locations. It has its issues but if you love the outdoors its wonderful. I love that in a country of close to 340 million there's a state that's almost twice the size of Florida with about 20 million less people. Thankfully there are still states like New Mexico. Some of what Briggs said is accurate, some overstated, some greatly exaggerated.
I agree. Attitude and being comfortable in a rural lifestyle helps. Spiders and snakes don't bother me either. Plus a 12 Guage shotgun helps if you don't mind shooting the two legged varmints if need be. 😉
New Mexico is ideal for retirees. Great scenery, great food, favorable climate, housing is cheaper and so are taxes compared to Arizona. Crime in my area is low and the people are friendly. I live in the mountains near a national forest where these are many beautiful hiking trails.
I was traveling there recently. Someone described it as the Mississippi of the west. Poor and undereducated was their implication. I found the natural scenery phenomenal. The fact that much of the state is above 5,000 feet makes it cold in winter and pleasant in summer. Low housing prices were in evidence too. All this combined sets the state up for and influx of people. The crime likely isn’t bad in the smaller towns which is where the retirees will head. I’d go there in a heartbeat but I’m happy with my life as it is and I’m not likely to change at age 70+.
Lol@ lower crime in small town. That is 100% incorrect. I was roped into going there to help out a relative, and it was the worst 18 months of my life. You'd have to pay me 7 figures a year to live there.
I'm thinking of retiring in NM. I started looking into it because it passed death with dignity act. I have stage 4 cancer and I do not want hospice. And NM is the most affordable that offers that. I'm in AR now, a transplant from NY. I like low population and beautiful scenery. I never been to the desert. I'm a woods person but I do like my mountains and hills. Hope to make a road trip this year. I'll look for a rural small town with elevation - can't handle heat like I used to.
the small towns are no different and its worse because you almost cant get away from it in a small town. this was once the wild west and because the state has grown so incredibly slow with never any major outside influence from massive waves of people pourng into the state, i think the lawlessness from those days of the old west have carried into this day and age. carlsbad is ok but its pretty bad too and i think gallups has the highest rate of crime
IDK about some of these items. I lived in NM for 10 years. We called it the Land of Disenchantment because you got sucked in by the natural beauty and the low cost of living, but then you were stuck there. I left because there were no decent jobs, no men, no water, and a backwards govt administration that wanted to keep the place backwards. That's a lot of why NM is the way it is: because the powers that be in Santa Fe don't want to see it change. I'm surprised there aren't dinosaurs wandering around on the West Mesa in Albuquerque in fact. I went there to attend New Mexico Tech, the #1 best kept secret in the state. Excellent science and engineering school. You can get a world class education at NMT and graduate without a buttload of debt. But when you do, high tail it outta Dodge.
Hmm, if I bring my man, and luck up with a great job, I'm still Very concerned about no water....interesting...idk if I can give up the rain and luscious greenery of NC
@@pendamoniumpaladin1798 Good answer. So did someone set up a lot of positive answers? Sure looks that way. NM continues to vote left yet those great leftists haven't improved things in,,, maybe forever? Wonder why?
I moved to New Mexico in my 50s, having lived previously in the Midwest, the Deep South, and the Pacific Northwest. Most of the items on your list make sense, except for one: Climate. The climate here is fantastic, *especially* if you compare it to Arizona. Arizona is far, far hotter and the effect of drought on water is going to be a much bigger problem in Arizona. You talked about critters in NM, but there bugs and snakes here are far less common than in Florida, where people are flocking to. It is true that NM is poor and undereducated, but if that keeps us from being overcrowded like Phoenix or Florida, I'm good with that.
I agree. Briggs has done some good research, but he missed it big on the climate. I suspect he doesn't know the difference between AZ and NM climate or just checked the daily temps in Carlsbad and Roswell. As for the roads, some are lousy, but in many states, some a lousy.
@@laverdadbuscador Yep, I totally get that. As someone who used to spend time on the shores of Lake Michigan, I can understand that desire. I just decided I prefer mountains over water.
10. People think it is part of Mexico 9. People think it is too 'New' and want to wait a while until it works out any kinks 8. People can't find it on a map 7. People can't pronounce or spell Albukurke(sp?) and believe they would be embarrassed if they move there 6. That's where those space aliens landed, isn't it? 5. The only food is Mexican food and that gives some people indigestion 4. That's where all that nuclear testing was done. Don't go if you don't want to glow. 3. You're not allowed to live there if you don't have a security clearance, right? 2. They went to Chicago and tried to get there by driving on Route 66, but it stopped somewhere in Missouri 1. Didn't want to have to deal with Wiley Coyote's shenanigans trying to catch the Roadrunner.
My wife and I grew up in Albuquerque, but left in 1991 due to the rising crime and not really wanting to raise our children there. We still have a soft spot for the state and are going back this fall to see the Balloon Fiesta again, but am not really sure we would want to live there again. We have lived in the Minneapolis area for the past 26 years, and other than the winters, much prefer the state. But New Mexico will always have a place in our hearts. Despite all its problems, it truly is The Land of Enchantment.
😂 Why on earth would you voluntarily move to Minnesnowda. That’s something people don’t generally do unless work forces them to go there. Too much crime… I lived there for 20 plus years… it’s gone downhill every year from what I remember moving out last year. Crime is way too high.. just had a lockdown one of many for shooters today in fact. Winters are beyond bad.. freezing temperatures weeks before Halloween ⛄️🎃 and snowing from then until the following May then rain for a month. “summers” too short and humid with nasty mosquitoes 🦟 because of the over 15,000 lakes throughout the state. It’s bad! We had to spray for them every week. Not to mention ticks so had to check the Dog 🐕 for them 3 times a day. Not to mention the passive aggressive ice cold local people. And terrible Aggressive Police Force.
Thank you for this video, as someone who was born and raised in NY. I’ve also lived in OH, MI, TX, and NC I’m hoping this video keeps people from moving to NM. I absolutely love it here and hope it stays the way it is!!
Yeah you have fun living in a state that is terrible with an awful high school graduation rate, the 3rd highest murder rate in the nation, the 4th highest poverty rate in the nation,9th highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation, 10th highest drug overdose rate in the nation,8th lowest life expectancy in the nation,and the 2nd highest suicide rate in the nation. It makes Ohio look good and that’s hard to do.
I’m from just outside Las Cruces and (probably due to my extreme biases) it’s always felt extricated from the worst that NM has to offer. A lot of what brings NM down is from the more rural areas of the state and parts of Albuquerque mostly. Outside of maybe a lack of real well-paying jobs and mediocre education, I really haven’t experienced most of the things that my state fails at where in from. I’ve always loved it here personally. Even reading a lot of these comments, it seems to me like a lot of people forget the entire southern part of the state because it’s a bit different than the rest.
I'm from Abq and I love Las Cruces. But most people in these comments haven't even traveled around at all. Like have people visited the Jemez? It's wonderful. Or the Gila. I mean I could mention TONS of things, but most people just want to complain.
I grew up in Cruces. After my career in the Army, I went to school in Albbq and had a career until I retired again. NM went downhill, and the bullshit of the Plannedemic, we moved to the mountains of Ariona. I miss the bbeauty of NM, but that is it.
I have lived in Albuquerque for 18 months now i have been visiting New Mexico since 2011. I love it here. I bought my place in 2016 as a rental in the Sandia Foothills as an investment property and now call it home. So the survey answers are kind of ignorant in cases. Want to send your kids to those better k-12 schools in those states Briggs mentioned? OK then, expect to pay way more in rent/mortgage/property taxes. NM has a higher minimum wage than the surrounding states as well. I make 6 figures in IT. Yep, those jobs do exist here in Albuquerque at least. Car insurance is cheaper than the last state I lived in, TX. I was a long term visitor there and I can say the state Briggs mentioned about better funded teachers being NJ. Yeah, enjoy those auto insurance rates. NM is a higher elevation than AZ. Some folks are less tolerable to its higher elevation. Crime is a where you live issue. No different than any other state. I can get super high speed internet in Albuquerque as well. Its a big state with many dead zones for sure but most of those dead zones are uninhabitable anyway. Urban/suburban roads are fine in more populated parts of the state. I can make arguments against many of the reasons mentioned as someone that lived in NJ, FL and TX before settling here. It is heaven for a middle aged single person like me.
How long have you worked in IT? After having to leave Cali for Florida, I hate this humid hell hole. I'm gonna graduate with an associate in IT soon and 50 people are all competing for basic help desk jobs.
@@jamielacerte9806 be more than happy to trade with you. I was born and raised in Kansas City and I love my home town. All of my friends and family are there. The weather can be abut much but that’s just the Midwest.
@@kimoandrews5802 Good point . I was born in alb. N..M . Still live in Burque. The view of the Sandia mtns are just so satisfying and majestic. Sandia Crest is so much better to look at compared to flat land . Take the Sandia tram . Just great . Bad crime in alb ? ., yes . Drug dealers and addicts creeping all over the s. E,, heights , central avenue? And the south valley snd the west side ? Yes . As with any city they are areas that a person wouldn’t go to . I have lived in s.e. Heights since 1999 , no big problems. Our neighbors fentyl dealers lived across from me since march 2020 , moved out march 2023 .👍 everything smooth since they left . And don’t call the cops for any reason. Waste of time and apd is questionable . Otherwise fine people and great state .
@@kimoandrews5802 I've been away from NM (ABQ) for 20 years now. Even though I'll probably never move back, I still want my ashes scattered at Sandia Crest. I used to love to go up there, watching the city at night, or watching the sun come up. There's just something magical about being up there.
Have you been to New Mexico? It is beautiful state especially the northern sections. Amazing mountains and some first class snow skiing in Taos area. Three ski resorts withing 30 miles including Albuquerque. Food and Culture and churches alone are amazing. Santa Fe, Taos, Angel Fire and so many smaller towns with that are lovely. Of course you can find crappy things to say about every state. Summers in Arizona are far more brutal that NM. Most of NM is at an elevation of 5000 or higher. And, or course if you ask young people they will say there's nothing to do. Kids say that all the time in California, I have property in No NM and my stress level disappears when I visit. I will probably retire in NM. Cost of living is far below California.
Darrell, NM deserves the crappy statements. I lived there from '88 to 2020. The scenery is awesome and the people are warm and friendly. The food is amazing and Taos Ski Valley is awesome. Government there, both cities and state, is deeply dysfunctional. Changes in laws and licensing, permit processes and taxation to encourage new business to move to the state or thrive once there don't happen. Entrenched overpaid unqualified school administrators have the high salaries while teachers are severely underpaid. Nepotism and racism in hiring practices happens frequently, most of which involves people of Spanish descent hiring only family or others of Spanish descent.
@@MikeHunt-fo3ow nepotism nĕp′ə-tĭz″əm noun 1. Favoritism shown or patronage granted to relatives, as in business. 2. Favoritism shown to nephews and other relatives; patronage bestowed in consideration of family relationship and not of merit. 3. Undue attachment to relations; favoritism shown to members of one's family; bestowal of patronage in consideration of relationship, rather than of merit or of legal claim.
@@SelfRighteousNewAgeLightWorker Nepotism and corruption are pretty common in most government though. Even federal gov jobs have a lot of nepotism involved. "Hire my son/daughter over anyone else who applies" happens all the time at the federal level.
I love New Mexico. I know it has some issues but I would move there in a heartbeat. Beautiful landscape and not too many people. I'm so damn sick of Atlanta.
I love New Mexico. It's so pretty here. I live in Albuquerque but plan on venturing to a more rural location. From what I've seen, a lot of people are moving to New Mexico for the same reasons I moved here.
Born and raised in NM. Lived other places but it's called the land of entrapment for a reason...family and culture and, no, you don't need to speak Spanish to fit in; just be respectful and kind and I've heard from many, many people that we are super kind and welcoming and I can attest to that. It really is a reasonable climate and a lot of outdoor opportunities but not so much for traditional entertainment. Crime and early education are the biggest problems here regardless of the area. Like the rest of the country, it's not THAT cheap to live here anymore so take that into consideration.
What about sunsets in the south valley of abq or Denny's and allsups on cerrillos road. Or how about sonic to sonic drives back and forth in espanola. Don't forget about, You can always visit airport road for fine shopping. And the diversity is Santa Fe is great, white retires dining while immigrants provide service. There's no Brooklyn bridge to cross but they do get a short commute across town 🤣🤣🤣
New Mexico magazine had a section called One of Our Fifty is Missing exposing the geographical ignorance and idiocy of most USA citizens, and foreign postal employees. Usually, it was funny but often disturbing as to how poorly educated most Americans are about this nation.
When the Olympics were in Atlanta, the governor called to get tickets. He was repeatedly told he had to call the international office instead. I once flew from ABQ to Seattle on business (on an American Airlines flight, no less). The people waiting for me were down at the international gate... The list goes on and on. One of the things I miss is reading that section. Oh, yeah. I once received a postal with the city name of "Albert Turkey". 🤣
@@a-liberal-patriot The people waiting at the International Gates were Democrats, the sad part is, these same people vote. That's how this country got so screwed up the last couple of years.
I had a pal up in Seattle on the phone one time and he asked me how the pollution in New Mexico City was... I had to take a double-take and ask him "Did you think I left the US or something?"... turns out he did. Thought "New Mexico" was Mexico....
@@a-liberal-patriot LOL, when my Aunt moved up to NY state, their landlord asked them if they still had "Indian Raids" down here... after staring at him for like a full minute, she just deadpanned "Oh yea. Daily." ... this was in 1987.
As someone who grew up here. Im 32 years old. Its a retirement state. For old people that get cold easy. Do not move your kids here. There is nothing for kids to do that isnt hours away. The schools are terrible and arent getting better and since theres nothing to do a lot of people turn to drugs or just being casual alcoholics. Move somewhere nicer and youll be happier.
At a meeting three or four years ago, I asked a retired state trooper who was originally from the Las Cruces area about what it would be like to live in Las Cruces if I should ever get around to retiring. The response? "Move to Arizona."
Thank you finally someone with common sense in this comment section. Too many uneducated and delusional Meth heads from New Mexico defending their dump of a state.
Kids need unstructured time and space alone to discover themselves and learn and build things. My time in the woods as a kid was the best. The worst thing for kids is crowding them together in schools where they learn to compete with each other. That's where violence is learned too.
Grew up most my life in NM then moved to Los Angeles in my 30s. Moved back to Albuquerque 20 years later and the place has gone downhill compared to how it was when I left in 1991. The big standout is the crime rate. There are a lot of things I don't like about Los Angeles, but I felt safer there than I do in Albuquerque. In my 20 years in LA I was never the victim of any crime. In the 12 years I've been back in ABQ, I've had a trailer stolen, multiple vehicle break-ins, and multiple broken windows due to sheer vandalism. And I live in one of the better areas of town. Here in Albuquerque, if you've not had your car stolen, you will have at least one family member or close friend who has.
Absolute truth here. 😕 Also, you didn't mention the fentanyl crisis. It's just a matter of time before New Mexico's criminal element touches whoever lives there. 💀
I vacation in New Mexico fairly often and what I can tell these reasons are valid. The quality of roads when crossing state lines is almost comical in a couple areas. I like New Mexico and I think Albuquerque is kinda fun to visit. Hopefully they can find ways to improve the state.
I've lived in NM my whole life. Born in Farmington, grew up in Cruces, have family in Roswell and currently live in Albuquerque. I can honestly say most of these things are true except the Spanish thing. You don't need to know Spanish at all to live here. I barely know any and I am half Mexican and my mom and her parents all speak Spanish fluently. I would say that the absolute worst problem here that was just touched on at THE VERY END of the video would most definitely be the drug problem. Las Cruces is one of if not the ONLY city in the USA that has no border checkpoints going into it, onlu going out of it. So once cartels or whoever gets their drugs inside the states, usually el paso, tx, then it's literally a straight shot to Las Cruces and you will literally drive past the other side of the checkpoint as you drive into town. Always wondered why such a huge oversight has gone unchecked for so so lonf
Side note. Most of the people who "Move" to NM to enjoy it quite literally have the wealth and time to do so. Everyone else here is just too poor to leave. TRUTH.
@@lordaizen8004 I'd say that New Mexico's fat little governess is doing good business with the cartels. Why else would she allow endless amounts of fentanyl to pour in? She's getting a cut. 💀
I spent some of my youth in NM and I love the scenic beauty of the state. Recently, I have considered returning there to live, but that notion ended in disappointment. While the cost of living is cheaper, the wages are lower and the tax rates are higher. I would definitely have to accept an unappealing step down in living standards in order to move there. The job market is also much smaller, so, even finding a job can be a challenge. But, I took the effort seriously and I even flew back to NM a few years ago to scope things out on the ground. I was shocked at the state of decay I found Albuquerque to be in. Very little growth and lots of dilapidation. My old neighborhood (which I have fond memories of) is now a rundown shell of what it used to be. I will always love New Mexico but I can also understand why its not attracting people.
Albuquerque is crumbling fast. 😕😕😕 I loved going there to visit in the 90s and 2000s, but it's now filled with homeless drug addicts living in tents along the sides of the roads.
Rio Rancho for me, it was the fastest growing community in the country in the 80s. I took a peek on Google Earth and didn't recognize it. My old house looks like a slum area. I would reconsider Cedar Crest or the area west of the Sandia Knolls though.
Lack of coherent planning. There should have been at least a three quarter loop around Albuquerque as part of the original allotment. Tribalism fiefdoms and lack of foresight have led the state to where it is today.
Yep. Lived in AZ for 20 years. 98_20. Fk AZ and NM. Popo scour the streets looking for bicycles with no lights. Seeking out J walkers. LMAO Then... Shake you down seeking revenue.
I moved to Albuquerque from Chicago a few years ago, and I’ve never felt unsafe here. While it doesn’t have as much to do, it’s cheap, the hiking is great, and the food is delicious.
NM is simply a poorly run state. My car insurance is ridiculous. However, having lived in ABQ for three years there's no other state as beautiful as this, and I've lived in many states. As an educator here, there's a disturbing disparity between really high achievers sharing classrooms with poor achieving students. Nevertheless, there is hope, it just depends on who the voters choose as the peeps they elect into office. There is where NM has some glimmer of light, hopefully.
NM has adopted the same victimhood politics as other blue states, the only problem is that here they have no-one to blame but themselves and no deep pockets to raid. Their fate is sealed.
New Mexico has such potential if it could get its act together on crime. Such a beautiful state with a crippling crime problem and a long history of being taken advantage of as a territory. The best thing the state has going for it is that it’s the last affordable state in the Rocky Mountains, and as more people get priced out of Colorado, Arizona, and Utah it’s bound to get an influx of people desperate for a place where they can afford to buy a house.
You'd have to assume everyone's looking for the same things. I'm retired and have visited The Land of Enchantment" many times. It is a very beautiful state and like anything else depends on the area. I prefer less people and wide open spaces. It's not one size fits all kinda state.😊
I broke down in the middle of the night outside ALB. Was walking to a gas station....a local hispanic or Native American guy wearing a cowboy hat, picked me up, took me to a pay phone so I could call a tow truck and then used the phone to call his boss to tell him he'd be a little late for work. To this day one of the coolest guys I'd ever met...since I would never do it myself. The field mice were EVERYWHERE that night....I'd see them run around my feet when passing cars would light up my path on the freeway. Glad I got a ride.
They have among the worst education system in the country. Since you could write a coherent sentence, somehow you miraculously got some knowledge. Read books on your own? Better than what those schools are doing.
I was born and raised in NM, and I've never learned to speak Spanish. I tried to learn. Oh, well. 39 years later, I'm managing living here speaking good old-fashioned American English.
The Spanish thing is weird, you really don't need to speak Spanish in NM anymore than you would in TX or CA. Yea it's useful and super common, but almost everyone speaks English.
I have a friend that moved from high tax Illinois to low tax New Mexico when he retired. His reasoning was he wanted to spend his money having fun, not lining the pockets of politicians. The drawback he did share was low income often causes high crime.
I'm not the only one (on/off YT) that feels/thinks that way. I'll be joining you (and a few others) soon. I cannot wait to be outside every day, with more to do and see. BTW, I like IL, outside Chicagoland. If we could, Peoria (or anywhere along 74) would've been nice for us.
As a Native American pueblo person, I just wanted to thank you for keeping all other destroyers of the earth and what it really means to be a human being. Y'all can just keep on driving through or go around my home state.
The reasons you call negative are what I call Positive, and the reason we are in the process of moving there - (we have 40 days to close on our house in Dallas (a truly awful place)_ We're moving to an area in NM of only 7K pop_ I love the wide-open space and the fact that there's not someone everywhere you turn whether on foot, in town, or in a car on the road_ Low school funding keeps the property tax low_ We pay over $3K/Yr for house taxes in Dallas_ We're buying a bigger home in NM for a mere $300/Yr house taxes_ I see all these New Mexican plates pouring into Dallas (along with every other state) and I'm just shaking my head like 'you got to be kidding me - y'all are giving up a Dream for this Hell ? ' GREAT ! More room for me in NM ! Make way for true Patriots of the state of NM_ This Native Texan See's happiness as Texas in the rearview mirror on the highway to the cold Mountains of northern NM ! Can't wait to get my NM licence & plates and shed these Texas ones
Native Texan here, too... My plans also involve getting out of here ASAP... Either Arkansas, Oklahoma, or New Mexico. But Arkansas is number one on my list. I'm in a (once) rural area near D/FW. I'm already used to some of the reasons listed in this video, and others don't apply to me (or even appeal to me). Texas is becoming too constrictive. "Progress" is choking this blue collar introvert out... Adios, Texas.
Awesome video! Some of the problems you mentioned are true. We love the sparse population here and want to keep it that way. A refuge from the many overcrowded states surrounding us.
I was born and raised in NM in the 50s and 60s. It hasn’t changed much since then. About 40% are still on welfare. Thanks to the federal government, there will always be poverty in the one big city and surrounding areas. There are lots of ranches that account for a big portion of the state. I think it’s a beautiful place and the roads are mostly empty, unlike all the states around NM. There’s no need for any more colleges. I lived on the plains, desert. The elevation is 5000 feet in the flattest part of NM. The dry heat beats the humidity, as found in most other states. The climate hasn’t changed in 116 years, when my grandparents homesteaded there. My brother has been getting online for at least 30 years. 😂 There are many beautiful places in NM. It’s also an artist’s paradise!
New Mexico sure is beautiful! Climate in New Mexico has changed: the average temperature in New Mexico was 52 degrees F in 1930, and in 2018 it was 57 degrees.
Your misconception of modern times is obviously painful here as you think 40% welfare is realistic. Actually this entire American economy is failing and non sustainable everything is too expensive and normal hard working families cannot afford even a place to live or food. Shit is fucked up! Your out of touch!
Yeah, its not as if Los Alamos, Sandia Labs, Holloman, Cannon and the rest of Federal government sponsored areas for the last 70 years are keeping NM alive. Cruces is turning into little Phoenix. Try renting space to sell your 'ART' on the plaza compared to the late 80's to early 90's. Paradise lost.
I just love New Mexico. Taos, White Sands, Los Alamos. It's a beautiful state. I live in Arizona and think about moving there all the time. It's just spectacular in my opinion.
Until you are missing half your car and your house is burning and someone yelling at you while smoking meth and geeking.. beautiful landscape and scenery though
My cousin, who was retired, moved from Florida to Alamogordo two and a half years ago. He wanted to be near one of his sons and grandchildren. He hated it there. The son works all the time and the kids, who are very young, didn’t seem to like him. The weather was mostly was had with some cold snaps in winter. He wanted to move back to FL abut couldn’t afford it. He passed away after suffering from long Covid instead.
New Mexico was dependent on Federal government projects, contractors, and facilities for DECADES and made no efforts to attract other industries. When those facilities cutback or shutdown, there were very few options except to follow the jobs to where they moved or leave to find employment. The fact that the Federal government owns 34.7% of the state doesn't help either. The native American reservations are only 10.5% of the land in the state. Being the site of nuclear tests doesn't add any attraction.
Sounds like VA,MD, WV, PA TO Name a few. I'm from NM and lived in VA for decades, the government cheese isn't just for poverty welfare. There's a mountain of corporate welfare industries that would be shuttered as fast as the rust belt Without Corp lobbyists.
Born and raised in NM. I’m almost 50. We have a poor education system, high crime rate, low wages and no higher job opportunities. Our politicians have a perpetual victimhood mentality. Yes it’s beautiful here, great weather too, but the people didn’t create that. Food is great but finding people to work in the service industry is very hard. Politics here is one party (left) and with that government handouts is top of the country. Once I retire I’m out.
@@azdesertrats729 I wish that I could encourage you to do so. Unfortunately, I can’t unless you move to Santa Fe or Taos. But if you are used to things to do in town both places lack. Plenty of hiking and outdoor activities though.
I get it...I have land in Bluewater near Grants...Grants is a sad looking town...but I would be one hour and 20 m ns from ABQ and 30 mins from Gallup....but again,, forget about looking for work..
Hi, I just moved from NM on June 11th, 2023. I taught high school on the Navajo reservation for 5 years. I agree with 9 of your statements about NM except how expensive car insurance is there. I moved back to my home state of Texas and my car insurance more than doubled. I was paying $74 monthly for car insurance and am now paying $157 per month for car insurance. I enjoyed living there for 5 years but did not want to retire there. It is a gorgeous state but for me the friendliest people are Texans. I have lived in 5 states in my life and I stand by my opinion that Texans are the friendliest! Thanks! Elizabeth Clark Goodrich, Texas
Thank you for showing me why new mexico is the invisible state. I think that maybe someone should do a state by state expose on housing. Who has the most speculator owned housing, ways around mortgages like owner carries and HUD stats for each state. Az has had 16,000 tax default auctions making homelessness a damned big deal. Looking to move from Nevada to stay alive as a retired senior. Do a series for helping the poor survive.
A few side notes: 1. Devil's Highway also extended into Arizona, and had that nickname because originally, it was Route 666. It was renamed Rt. 491, in the year 2003. Historically, it did have a lot of traffic fatalities, but see the next point to find out why. 2. There are a lot of traffic accidents in NM, but the main reason for that is DUIs. Devil's Highway/Rt 491, in the Four Corners area, goes through Native American Reservation territory, where there is a high percentage of alcoholism. Although, high numbers of DUI related traffic accidents plague the entire state. I moved here from Arizona, 2yrs ago, and my car insurance is less than half what of what it was in AZ. Although, I must say that people here do not pay attention while driving, and appear to think they are the only vehicle on the road. Oh, but if you try to exceed the speed limit even a little, they will catch you, and you will pay an exorbitant fine. Just fyi. 3. The only reason it appears that home prices are lower in averaging calculations, is because of the Reservations and the poverty level at which a lot of people live. Your average family home is just as expensive here as anywhere else, and in the most popular and populated cities, the cost of a home has skyrocketed, just like everywhere else. Another factor increasing home price is that a lot of Californians either move here as their primary residence or purchase second homes here. 4. The cost of living here for daily expenses, in certain areas, is just as high or higher than the rest of the country. Since moving here, I spend double on food compared to AZ. 5. Cell phone service in the state is abysmal, and if you're traveling in a rural area, there may not be any service at all. 6. There's no excuse for the poor road conditions. NM, at one time, had a surplus of funds in their coffers. And back in the 90s (I think), they started building a bridge with those excess funds, which they never finished. It was dubbed, The Bridge To Nowhere. 7. Even though NM has a lot of oil and gas and refining industry activity, our gas prices are higher compared to surrounding states. Figure that one out. 8. I feel less safe in the Four Corners area of NM, than I did in Southern Arizona. Alcohol and drugs, fuel a lot of the violent crime here.
I live in Apache County right next door and people don't understand how desolate the border area between AZ and NM is. This place is empty. We live here because of that emptiness, most Californians won't stay here, thank God, not civilized enough. I can barely afford food on the AZ side I can't image having to pay what your paying, Yikes. One beautiful thing about this area though is the racial diversity and real lack of racism here. Native tribes to Mexican to Black to White we are a small community and watch out for each other. All the best from your AZ neighbor.
You must be mistaken Hwy 666 or 491 never extended into Arizona. It goes into Colorado and Utah but never Arizona. As this Hwy runs north to south not east to west. I lived along this Hwy all my life.
@randallbates9020 You are absolutely right! I've driven through and around that area quite a bit over the decades. My grandson and I used to go exploring there, and would often visit the Petrified Forest. It is pretty desolate, and not much else to do there. One year, we were driving back to Tucson from Albuquerque, and I decided to cut south through the Reservation to "save time." It's flat as far as the eye can see, but a storm in the distance sent a raging river across the road we were on, and washed it out. Being half way into the route, I had to make a nerve-wracking decision about whether it was safer to keep going, or turn back to the highway. At the time, there wasn't any cell service through there, and we didn't see one soul the entire time, so I knew that if we got into a perilous situation, we were pretty much doomed. Our washed-up bodies would likely have been found only after our bones had been bleached by the sun. Ultimately, I decided to continue in the same direction, but never again have I taken that route. I stick to the freeways. Thanks for adding to the story by sharing your experience and knowledge of the area.
New Mexico is not for everyone but I love it I love the fact that is not as populated as other states you can feel it on the air I think is the cleanest state of all but like I said is not for everyone
I moved to New Mexico (Las Cruces) in Junior high. Grew up in Montana. Major culture shock. Left Cruces after high school, and a few years at NMSU. Moved to New York City at 19. Another culture shock. Ended up in Minnesota currently. I very much miss NM. Love love the Spanish culture the food😊 and the wide open spaces. I talk about retiring to T or C 😊 I think for all the things that are mentioned in the vid. there is a lot of beauty in that state. Go Aggies!
The reason NJ spends so much on its students is because we have the highest property taxes in the country. There’s not even a close 2nd. I pay almost $9000/year on a 1900 sq/ft home that I paid $285k for. There are homes in my neighborhood that pay $10-$11k a year in taxes
I’m going to watch video later but I hope you’re right about people not moving here to New Mexico we can’t handle anymore imo. We are over crowded already.
I've lived in New Mexico for almost 30 years (basically all of my life). This list is very accurate and unfortunately nothing is changing when it comes to job opportunity, crime just keeps getting worse, and I'm tired of people voting for politicians who are not going to change any of that. I'm hoping to be out of here within the next few months.
@@Runitup84 it does,it really does....theres Albuquerque and Santa fe,that's it,,,every other place is a rest stop... Yeah, yeah,yeah,good weather..but the people suck there..
"Oye, escucha, Florida es una basura! El tiempo de New Mexico es mucho mejor, nunca he experimentado un clima tan fabuloso. Cuando regresé a Florida, me molestó mucho. ¡Preferiría estar en New Mexico con su bonita temperatura, paisajes espectaculares y gente amable! Florida no se compara en absoluto."
I remember reading an article about principals in NY vs. NM. The principal in our ritzy Middle school in NY made over $250,000 along with secretaries without degrees who all made over $100,000. A year 3 (tenure year 1) teacher with a masters degree made over $100,000. In NM the Principal made $90,000 after 10 years. In NM a year three tenured teacher makes less than $30,000. It really is appalling how little these teachers get paid. A teacher with a PHD in some instances makes less than the shift janitor. Very unfortunate.
Who is going to pay the money? NYC has population density. 400-500 students per grade at the high school level. Means the tax base is small…and apparently poor.
I gotta think part of it is its remoteness. Arizona has Southern California right next door, and I believe it had more military and production presence in WW2. A lot of veterans moved to AZ after the war, and during the 1950s polio epidemic a lot of survivors moved there for the warm dry air. New Mexico is miles from anywhere, and never had a sufficient population to become a draw.
@@thullraven1 --It seems as if some of the NM residents posting messages are fooling themselves, they're blinded to the real problems that plague the state. It's possible this way of thinking helps one to survive their undesirable circumstances.
@Sonomacats No, it isn't just ABQ. You have smaller places like Gallup with sky high per capita crime rates. The state is beautiful. Unfortunately, outside of a few areas, it's also a crime and poverty ridden cesspool. It doesn't matter if you don't agree. That's your opinion, which isn't a fact. Statistics are facts. Statistics show NM is very high in crime and poverty, therefore it is. Facts. I like facts. Opinions are meaningless compared to facts because they aren't facts.
@@thullraven1 if those "facts" keep you out of our state, Im down with it 😆 So yea... awful here. There is A Crime on every corner! The Cacti actively hunt the humans! Ummm... the egh... Oh! The Yuccas are stealing hub caps, and selling it for Tamales! ... ... ... 👀 This is working right?
Very interesting! I have been west of the Mississippi for only 2 weeks, viaiting L.A. So I knew very little about New Mexico. And I never sat and talked with anyone from there. I live in northern New York State. So I appreciate all you've taught us. Be well! 🌹
The northern third to half of NM is 5,000 ft elevation. This makes excellent summer weather: Dry heat (so 94, even 98 is OK), and cools off fast at night. On a summer night in northern NM (ABQ, Santa Fe, Gallup, rural areas...) you'll need long pants and /or a longer shirt. Way, way better Summer weather than the sticky hot humidity of the East Coast or Midwest. Winter, with high elev and dry air: It cools off fast. Can get down to zero. In rural areas: high dry air = some of the most astounding night skies anywhere.
Yeah I don't understand the weather thing, nothing compares to digging your car out of 2 feet of wet snow to get to work like I used to on the east coast.
You defeat your own point that New Mexico doesn't spend enough per student by stating they spend MORE than Arizona, but their scores are poor. Why would you assume a position as illogical and creatively void that spending MORE per student in any way reflects on better grades and schooling? Especially when you yourself round out the point that it doesn't but fail to recognize it? How is it so many are this ignorant of reality?
It may be not a great state to live in but I gotta say it’s one of the most underrated states when it comes to natural beauty. It’s got some majestic mountains!
That’s right. Horrible Mexican anti American anti work culture, but beautiful place.
That's good to know. I'm considering NM as I have stage 4 cancer and NM is affordable and has death with dignity. I don't want hospice. Mountains and hills are important, though I suspect there are not many trees. I never been to a desert and that's what I picture.
Those sunsets on Route 66 in NM just can't be beat. Even Hawaii can't compete. Just gorgeous! Land of enchantment indeed.
@@MsThebeMoon I’m sorry. My dad had stage 4. Cloudcroft, Ruidoso, and further north like angel fire have great trees!
@@MsThebeMoon I'm sorry about your diagnosis. There's actually quite a few mountain towns in New Mexico and it can resemble some of the mountains of Colorado (I live at 7000 ft) I would suggest that you check in the general area around Santa Fe and Albuquerque if you will need to be close to medical care since that's where the most hospitals are. There are other places around the state that have mountains and trees (mostly evergreens) but that could leave you up to 3 or more hours from a major hospital. And you don't need to know Spanish 😊
New Mexico was my favorite place
to work wildfire. The summer weather
is wonderful. Pretty much zero humidity.
No mosquitoes, few flies. Hot days, yes,
but your sweat evaporates immediately
so you stay comfortable, cool even cold
nights perfect for sleeping.
Best food anywhere in the US. Natural beauty
everywhere. Biggest elk I've ever seen. Trout.
Turkey. Mountain lions. Silver, turquoise, art,
architecture, history. Most importantly, nice, nice, friendly people.
THANKYOU
New Mexico has always been my favorite place to visit in the US. The summers were beautiful and I loved everything about it. I haven’t been there in awhile but I don’t remember bad roads. I remember great food and extraordinary beautiful scenery. I’ve wanted to live there for so long. I’m from New York and have lived in California. It’s still a dream of mine.
I have been to many states and New Mexico is my top 3. In my opinion the state stats are dragged down due to rural areas and the ABQ hoods.
Wait no mosquitoes??? Hmm🤔
@@najthesavior4286 no water, no mosquitoes
Having lived in Northern NM for 35 years and frequently traveled through the nearby states of CO, UT and AZ... Thank you, thank you, thank you for this negative review of NM! It should help keep the hordes of "coasters" from moving into New Mexico and ruining the place like they have all our neighboring states! Freeway along the Front Range in CO now looks like the freeways of LA. Same for the freeways in SLC along the Wasatch Range. Tucson and Phoenix? Explosive growth with too many people and crowding now present. I like the quiet and the wide open spaces of NM. Winters are also fairly mild for a western Rocky Mountain state. Summers are not that hot if you living above 5,000 feet elevation (which most do here). Yeah, the SE section is the pits and I don't much care for ABQ but the rest of the state is nice. For some people the positives (esp. the lack of overcrowding and mild winters) are worth an awful lot.
You nailed it.
Don't worry, with the fact that you all can't get your crime rate under control you all are doing a fine job ruining it yourselves. I was stationed in NM for four years. I met a lot of wonderful people there, but crime is so out of control, and it shouldn't be. That and the fact that NM is one of the few states that tax retirement residual income makes it a giant "NOPE" for me.
How is Silver City?
I just moved to T or C from Denver, it’s a radical change, which is why I like it. There’s some really nice hiking spots around, including Turtleback Mountain and the townspeople are pretty friendly. Yeah drugs are a problem here but they were a problem in Denver too, along with every city and town in America, so there’s really no escaping that.
My thoughts exactly. We don't need any more transplants. Especially if you're too closed-minded to see what a beautiful place it is. Yes, Albuquerque has crime. Yes, it's a relatively poor state. I still love it even after having lived in a few other places (CA, NY, OH). There's much more good here than bad.
I have lived here since 1983! 41 years. I love the Land of Enchantment!
My wife and I just came back from vacation in NM ! We fell in love with it and are thinking of retiring there soon ! We're from AZ and hate the heat.....NM is slightly larger than AZ with a quarter the population...can't beat that !
Me too 1984
As someone who is looking to retire and loves the desert and mountains and doesn’t like people, New Mexico looks damn good.
prob much lower cost of living too. thats a biggie for retirees.
Nail on the head.
@@Gizziiusa used to be, its about as expensive here at Arizona was 2-3 years ago and its getting worse by the day.
As a regular misanthrope myself, you just might make a good match for here... I also love the desert and kinda hate people, and I LOVE NM :D
I'm the same . I would like some remote land to visit and camp . Maybe build a small cabin
Devil's Hwy. (US 491) is called "Devil's Hwy.", not because it's a dangerous road, but because it used to be designated as US 666. In 2003, the route number was changed to US 491 mainly because too many people were stealing the "US 666" signs.
And because of all the drunk driving deaths on 666.
I drove it when it was Route 666. Definitely wouldn’t want to suffer a car break down on that road. Beautiful otherwise.
I lived in Shiprock, New Mexico for 13 years. I don't know how dangerous the road is now, but when I was there it was a dangerous road. The section of the road on the reservation had a lot of accidents due to people driving under the influence.
When I was a truck driver I loved hauling ass on US 666 with Highway To He'll blasting on the stereo!
666 , is not the devil's number anyway it's 999, devil will reverse everything. Satan exploits ignorance thru lies n deception, Those that deceive shall be deceived in the end. I ran with the devil's crowd but grew up the hard way , embrace Christ n his teachings is the only way towards salvation, that or end up like those stolen 666signs your soul stolen thru a lie n deceit.
We just moved back to NM after living in MI for 12 years. I rather deal with NM's issues than shovel snow ever again.
?shovel show? perhaps 'shit show' is the words you meant to type
Snowblower?
Having lived in Indiana, I'll take New Mexico, even on the hotest days.
@@feleciawallace8420 You want to reword your comment?
It snows in New mexico
As a pueblo person keep up the good work we don't need city slickers moving in where they waste too much water
Native New Mexican here. My ancestors came here from Texas over a 100 years ago to ranch and stayed. I’ve lived in San Diego and LA but glad to be home again because the best part of this state is you can drive for miles and miles without seeing one city after another. It’s wide open spaces everywhere and most of that is open to the public. I don’t worry about people moving here and changing it because that hasn’t happened since NM became a state in 1912. 😂
Native here, Born Deming, raised Roswell. The economy kept me away, and the hot summers. Would love to live there now.
Fear The CrabCat!
You are Native.
Congratulations.
Which tribe are you a part of.
@@_i_am_unceded Why do you ask?
Agreed ! I'm running on a ticket to get rid of the Post Office and return to THE PONY EXPRESS :)
There’s no perfect state, I’ve lived in 7 states throughout my life, but when I moved up to northern NM to Los Alamos in 1975 from Chicago area I fell in love with this state. Friendly people that are laid-back, multi-cultures, beautiful blue skies, mountains, desert areas, lots of open land, nice weather - noting too harsh. I like that this state isn’t over populated and hope it stays that way!!!
ANY place that is a Desert, Like new Mexico, is and instant NO, NO for any reason.
Home is where the heart is.
@@Eric_Von_Yesselstyn what are you even saying, it's a desert but not like they make it out to be , it's not desolate, and it gets really cold , sometimes the winter is really harsh, Albuquerque is dangerous, New Mexico is a country of it's own, we are not Mexico either we have different Cultures and people,
@@Eric_Von_Yesselstyn idk, I gotta agree with you... And I live here!! LOL 😆 in reality tho it's not as "harsh" as most deserts in the world, but still very much a desert. Despite that, the weather here is pretty chill and unique
What’s the job market like?
I traveled all over the USA looking for a place to retire and I chose a small rural town in south central NM. Love it here as a refugee from the SF area. Friendly, affordable, beautiful, funky and wild. What is there not to like? Keep New Mexico underpopulated!
escaped San Fran 12 yrs ago and LOVE it here!
Also keep New Mexico under-educated! 🤣
@@SelfRighteousNewAgeLightWorker Oh good, I was worried you were *not* going to live up to your also-stupid name!
Go back to california. Cant stand outsiders here in NM.
I could die here. The soothing sounds of Native American flutes!
Thanks!
Thank you 🙏
Thanks for your evaluation. I hope it will keep people from moving here. We don't want a lot of people moving in . Thank you again.
Most underrated state. Wide open spaces. Great climate. Beautiful geography.
I agree NM is super underrated love the mountains and other scenic views
It’s horrible here
Wide open spaces only accessible if you're native or with the oil companies or happen to know the person who owns the land.
You must have never driven on airport Rd.
Ghetto peoplw high crime poor people that lots of haters.
I moved to Silver City, New Mexico a couple of years ago for retirement and I love it. Great scenery, great food, favorable climate, housing is cheaper and so are taxes compared to Arizona. Crime in my area is low and the people are friendly. Here in southwest NM, we lack many of the problems cited in the video.
Glad you like Silver City. That town is too isolated. At least they have a Walmart.
@@AngelaB2024 The isolation is an asset that many treasure. In the summer, visitors from El Paso, Tucson, and Phoenix flock here for the mild summer temperatures and isolation.
Do you have lots of scorpions?
You should have seen the place before the mine shut down. It had an energy that is gone now. I still like Silver City, but it's half way to a ghost town now.
@@whistlingsage9817 Sounds nice to me. ; ) I love an old mining town.
I'm really missing Las Cruces and can't wait to move back! Right now, I'm stuck in Denver, CO, and honestly, it's not my vibe. There are just way too many people, and the cost of living is insane. Las Cruces is so much more affordable, plus the weather is just right. The best part? The food! You can pop into any little restaurant, and it's guaranteed to be amazing. I left because the job market was pretty rough, mostly low-paying service jobs. If I could make what I do in Colorado, I'd be living the good life in Las Cruces. I'm planning to make the move back in the next five years!
Thanks for helping to keep people out of our awesome state. I absolutely love it here & can think of nowhere else I would rather live (and yes, I’ve lived in 2 overseas countries and over 10 other states).
😂 but that's not going to stop everyone, dang snow birds.
Same reason I'm glad so many people are leaving California. The more that leave, the better I like it here.
@@blueterrace I just can't wait for you to leave 😁
@@juancamaney3562 Nope, born and bred. 30 min. to surf. 45 min. to snowboard.
@@blueterrace I can respect that. Hands down New Mexico is a beautiful magical mystical place to come and visit. I'm coming over 😎
Happy to add my voice to those thanking you for discouraging people from moving to NM and turning it into another Arizona. I’ve lived in Santa Fe for eleven years and have no air conditioner because the temps on some high desert summer nights can drop into the fifties. Yes, we’re rural, we’re poor, we’re proudly Hispanic and Native American and like not being like every green-front lawn boring suburban state in America. And thanks for not mentioning the food. Oh, man, the southwestern cuisine. I mean - sorry - the food is terrible here. Just terrible!
... I mean, it's so bad here, we are forced to eat DUST AND BUGS!
(... this is working right? I really don't want any more AZ types here!)
😆🤣😂😆🤣😂
But so YUMMY YUMMY RED OR GREEN!!!
@@leechjim8023 only correct answer is Christmas!
I'll bet you guys had to walk UPHILL, BOTH WAYS, to get to school, in the winters, huh???😮😮😮😂😂😂😂😂
I have been living in New Mexico since 2017 and I have no idea what you are talking about. The statistics you are using include the Indian reservations. If you are not Native American, issues like no wifi do not apply at all. I have not run into one person here who did not speak English. I do not speak Spanish. The cost of living here is great. 5 bedroom house for $223k.
We have free colllege and legal pot, which is financing preschool and childcare. I have the most friends I have ever had. All of them are extremely well educated and interesting. We have every imaginable group of religions. Art is everywhere, even on public trash cans. New Mexico is a beautiful state full of art galleries, hot springs, hiking trails, and balloons. The sunsets are amazing and the people are laid back and friendly. I always trusted your videos, but now I'm beginning to wonder. Who the hell did you talk to?
It's nice to see someone likes the place! I traveled through NM ages and ages ago, and loved the place. It is the only hot-weather state I would even consider moving to... if not for the growing problem of water supply. Do you worry about that at all?
Shhhh, keep it quiet. We *want* to keep it as a secret and stop the hordes from moving in here!
Shhhh... don't tell people.
The crime rate is off the rails. I used to live there. Stats say it is, so it is. Stats are facts. Facts matter. Opinions aren't facts, so they don't matter.
OP, do you by chance live in Santa Fe?
I have to say, the last time I was in the SW, I couldn't get over the differences between AZ and NM. In New Mexico I just felt this very relaxed, easygoing vibe, which was directly the opposite of what I got in AZ. Not slagging anybody's home state, just saying the atmosphere seemed very different somehow. Sort of like Northern Cali vs. SoCal.
We pray that this might be the answer to problem. Isn't this the reason it was named new mexico.
How does the economy compare. Don't get me wrong, I love western South Dakota and rural southern Indiana, but there's nowhere to work.
I'm from AZ but left 33 years ago as it was already overpopulated. NM is a different animal as you can find a place out a ways and not be concerned about developers building a high rise or subdivision in your back yard. They are still recklessly building in the Phoenix area planning for like 750,000 new homes by 2040 which is insane.
er Hispanic, you're in the Minority
I meant to say unless you are Hispanic, you are in the Minority, not saying that is a bad thing! Arizona is way more affluent!
Grew up in NM, and came back for a short time in my early 20s, but the lack of decent jobs or even decent paying jobs, was the single worst part of living there.
I miss the culture, the people, the weather, the whole feeling of the state, but if you can’t make a living, then it makes it hard to stay.
Exactly my sentiments and why I left. I still miss it though😢
What industry are you referring to?
The weather? The wind is crazy.
That is the only thing that is making me want to leave. It’s nearly a year since I got here and I’m still not sure mainly because of my pay and the type of job I have, companies in other states pay much more 😢
2:14 I was born in Las Cruces, NM and just as I was entering elementary school, my parents moved the whole family to rural Pennsylvania. Once my youngest sibling graduated high school, my parents turned right back around and returned to NM. Apparently they liked it but not enough to screw up our education lol. Thanks, mom and dad! 😂
Great story. 😁
yep if you love your kids dont come here espically if your white
PA? why on earth PA?
You look half Mexican 🇪🇸🪶
I grew up in Seattle in the 1970s. My family is from New Mexico and Southern Colorado. You DON'T want people to "discover" your state because all it will do is push out the middle class. Seattle in the 1970s was very blue collar, but losing population to the suburbs. After 1990, the tech jobs came, and most of us who lived here got pushed out. Lucky for me that my parents bought their house cheap in 1966 and is now worth $$$$. I sold it and moved to the so called ritzy Eastside of Seattle. I am blessed, but I know many who are not😢
n
New Mexico will be part of Mexico if the" Reconquista" crowd has their way. They include former gov. "Cowboy Bill" Richardson.
With third worlders flooding in, it won't be long. IK have a front row seat, goodie?
Seattle is my favorite city.
Where is this New Mexico “middle class” of which you speak? A few developments around Alb and Rio Rancho? I’ve been all over NM. I love it precisely because it’s like a third world country: a few islands of rich, a sea of poverty, and almost nothing in the middle. This is the recipe for desperate adventure and fatalism, not to mention interesting food.
@@EviMlcak it's not bad, 3 months of warm weather though
Seeing it in Austin. Many of the kids that grew up there in the 80s, early 90s are now adults that must inherit wealth, become high earners or move outward as they cannot afford the high cost of home ownership/rental in the city proper.
I'm going to Albuquerque in October this year. So I might like New Mexico.
Reasons to move to NM: Skiing, the Balloon Festival, the Art Community, no light pollution.
Skiing? Water skiing?
And the food is wonderful.
@@guineapiglady2841In the winter, you can water ski in the morning, do a short drive and snow ski in the afternoon.
@@guineapiglady2841 With mountains up to 13,000 feet, New Mexico has exceptional skiing & snowboarding in many resorts and ski areas.
@@jeff2424 Cool! Didn't know that.
I used to live in NM. I still live just 30 miles away across the border in TX. NM is a beautiful state with wonderful food and a unique blend of cultures. They need a serious change in state government but they keep voting in the same type of leadership. That's too bad.
I would say they same I'm from California and I assure you Democrats are not any better ..😂 LA is disgusting I mean DISGUSTING..atleast you don't pay high taxes or cost of living like we do
Very true. Since prior to its inception as a state, the governorship has always been corrupt.
In other words, stop electing Democrats.
What can you expect from a state filled with uneducated people? They'll always vote for whoever gives out more welfare. 🤭
We are not a republican state..like it or leave.
I was stationed at Holloman AFB back in the mid seventies. After a year overseas, I returned to Alamogordo and packed up my uhaul and started out for the Univ of Tennessee. Got as far as Artesia and realized that I really liked the area and headed back. I enjoyed the desert and the mountains equally. So, enrolled at New Mexico State in Cruces and completed a graduate degree in Chemical Engineering. Great education that served me well. Live in Montana now, but just spent a month and half in Alamogordo as a snowbird. Pretty easy town, but I can understand why it might not be for everyone. But then, what place is. You can have Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
Did you hear anything about the famous UFO landing at Holloman?
@@Psmitty97 Not while I was there, but a few years later came across some of the stories related to the landing. I remember reading about the air force sargeant that claimed to have been abducted by aliens. Now I want to re-watch select X-Files reruns for some reason.
My stepdad & mum were stationed at Holloman in '74-75. They liked it, but had a chance to go back to England, so they did.
I was stationed at Holloman in the 80s.
I spent 20 years there with the Patrol. It’s a nice area.
I just moved to Las cruces New Mexico from Orlando Florida. Life is slow ,dusty ,windy, and there is nowhere to shop. I will be going back to Florida in a few years.
I live in Florida now and was thinking buying a retirement house there? Not worth it?
Sounds perfect for me, am not materialistic, don't need a bunch of stores and restaurants, and I like the quiet, can't wait to get there
Bye bye!
Go back to Florida as soon as you can New Mexico is a crap hole I've been living here for 20 years and soon I will be moving to Kansas I hate New Mexico with a passion too many crackheads and too many violence
@@kelkilkatThe restaurants are sooo good in Las Cruces.
Great content as always. I plan to move from Alabama to New Mexico once my elderly father passes on. I love it, it suits me perfectly since I don't really have to be concerned with most of the negatives you mention. I can understand why many people won't consider it, but for me, it's ideal. Of course, the crime rate is concerning, but like most places I think it depends on what area you live in. Plus, I tend to keep to myself. For me, personally, the good far outweighs the bad.
I lived in NM for four years. Outside of some pockets where crime isn't bad, MOST of NM is very high in crime. Their communities have a much higher per capita crime rate than they should have.
I'm in the same situation. Taking care of an elderly father in Florida and am moving to New Mexico afterwards. I've lived there a total of 4 years in two different locations. It has its issues but if you love the outdoors its wonderful. I love that in a country of close to 340 million there's a state that's almost twice the size of Florida with about 20 million less people. Thankfully there are still states like New Mexico. Some of what Briggs said is accurate, some overstated, some greatly exaggerated.
Moving from Alabama to New Mexico is a step up. Good luck on your move.
I agree. Attitude and being comfortable in a rural lifestyle helps. Spiders and snakes don't bother me either. Plus a 12 Guage shotgun helps if you don't mind shooting the two legged varmints if need be. 😉
New Mexico is ideal for retirees. Great scenery, great food, favorable climate, housing is cheaper and so are taxes compared to Arizona. Crime in my area is low and the people are friendly. I live in the mountains near a national forest where these are many beautiful hiking trails.
I was traveling there recently. Someone described it as the Mississippi of the west. Poor and undereducated was their implication. I found the natural scenery phenomenal. The fact that much of the state is above 5,000 feet makes it cold in winter and pleasant in summer. Low housing prices were in evidence too. All this combined sets the state up for and influx of people. The crime likely isn’t bad in the smaller towns which is where the retirees will head. I’d go there in a heartbeat but I’m happy with my life as it is and I’m not likely to change at age 70+.
The smaller towns are where the drug dealers are able to cook meth without anyone else knowing or caring. 💀
Lol@ lower crime in small town. That is 100% incorrect. I was roped into going there to help out a relative, and it was the worst 18 months of my life. You'd have to pay me 7 figures a year to live there.
I'm thinking of retiring in NM. I started looking into it because it passed death with dignity act. I have stage 4 cancer and I do not want hospice. And NM is the most affordable that offers that. I'm in AR now, a transplant from NY. I like low population and beautiful scenery. I never been to the desert. I'm a woods person but I do like my mountains and hills. Hope to make a road trip this year. I'll look for a rural small town with elevation - can't handle heat like I used to.
@@SelfRighteousNewAgeLightWorker nobody cooks meth anymorethey buy it from mexico
the small towns are no different and its worse because you almost cant get away from it in a small town. this was once the wild west and because the state has grown so incredibly slow with never any major outside influence from massive waves of people pourng into the state, i think the lawlessness from those days of the old west have carried into this day and age. carlsbad is ok but its pretty bad too and i think gallups has the highest rate of crime
IDK about some of these items. I lived in NM for 10 years. We called it the Land of Disenchantment because you got sucked in by the natural beauty and the low cost of living, but then you were stuck there. I left because there were no decent jobs, no men, no water, and a backwards govt administration that wanted to keep the place backwards. That's a lot of why NM is the way it is: because the powers that be in Santa Fe don't want to see it change. I'm surprised there aren't dinosaurs wandering around on the West Mesa in Albuquerque in fact. I went there to attend New Mexico Tech, the #1 best kept secret in the state. Excellent science and engineering school. You can get a world class education at NMT and graduate without a buttload of debt. But when you do, high tail it outta Dodge.
Best response yet...
Hmm, if I bring my man, and luck up with a great job, I'm still Very concerned about no water....interesting...idk if I can give up the rain and luscious greenery of NC
@@pendamoniumpaladin1798 Good answer. So did someone set up a lot of positive answers? Sure looks that way. NM continues to vote left yet those great leftists haven't improved things in,,, maybe forever? Wonder why?
Good bye love to see you gone
@RAH yes! I'm waking up to the fact that the left political leaning right now is resulting in chaos. Being too liberal is not a good thing.
Been there once or twice very briefly, and I liked what I saw.
I moved to New Mexico in my 50s, having lived previously in the Midwest, the Deep South, and the Pacific Northwest. Most of the items on your list make sense, except for one: Climate. The climate here is fantastic, *especially* if you compare it to Arizona. Arizona is far, far hotter and the effect of drought on water is going to be a much bigger problem in Arizona. You talked about critters in NM, but there bugs and snakes here are far less common than in Florida, where people are flocking to. It is true that NM is poor and undereducated, but if that keeps us from being overcrowded like Phoenix or Florida, I'm good with that.
100% agree with the climate comment! Beautiful climate especially compared to AZ summers!
Amen Brother
I agree. Briggs has done some good research, but he missed it big on the climate. I suspect he doesn't know the difference between AZ and NM climate or just checked the daily temps in Carlsbad and Roswell. As for the roads, some are lousy, but in many states, some a lousy.
I would totally move to NM if it had a large body of water near it. The lakes they do have aren't big enough. I don't wanna see the other side of it.
@@laverdadbuscador Yep, I totally get that. As someone who used to spend time on the shores of Lake Michigan, I can understand that desire. I just decided I prefer mountains over water.
10. People think it is part of Mexico
9. People think it is too 'New' and want to wait a while until it works out any kinks
8. People can't find it on a map
7. People can't pronounce or spell Albukurke(sp?) and believe they would be embarrassed if they move there
6. That's where those space aliens landed, isn't it?
5. The only food is Mexican food and that gives some people indigestion
4. That's where all that nuclear testing was done. Don't go if you don't want to glow.
3. You're not allowed to live there if you don't have a security clearance, right?
2. They went to Chicago and tried to get there by driving on Route 66, but it stopped somewhere in Missouri
1. Didn't want to have to deal with Wiley Coyote's shenanigans trying to catch the Roadrunner.
11. Breaking Bad took place there
12. Many people there are in the Witness Protection Program.🤣
Right on! I'm a coast lover but NM is the ONLY inland state I'd move to. It is magical.
LOLOLOL - I especially like #9, hahaha
Who do you think you are? David Letterman?
My wife and I grew up in Albuquerque, but left in 1991 due to the rising crime and not really wanting to raise our children there. We still have a soft spot for the state and are going back this fall to see the Balloon Fiesta again, but am not really sure we would want to live there again. We have lived in the Minneapolis area for the past 26 years, and other than the winters, much prefer the state. But New Mexico will always have a place in our hearts. Despite all its problems, it truly is The Land of Enchantment.
Can you imagine crime so bad that Minneapolis is your preferred city to live in?
You jumped from the frying pan into the fire.
@@salty_flightdeck_cpo Are you joking? Minnesota is miles better than New Mexico.
@Brandon K. Minnesota IS great. Especially if you're a naturalized Somali immigrant who is prone to marrying your siblings to get them green cards.
😂 Why on earth would you voluntarily move to Minnesnowda. That’s something people don’t generally do unless work forces them to go there.
Too much crime… I lived there for 20 plus years… it’s gone downhill every year from what I remember moving out last year. Crime is way too high.. just had a lockdown one of many for shooters today in fact. Winters are beyond bad.. freezing temperatures weeks before Halloween ⛄️🎃 and snowing from then until the following May then rain for a month. “summers” too short and humid with nasty mosquitoes 🦟 because of the over 15,000 lakes throughout the state. It’s bad! We had to spray for them every week. Not to mention ticks so had to check the Dog 🐕 for them 3 times a day. Not to mention the passive aggressive ice cold local people. And terrible Aggressive Police Force.
Thank you for this video,
as someone who was born and raised in NY. I’ve also lived in OH, MI, TX, and NC I’m hoping this video keeps people from moving to NM. I absolutely love it here and hope it stays the way it is!!
What area you live in?
Your part of the problem and don't realize it
you swear😂 stay miserable in your insignificant state
Yeah you have fun living in a state that is terrible with an awful high school graduation rate, the 3rd highest murder rate in the nation, the 4th highest poverty rate in the nation,9th highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation, 10th highest drug overdose rate in the nation,8th lowest life expectancy in the nation,and the 2nd highest suicide rate in the nation. It makes Ohio look good and that’s hard to do.
Same. I moved here in 2021 and I love it. Never been happier.
I’m from just outside Las Cruces and (probably due to my extreme biases) it’s always felt extricated from the worst that NM has to offer. A lot of what brings NM down is from the more rural areas of the state and parts of Albuquerque mostly. Outside of maybe a lack of real well-paying jobs and mediocre education, I really haven’t experienced most of the things that my state fails at where in from. I’ve always loved it here personally.
Even reading a lot of these comments, it seems to me like a lot of people forget the entire southern part of the state because it’s a bit different than the rest.
that's good to know we are moving to Las Cruces lol
I'm from Abq and I love Las Cruces. But most people in these comments haven't even traveled around at all. Like have people visited the Jemez? It's wonderful. Or the Gila. I mean I could mention TONS of things, but most people just want to complain.
Love Jemez
There’s a great and huge used bookstore in Las Cruces, and you’re near El Paso too!
I grew up in Cruces. After my career in the Army, I went to school in Albbq and had a career until I retired again. NM went downhill, and the bullshit of the Plannedemic, we moved to the mountains of Ariona. I miss the bbeauty of NM, but that is it.
I have lived in Albuquerque for 18 months now i have been visiting New Mexico since 2011. I love it here. I bought my place in 2016 as a rental in the Sandia Foothills as an investment property and now call it home. So the survey answers are kind of ignorant in cases. Want to send your kids to those better k-12 schools in those states Briggs mentioned? OK then, expect to pay way more in rent/mortgage/property taxes. NM has a higher minimum wage than the surrounding states as well. I make 6 figures in IT. Yep, those jobs do exist here in Albuquerque at least. Car insurance is cheaper than the last state I lived in, TX. I was a long term visitor there and I can say the state Briggs mentioned about better funded teachers being NJ. Yeah, enjoy those auto insurance rates. NM is a higher elevation than AZ. Some folks are less tolerable to its higher elevation. Crime is a where you live issue. No different than any other state. I can get super high speed internet in Albuquerque as well. Its a big state with many dead zones for sure but most of those dead zones are uninhabitable anyway. Urban/suburban roads are fine in more populated parts of the state. I can make arguments against many of the reasons mentioned as someone that lived in NJ, FL and TX before settling here. It is heaven for a middle aged single person like me.
Thank you for sharing. I really wanna visit.
Sounds nice there.
Another rich green go...
@halfdollar1 I couldn't have put it in better perspective had I tried. God bless you.
How long have you worked in IT? After having to leave Cali for Florida, I hate this humid hell hole.
I'm gonna graduate with an associate in IT soon and 50 people are all competing for basic help desk jobs.
Wow, I've never been so convinced not to do something! Thanks for your work!!
Yeah people keep out. We love our peace and quiet here.
I’m originally from Kansas City and am currently STUCK in New Mexico by circumstances beyond my control. I CAN’T WAIT TO GET BACK HOME!
I know that feeling
Why? KC sucks here. I'd much rather be where you are. I need a change in my life.
@@jamielacerte9806 If you need a change of scenery, New Mexico isn't the place to find it. 😬 You'll be sorely disappointed.
@@jamielacerte9806 be more than happy to trade with you. I was born and raised in Kansas City and I love my home town. All of my friends and family are there. The weather can be abut much but that’s just the Midwest.
@@SelfRighteousNewAgeLightWorker Depends on where in NM you live
People have extreme feelings about NM. They either love or hate it. I happen to love it. The scenery is amazingly beautiful.
Some people resonate with the sandia mountain… you either understand that reference or think it’s coo coo.
@@kimoandrews5802
Good point . I was born in alb. N..M .
Still live in Burque. The view of the Sandia mtns are just so satisfying and majestic. Sandia Crest is so much better to look at compared to flat land . Take the Sandia tram . Just great . Bad crime in alb ? ., yes . Drug dealers and addicts creeping all over the s. E,, heights , central avenue? And the south valley snd the west side ? Yes . As with any city they are areas that a person wouldn’t go to .
I have lived in s.e. Heights since 1999 , no big problems.
Our neighbors fentyl dealers lived across from me since march 2020 , moved out march 2023 .👍 everything smooth since they left .
And don’t call the cops for any reason. Waste of time and apd is questionable . Otherwise fine people and great state .
@@kimoandrews5802 I've been away from NM (ABQ) for 20 years now. Even though I'll probably never move back, I still want my ashes scattered at Sandia Crest. I used to love to go up there, watching the city at night, or watching the sun come up. There's just something magical about being up there.
I love it too ❤
Pretty scenery is no substitute for quality of life. 🤭
Have you been to New Mexico? It is beautiful state especially the northern sections. Amazing mountains and some first class snow skiing in Taos area. Three ski resorts withing 30 miles including Albuquerque. Food and Culture and churches alone are amazing. Santa Fe, Taos, Angel Fire and so many smaller towns with that are lovely. Of course you can find crappy things to say about every state. Summers in Arizona are far more brutal that NM. Most of NM is at an elevation of 5000 or higher. And, or course if you ask young people they will say there's nothing to do. Kids say that all the time in California, I have property in No NM and my stress level disappears when I visit. I will probably retire in NM. Cost of living is far below California.
Darrell, NM deserves the crappy statements. I lived there from '88 to 2020. The scenery is awesome and the people are warm and friendly. The food is amazing and Taos Ski Valley is awesome. Government there, both cities and state, is deeply dysfunctional. Changes in laws and licensing, permit processes and taxation to encourage new business to move to the state or thrive once there don't happen. Entrenched overpaid unqualified school administrators have the high salaries while teachers are severely underpaid. Nepotism and racism in hiring practices happens frequently, most of which involves people of Spanish descent hiring only family or others of Spanish descent.
@@marymacdonald2379 You nailed it. New Mexico's nepotism and corruption is truly something to behold.
@@SelfRighteousNewAgeLightWorker whats nepotism
@@MikeHunt-fo3ow nepotism
nĕp′ə-tĭz″əm
noun
1. Favoritism shown or patronage granted to relatives, as in business.
2. Favoritism shown to nephews and other relatives; patronage bestowed in consideration of family relationship and not of merit.
3. Undue attachment to relations; favoritism shown to members of one's family; bestowal of patronage in consideration of relationship, rather than of merit or of legal claim.
@@SelfRighteousNewAgeLightWorker Nepotism and corruption are pretty common in most government though. Even federal gov jobs have a lot of nepotism involved. "Hire my son/daughter over anyone else who applies" happens all the time at the federal level.
I love New Mexico. I know it has some issues but I would move there in a heartbeat. Beautiful landscape and not too many people. I'm so damn sick of Atlanta.
I love New Mexico. It's so pretty here. I live in Albuquerque but plan on venturing to a more rural location. From what I've seen, a lot of people are moving to New Mexico for the same reasons I moved here.
Which reasons are people moving there? Im looking to move there potentially
@@blisslove3758 it’s pretty. The sunsets, the mountains, more land, cheaper housing.
Most underrated city in America for scenery.
@@fatirahandfatir4200 wooow thank you!
@@blisslove3758 Abq is also top ten in crimes so there is that. There is nothing to do out here, Arizona sounds nice though.
Born and raised in NM. Lived other places but it's called the land of entrapment for a reason...family and culture and, no, you don't need to speak Spanish to fit in; just be respectful and kind and I've heard from many, many people that we are super kind and welcoming and I can attest to that. It really is a reasonable climate and a lot of outdoor opportunities but not so much for traditional entertainment. Crime and early education are the biggest problems here regardless of the area. Like the rest of the country, it's not THAT cheap to live here anymore so take that into consideration.
I've lived in NM for 19 years and you're spot on.
🤫🤫🤫🤫 about our land.
@@patriciakochis3757 The smell and taste of Roasted Green Chile, to go along with the smell and taste of fentanyl and meth??? 😂
Bingo PAL,
Crooked cops😊courts😢
What about sunsets in the south valley of abq or Denny's and allsups on cerrillos road. Or how about sonic to sonic drives back and forth in espanola. Don't forget about, You can always visit airport road for fine shopping. And the diversity is Santa Fe is great, white retires dining while immigrants provide service. There's no Brooklyn bridge to cross but they do get a short commute across town 🤣🤣🤣
New Mexico magazine had a section called One of Our Fifty is Missing exposing the geographical ignorance and idiocy of most USA citizens, and foreign postal employees. Usually, it was funny but often disturbing as to how poorly educated most Americans are about this nation.
Many probably most Americans are absolute morons. Country is doomed sooner rather than later.
When the Olympics were in Atlanta, the governor called to get tickets. He was repeatedly told he had to call the international office instead.
I once flew from ABQ to Seattle on business (on an American Airlines flight, no less). The people waiting for me were down at the international gate...
The list goes on and on. One of the things I miss is reading that section.
Oh, yeah. I once received a postal with the city name of "Albert Turkey". 🤣
@@a-liberal-patriot The people waiting at the International Gates were Democrats, the sad part is, these same people vote. That's how this country got so screwed up the last couple of years.
I had a pal up in Seattle on the phone one time and he asked me how the pollution in New Mexico City was... I had to take a double-take and ask him "Did you think I left the US or something?"... turns out he did. Thought "New Mexico" was Mexico....
@@a-liberal-patriot LOL, when my Aunt moved up to NY state, their landlord asked them if they still had "Indian Raids" down here... after staring at him for like a full minute, she just deadpanned "Oh yea. Daily."
... this was in 1987.
As someone who grew up here. Im 32 years old. Its a retirement state. For old people that get cold easy. Do not move your kids here. There is nothing for kids to do that isnt hours away. The schools are terrible and arent getting better and since theres nothing to do a lot of people turn to drugs or just being casual alcoholics. Move somewhere nicer and youll be happier.
At a meeting three or four years ago, I asked a retired state trooper who was originally from the Las Cruces area about what it would be like to live in Las Cruces if I should ever get around to retiring. The response? "Move to Arizona."
Have traveled and visited much of New Mexico, met many friendly people, LOVE the food and cherish the memories but would never want to live there.
Thank you finally someone with common sense in this comment section. Too many uneducated and delusional Meth heads from New Mexico defending their dump of a state.
Kids need unstructured time and space alone to discover themselves and learn and build things. My time in the woods as a kid was the best. The worst thing for kids is crowding them together in schools where they learn to compete with each other. That's where violence is learned too.
Don’t forget all the fckn meth, it wasn’t coincidence that “breaking bad” takes place in NM.
As a New Mexican I am okay with folks not wanting to move here. Please don't. Move along to somewhere else; we are not the poorer for your absence.
Actually you are poorer...that's the biggest problem with NM. But on the flip side...you still have OPEN spaces and quiet areas.
@@azdesertrats729 NM may be poorer but it is also cheaper to live there. Partly a reason why retirees move there.
Yes sir
I didn't mean that as an insult...more of a statement of facts
New Mexico is poor by default. 🤣🤣🤣
Grew up most my life in NM then moved to Los Angeles in my 30s. Moved back to Albuquerque 20 years later and the place has gone downhill compared to how it was when I left in 1991. The big standout is the crime rate. There are a lot of things I don't like about Los Angeles, but I felt safer there than I do in Albuquerque. In my 20 years in LA I was never the victim of any crime. In the 12 years I've been back in ABQ, I've had a trailer stolen, multiple vehicle break-ins, and multiple broken windows due to sheer vandalism. And I live in one of the better areas of town. Here in Albuquerque, if you've not had your car stolen, you will have at least one family member or close friend who has.
Absolute truth here. 😕 Also, you didn't mention the fentanyl crisis. It's just a matter of time before New Mexico's criminal element touches whoever lives there. 💀
Absolutely right PAL
Well, why haven't you moved back to LA?
@@Bmwguy2011 why?
@@Bmwguy2011 man thats unfair....u know are latin people with good culture..come on! we dont need said that stereotypes about them...
I vacation in New Mexico fairly often and what I can tell these reasons are valid. The quality of roads when crossing state lines is almost comical in a couple areas. I like New Mexico and I think Albuquerque is kinda fun to visit. Hopefully they can find ways to improve the state.
I would take NM roads over anything in Hoosyerland.
If you think NM roads are bad try Oklahoma. Oh and they have tolls up the @ss yet their roads are still awful
My brother has lived in roswell since 2018. Says finding steady work is very difficult
I've lived in NM my whole life. Born in Farmington, grew up in Cruces, have family in Roswell and currently live in Albuquerque. I can honestly say most of these things are true except the Spanish thing. You don't need to know Spanish at all to live here. I barely know any and I am half Mexican and my mom and her parents all speak Spanish fluently. I would say that the absolute worst problem here that was just touched on at THE VERY END of the video would most definitely be the drug problem. Las Cruces is one of if not the ONLY city in the USA that has no border checkpoints going into it, onlu going out of it. So once cartels or whoever gets their drugs inside the states, usually el paso, tx, then it's literally a straight shot to Las Cruces and you will literally drive past the other side of the checkpoint as you drive into town. Always wondered why such a huge oversight has gone unchecked for so so lonf
Side note. Most of the people who "Move" to NM to enjoy it quite literally have the wealth and time to do so. Everyone else here is just too poor to leave. TRUTH.
@Lord Aizen yes after living here 20 years I'd agree with you.
@@lordaizen8004 I'd say that New Mexico's fat little governess is doing good business with the cartels. Why else would she allow endless amounts of fentanyl to pour in? She's getting a cut. 💀
New mexico is a cabal state letting in criminal drug trafficking scum! Hope the state gets nuked, f..k u
I spent some of my youth in NM and I love the scenic beauty of the state. Recently, I have considered returning there to live, but that notion ended in disappointment. While the cost of living is cheaper, the wages are lower and the tax rates are higher. I would definitely have to accept an unappealing step down in living standards in order to move there. The job market is also much smaller, so, even finding a job can be a challenge.
But, I took the effort seriously and I even flew back to NM a few years ago to scope things out on the ground. I was shocked at the state of decay I found Albuquerque to be in. Very little growth and lots of dilapidation. My old neighborhood (which I have fond memories of) is now a rundown shell of what it used to be.
I will always love New Mexico but I can also understand why its not attracting people.
Albuquerque is crumbling fast. 😕😕😕 I loved going there to visit in the 90s and 2000s, but it's now filled with homeless drug addicts living in tents along the sides of the roads.
Rio Rancho for me, it was the fastest growing community in the country in the 80s. I took a peek on Google Earth and didn't recognize it. My old house looks like a slum area. I would reconsider Cedar Crest or the area west of the Sandia Knolls though.
Lack of coherent planning. There should have been at least a three quarter loop around Albuquerque as part of the original allotment. Tribalism fiefdoms and lack of foresight have led the state to where it is today.
I been to New Mexico. It's nice to visit but it will be depressing to live there. Albuquerque reminds me of Tucson, Arizona.
Did you see Walter and Skyler White while you were there?
@@mkervelegan I did go to that doughnut shop! 🍩
Yep.
Lived in AZ for 20 years.
98_20.
Fk AZ and NM.
Popo scour the streets looking for bicycles with no lights.
Seeking out J walkers.
LMAO
Then... Shake you down seeking revenue.
Tucson is much nicer.
I greatly appreciate you highlighting other people's 10 biggest gripes instead of your own perspectives 👍
I moved to Albuquerque from Chicago a few years ago, and I’ve never felt unsafe here. While it doesn’t have as much to do, it’s cheap, the hiking is great, and the food is delicious.
The south valley is great place for a sunset walk.
NM is simply a poorly run state. My car insurance is ridiculous. However, having lived in ABQ for three years there's no other state as beautiful as this, and I've lived in many states. As an educator here, there's a disturbing disparity between really high achievers sharing classrooms with poor achieving students. Nevertheless, there is hope, it just depends on who the voters choose as the peeps they elect into office. There is where NM has some glimmer of light, hopefully.
New Mexico has and apparently always will be a Democrat owned state. That means things won't change, they like it just as it is there. 🔵💀💉
DREAM ON, SWEET PRINCE💔
NM has adopted the same victimhood politics as other blue states, the only problem is that here they have no-one to blame but themselves and no deep pockets to raid. Their fate is sealed.
Democrats love poor stupid colored people
New Mexico has such potential if it could get its act together on crime. Such a beautiful state with a crippling crime problem and a long history of being taken advantage of as a territory. The best thing the state has going for it is that it’s the last affordable state in the Rocky Mountains, and as more people get priced out of Colorado, Arizona, and Utah it’s bound to get an influx of people desperate for a place where they can afford to buy a house.
Not going to happen with the Democrats in charge, just look at New York and California!!! Truth and don't it isn't!!!
Not much to do in the desert but smoke meth and commit crimes. Maybe a bowling alley or a neighborhood garden will keep criminals busy.
How much of the crime comes from the south of NM?
@@SimonTekConley same could be said for the rest of the southwest
Pipefitter in NM is in the high 40s
You'd have to assume everyone's looking for the same things. I'm retired and have visited The Land of Enchantment" many times. It is a very beautiful state and like anything else depends on the area. I prefer less people and wide open spaces. It's not one size fits all kinda state.😊
I've lived in Santa Fe for 20 years and love it. Glad most of the people move to Arizona, they can have them!
HI, I'm considering living in Santa Fe. I'd either be renting an apartment or a very small house. You have any zip codes you can recommend?
@@Psmitty97 Most expensive part of NM, just look around and see what you find for $2000 or less per month. Maybe get a long term Airbnb....
@@Psmitty97 The southern and western part of SF are least expensive generally. Northern and eastern most expensive.
I broke down in the middle of the night outside ALB. Was walking to a gas station....a local hispanic or Native American guy wearing a cowboy hat, picked me up, took me to a pay phone so I could call a tow truck and then used the phone to call his boss to tell him he'd be a little late for work. To this day one of the coolest guys I'd ever met...since I would never do it myself.
The field mice were EVERYWHERE that night....I'd see them run around my feet when passing cars would light up my path on the freeway. Glad I got a ride.
Nice, videos like this will keep people away from this goldmine of a location. Montana and the Dakota's are/will be as well. If you know, you know =)
I grew up in Albuquerque and got out of there as fast as I could! 😂 not sure how I even graduated high school…I barely showed up!
They have among the worst education system in the country.
Since you could write a coherent sentence, somehow you miraculously got some knowledge. Read books on your own? Better than what those schools are doing.
@@Bonzi_Buddy You're not kidding about New Mexico's inadequate education!!!
I moved to NM in 1991 from CA at the age of 24. Please don't move here we love our state being under populated.
I was born and raised in NM, and I've never learned to speak Spanish. I tried to learn. Oh, well. 39 years later, I'm managing living here speaking good old-fashioned American English.
The Spanish thing is weird, you really don't need to speak Spanish in NM anymore than you would in TX or CA. Yea it's useful and super common, but almost everyone speaks English.
I have a friend that moved from high tax Illinois to low tax New Mexico when he retired. His reasoning was he wanted to spend his money having fun, not lining the pockets of politicians. The drawback he did share was low income often causes high crime.
Taxes are going up and up in New Mexico, to pay for all the welfare that the local government throws out to everyone.
I'm not the only one (on/off YT) that feels/thinks that way. I'll be joining you (and a few others) soon. I cannot wait to be outside every day, with more to do and see. BTW, I like IL, outside Chicagoland. If we could, Peoria (or anywhere along 74) would've been nice for us.
As a Native American pueblo person, I just wanted to thank you for keeping all other destroyers of the earth and what it really means to be a human being. Y'all can just keep on driving through or go around my home state.
Meanwhile, the pueblos in New Mexico are saturated with crime, poverty and drugs. 💀 Your leaders need to address those problem already.
You mean progress?
The reasons you call negative are what I call Positive, and the reason we are in the process of moving there - (we have 40 days to close on our house in Dallas (a truly awful place)_
We're moving to an area in NM of only 7K pop_ I love the wide-open space and the fact that there's not someone everywhere you turn whether on foot, in town, or in a car on the road_ Low school funding keeps the property tax low_ We pay over $3K/Yr for house taxes in Dallas_ We're buying a bigger home in NM for a mere $300/Yr house taxes_
I see all these New Mexican plates pouring into Dallas (along with every other state) and I'm just shaking my head like 'you got to be kidding me - y'all are giving up a Dream for this Hell ? ' GREAT ! More room for me in NM ! Make way for true Patriots of the state of NM_ This Native Texan See's happiness as Texas in the rearview mirror on the highway to the cold Mountains of northern NM !
Can't wait to get my NM licence & plates and shed these Texas ones
Native Texan here, too... My plans also involve getting out of here ASAP... Either Arkansas, Oklahoma, or New Mexico. But Arkansas is number one on my list.
I'm in a (once) rural area near D/FW. I'm already used to some of the reasons listed in this video, and others don't apply to me (or even appeal to me).
Texas is becoming too constrictive. "Progress" is choking this blue collar introvert out...
Adios, Texas.
Awesome video! Some of the problems you mentioned are true. We love the sparse population here and want to keep it that way. A refuge from the many overcrowded states surrounding us.
I was born and raised in NM in the 50s and 60s. It hasn’t changed much since then. About 40% are still on welfare. Thanks to the federal government, there will always be poverty in the one big city and surrounding areas. There are lots of ranches that account for a big portion of the state. I think it’s a beautiful place and the roads are mostly empty, unlike all the states around NM. There’s no need for any more colleges. I lived on the plains, desert. The elevation is 5000 feet in the flattest part of NM. The dry heat beats the humidity, as found in most other states. The climate hasn’t changed in 116 years, when my grandparents homesteaded there. My brother has been getting online for at least 30 years. 😂 There are many beautiful places in NM. It’s also an artist’s paradise!
New Mexico sure is beautiful! Climate in New Mexico has changed: the average temperature in New Mexico was 52 degrees F in 1930, and in 2018 it was 57 degrees.
@@TheRetroGuy2000 Nonsense.
Your misconception of modern times is obviously painful here as you think 40% welfare is realistic. Actually this entire American economy is failing and non sustainable everything is too expensive and normal hard working families cannot afford even a place to live or food. Shit is fucked up! Your out of touch!
Yeah, its not as if Los Alamos, Sandia Labs, Holloman, Cannon and the rest of Federal government sponsored areas for the last 70 years are keeping NM alive. Cruces is turning into little Phoenix. Try renting space to sell your 'ART' on the plaza compared to the late 80's to early 90's. Paradise lost.
@@bobfeller604You don’t get to deny reality just because you feel like it. Life goes on.
I just love New Mexico. Taos, White Sands, Los Alamos. It's a beautiful state. I live in Arizona and think about moving there all the time. It's just spectacular in my opinion.
@@Username7758-zv5po new mexico there nothing really there but highways
New Mexico is cool
Until you are missing half your car and your house is burning and someone yelling at you while smoking meth and geeking.. beautiful landscape and scenery though
My cousin, who was retired, moved from Florida to Alamogordo two and a half years ago. He wanted to be near one of his sons and grandchildren. He hated it there. The son works all the time and the kids, who are very young, didn’t seem to like him. The weather was mostly was had with some cold snaps in winter. He wanted to move back to FL abut couldn’t afford it. He passed away after suffering from long Covid instead.
Very sad story. 😢😢😢
I live in southern Colorado. I go on vacation in New Mexico several times a year. Easier to visit than to move there.
As for someone who has lived on the East, West & Gulf Coasts...I'm thrilled to be here & never plan to leave again!
What about the Great Lakes?
New Mexico was dependent on Federal government projects, contractors, and facilities for DECADES and made no efforts to attract other industries. When those facilities cutback or shutdown, there were very few options except to follow the jobs to where they moved or leave to find employment. The fact that the Federal government owns 34.7% of the state doesn't help either. The native American reservations are only 10.5% of the land in the state. Being the site of nuclear tests doesn't add any attraction.
Sounds like VA,MD, WV, PA TO Name a few.
I'm from NM and lived in VA for decades, the government cheese isn't just for poverty welfare.
There's a mountain of corporate welfare industries that would be shuttered as fast as the rust belt
Without Corp lobbyists.
There were only ever 2 nuclear tests in NM, so not sure what you mean. It's just research. Nevada is where all the nuclear testing was done.
Born and raised in NM. I’m almost 50. We have a poor education system, high crime rate, low wages and no higher job opportunities. Our politicians have a perpetual victimhood mentality. Yes it’s beautiful here, great weather too, but the people didn’t create that. Food is great but finding people to work in the service industry is very hard. Politics here is one party (left) and with that government handouts is top of the country. Once I retire I’m out.
How funny, I want to retire in NM...when I don't need to worry about income...
@@azdesertrats729 I wish that I could encourage you to do so. Unfortunately, I can’t unless you move to Santa Fe or Taos. But if you are used to things to do in town both places lack. Plenty of hiking and outdoor activities though.
I get it...I have land in Bluewater near Grants...Grants is a sad looking town...but I would be one hour and 20 m ns from ABQ and 30 mins from Gallup....but again,, forget about looking for work..
Vast numbers of people are finally waking up and rejecting the leftist political ideology!!
@@azdesertrats729 You will when you get your tax bill on your SS, pension, and investments.
Thanks, this vid makes me want to move to nm...
Hi,
I just moved from NM on June 11th, 2023. I taught high school on the Navajo reservation for 5 years. I agree with 9 of your statements about NM except how expensive car insurance is there. I moved back to my home state of Texas and my car insurance more than doubled. I was paying $74 monthly for car insurance and am now paying $157 per month for car insurance. I enjoyed living there for 5 years but did not want to retire there. It is a gorgeous state but for me the friendliest people are Texans. I have lived in 5 states in my life and I stand by my opinion that Texans are the friendliest! Thanks! Elizabeth Clark Goodrich, Texas
What'd you say your name is?
I've lived in New Mexico most of my life. To everyone thinking of moving to New Mexico please don't we don't want anymore people coming to New Mexico
Every state says that lol. Feel like that statement doesn't mean anything anymore. It won't get crowded. Most people don't like the desert
It’s known as “The land of enchantment”. My friend moved there from NC. He calls it “The land of entrapment”
A lot of locals call it that too.
Yup their a reason for that saying
I’ve been here since 2016 and love it.
Thank you for scaring people away. We have more than enough here in Northern New Mexico!!
Thank you for showing me why new mexico is the invisible state. I think that maybe someone should do a state by state expose on housing. Who has the most speculator owned housing, ways around mortgages like owner carries and HUD stats for each state. Az has had 16,000 tax default auctions making homelessness a damned big deal. Looking to move from Nevada to stay alive as a retired senior. Do a series for helping the poor survive.
The poor are surviving just fine in New Mexico, their mouths are tightly latched on that government welfare titty. 👶🏽
A few side notes:
1. Devil's Highway also extended into Arizona, and had that nickname because originally, it was Route 666. It was renamed Rt. 491, in the year 2003. Historically, it did have a lot of traffic fatalities, but see the next point to find out why.
2. There are a lot of traffic accidents in NM, but the main reason for that is DUIs. Devil's Highway/Rt 491, in the Four Corners area, goes through Native American Reservation territory, where there is a high percentage of alcoholism. Although, high numbers of DUI related traffic accidents plague the entire state.
I moved here from Arizona, 2yrs ago, and my car insurance is less than half what of what it was in AZ. Although, I must say that people here do not pay attention while driving, and appear to think they are the only vehicle on the road.
Oh, but if you try to exceed the speed limit even a little, they will catch you, and you will pay an exorbitant fine. Just fyi.
3. The only reason it appears that home prices are lower in averaging calculations, is because of the Reservations and the poverty level at which a lot of people live.
Your average family home is just as expensive here as anywhere else, and in the most popular and populated cities, the cost of a home has skyrocketed, just like everywhere else.
Another factor increasing home price is that a lot of Californians either move here as their primary residence or purchase second homes here.
4. The cost of living here for daily expenses, in certain areas, is just as high or higher than the rest of the country. Since moving here, I spend double on food compared to AZ.
5. Cell phone service in the state is abysmal, and if you're traveling in a rural area, there may not be any service at all.
6. There's no excuse for the poor road conditions. NM, at one time, had a surplus of funds in their coffers. And back in the 90s (I think), they started building a bridge with those excess funds, which they never finished. It was dubbed, The Bridge To Nowhere.
7. Even though NM has a lot of oil and gas and refining industry activity, our gas prices are higher compared to surrounding states. Figure that one out.
8. I feel less safe in the Four Corners area of NM, than I did in Southern Arizona. Alcohol and drugs, fuel a lot of the violent crime here.
Rt 666 was changed to 491 because people kept stealing the signs. Like mile markers 420 and 69 are now 419.99 and 68.99
I live in Apache County right next door and people don't understand how desolate the border area between AZ and NM is. This place is empty. We live here because of that emptiness, most Californians won't stay here, thank God, not civilized enough. I can barely afford food on the AZ side I can't image having to pay what your paying, Yikes. One beautiful thing about this area though is the racial diversity and real lack of racism here. Native tribes to Mexican to Black to White we are a small community and watch out for each other. All the best from your AZ neighbor.
You must be mistaken Hwy 666 or 491 never extended into Arizona. It goes into Colorado and Utah but never Arizona. As this Hwy runs north to south not east to west. I lived along this Hwy all my life.
@@MTNmomma22 Yes, that's right. Kinda wish I had one for the cool factor.
@randallbates9020 You are absolutely right! I've driven through and around that area quite a bit over the decades. My grandson and I used to go exploring there, and would often visit the Petrified Forest. It is pretty desolate, and not much else to do there.
One year, we were driving back to Tucson from Albuquerque, and I decided to cut south through the Reservation to "save time." It's flat as far as the eye can see, but a storm in the distance sent a raging river across the road we were on, and washed it out. Being half way into the route, I had to make a nerve-wracking decision about whether it was safer to keep going, or turn back to the highway.
At the time, there wasn't any cell service through there, and we didn't see one soul the entire time, so I knew that if we got into a perilous situation, we were pretty much doomed. Our washed-up bodies would likely have been found only after our bones had been bleached by the sun.
Ultimately, I decided to continue in the same direction, but never again have I taken that route. I stick to the freeways.
Thanks for adding to the story by sharing your experience and knowledge of the area.
We moved from Chicago to Rio Rancho nm and it is amazing i suggest this excellent place to live
New Mexico is not for everyone but I love it I love the fact that is not as populated as other states you can feel it on the air I think is the cleanest state of all but like I said is not for everyone
I moved to New Mexico (Las Cruces) in Junior high. Grew up in Montana. Major culture shock. Left Cruces after high school, and a few years at NMSU. Moved to New York City at 19. Another culture shock. Ended up in Minnesota currently. I very much miss NM. Love love the Spanish culture the food😊 and the wide open spaces. I talk about retiring to
T or C 😊 I think for all the things that are mentioned in the vid. there is a lot of beauty in that state. Go Aggies!
It's a trap. 🌶️🌶️🌶️
@@Christophersanchez1326 That it is!!! 😂
Las Cruses or it's other name West El Paso.
The reason NJ spends so much on its students is because we have the highest property taxes in the country. There’s not even a close 2nd. I pay almost $9000/year on a 1900 sq/ft home that I paid $285k for. There are homes in my neighborhood that pay $10-$11k a year in taxes
I’m going to watch video later but I hope you’re right about people not moving here to New Mexico we can’t handle anymore imo. We are over crowded already.
New Mexico’s greatest draw is, “Hey we aren’t Louisiana and Mississippi. Come check us out.”
I've driven quite a bit through New Mexico, and I must say the state that takes the prize for having the worst roads is Oklahoma! 🏆
Best part of NM highway construction is the signs that say "Michelle Lujan Project". Instead of State of New Mexico project. Egotistical Governor....
The funny thing about Oklahoma is they have SO MANY tolls everywhere, but their roads are the worst.
I've lived in New Mexico for almost 30 years (basically all of my life). This list is very accurate and unfortunately nothing is changing when it comes to job opportunity, crime just keeps getting worse, and I'm tired of people voting for politicians who are not going to change any of that. I'm hoping to be out of here within the next few months.
Albuquerque is a sand pit......nothing grows there,NOTHING...it remains the same year after year,,that's including people
Yeah NM sucks lol
@@Runitup84 it does,it really does....theres Albuquerque and Santa fe,that's it,,,every other place is a rest stop...
Yeah, yeah,yeah,good weather..but the people suck there..
@@nofilter.906 very beautiful state for sure
@@Runitup84 the weather,,,being outdoors is truly WONDERFUL....ITS THE PEOPLE AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO THE CITY,is what sucks.
NM has the nicest weather I've ever encountered. I was actually highly annoyed when I move back to Florida.
"Oye, escucha, Florida es una basura! El tiempo de New Mexico es mucho mejor, nunca he experimentado un clima tan fabuloso. Cuando regresé a Florida, me molestó mucho. ¡Preferiría estar en New Mexico con su bonita temperatura, paisajes espectaculares y gente amable! Florida no se compara en absoluto."
Agree! Lived there for many years and Florida weather sucks. I love NM and its weather!
I agree, please keep people out of this incredible state. I love where I live and won’t be leaving new mexico
I remember reading an article about principals in NY vs. NM. The principal in our ritzy Middle school in NY made over $250,000 along with secretaries without degrees who all made over $100,000. A year 3 (tenure year 1) teacher with a masters degree made over $100,000. In NM the Principal made $90,000 after 10 years. In NM a year three tenured teacher makes less than $30,000. It really is appalling how little these teachers get paid. A teacher with a PHD in some instances makes less than the shift janitor. Very unfortunate.
New York has higher cost of living so an apartment in New Mexico is a fraction of what it would cost in New York.
Who is going to pay the money? NYC has population density. 400-500 students per grade at the high school level. Means the tax base is small…and apparently poor.
I gotta think part of it is its remoteness. Arizona has Southern California right next door, and I believe it had more military and production presence in WW2. A lot of veterans moved to AZ after the war, and during the 1950s polio epidemic a lot of survivors moved there for the warm dry air. New Mexico is miles from anywhere, and never had a sufficient population to become a draw.
Doesn't justify the high crime rate. All the states in the Midwest like Iowa and Nebraska are isolated but don't have high crime rates like NM.
@@thullraven1 --It seems as if some of the NM residents posting messages are fooling themselves, they're blinded to the real problems that plague the state. It's possible this way of thinking helps one to survive their undesirable circumstances.
@Sonomacats No, it isn't just ABQ. You have smaller places like Gallup with sky high per capita crime rates. The state is beautiful. Unfortunately, outside of a few areas, it's also a crime and poverty ridden cesspool. It doesn't matter if you don't agree. That's your opinion, which isn't a fact. Statistics are facts. Statistics show NM is very high in crime and poverty, therefore it is. Facts. I like facts. Opinions are meaningless compared to facts because they aren't facts.
@@thullraven1 if those "facts" keep you out of our state, Im down with it 😆
So yea... awful here. There is A Crime on every corner! The Cacti actively hunt the humans! Ummm... the egh... Oh! The Yuccas are stealing hub caps, and selling it for Tamales!
... ... ... 👀 This is working right?
@@thullraven1 Arizona has a high crime rate as well, and is pretty run down in parts.
Very interesting! I have been west of the Mississippi for only 2 weeks, viaiting L.A. So I knew very little about New Mexico. And I never sat and talked with anyone from there. I live in northern New York State. So I appreciate all you've taught us. Be well! 🌹
The northern third to half of NM is 5,000 ft elevation. This makes excellent summer weather: Dry heat (so 94, even 98 is OK), and cools off fast at night. On a summer night in northern NM (ABQ, Santa Fe, Gallup, rural areas...) you'll need long pants and /or a longer shirt. Way, way better Summer weather than the sticky hot humidity of the East Coast or Midwest. Winter, with high elev and dry air: It cools off fast. Can get down to zero. In rural areas: high dry air = some of the most astounding night skies anywhere.
Yeah I don't understand the weather thing, nothing compares to digging your car out of 2 feet of wet snow to get to work like I used to on the east coast.
@@ironmonkey1512 The weather thing makes no sense in the video, since AZ's weather is way worse
You defeat your own point that New Mexico doesn't spend enough per student by stating they spend MORE than Arizona, but their scores are poor. Why would you assume a position as illogical and creatively void that spending MORE per student in any way reflects on better grades and schooling? Especially when you yourself round out the point that it doesn't but fail to recognize it? How is it so many are this ignorant of reality?