Magical New Mexico

From vast desert plains to dramatic volcanos and mountains, New Mexico is home to one of the most diverse landscapes in the world. Add to this its award-winning wine status, Santa Fe as the nation's highest elevation state capital, and the ancient Taos Pueblo, and we know New Mexico has to be seen to be believed.

0.78%

Effective property tax rate

Median annual property tax paid by homeowners in New Mexico is $1,403, about $1,200 less than the national median.

I grew up in New Mexico and moved back to raise my family here. In many ways, it's still undiscovered. It has an incredible quality of life with a four-season climate. There is a genuine love of the arts, history, and culture here, and, did I mention, it's beautiful! It's not crowded, and you can see 30 to 50 miles of blue sky. At night you can see all the stars since there is no light pollution. As a state, we're trying to evolve at a pace we can manage to preserve all of the things we love about New Mexico."

John Garcia, Secretary of General Services Department, New Mexico

New Mexico is fast becoming a hot relocation destination due its exotic scenery, well-planned communities, and rich native American and Spanish culture. From the thriving artists’ community of Santa Fe located high in the mountains to the ski resort of Taos, New Mexico can accommodate a range of interests and lifestyles. Las Cruces is another charming town in the south of the state, providing a less expensive option to the more popular Santa Fe. Whether you’re a connoisseur of stunning sunsets, a UFO-enthusiast, or just a lover of the Spanish-inspired cuisine, New Mexico has an abundance of choice. And to top it all off, New Mexico has some of the lowest cost of living in the country.

Resources and Recreation

Climate Recreation Opportunities

There’s plenty of sunshine! And the arid, dry heat of the long New Mexico summers makes it a wonderful year-round temperature, rather than having over bearing humidity. Much of the winter rain falls as snow in the mountains which is ideal for the ski resorts.

Health Care

New Mexico emerges as a health care leader by pushing for affordable care and prescription drug coverage for its residents. With many award-winning hospitals across the state, excellent treatment is available. The Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe is among six hospitals in New Mexico to receive a four out of five-star rating for overall quality, in a report by a government health care agency.

Home to five national forests, 15 national parks and monuments, 34 state parks, and eight ski resorts, the Land of Enchantment is abundant in its range of outdoor possibilities. Wheeler Peak, near Taos, is New Mexico’s highest mountain and Elephant Butte Lake State Park, is the state’s largest lake. Hike through the dunes of White Sands National Monument, or camp in the vastness of City of Rocks State Park for mind-blowing sunsets and places to climb. Capulin Volcano National Monument towers over the edge of the Great Plains in the state’s northeastern corner. It allows you to drive to the top of the 8,000ft cone for a view, including Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado. Full facility RV parks are plentiful across the state, allowing for comfortable camping in some of the most scenic spots. And if you’ve ever wanted to go scuba diving, there are plenty of companies to choose from, so you can knock this off the bucket list. No write-up on New Mexico would be complete without mentioning the Roswell UFO Museum, where the curious can decide for themselves what happened in 1947!

Income Taxes

New Mexico is moderately taxfriendly toward retirees. Social Security income and withdrawals from retirement accounts are only partially taxed. Wages are taxed at normal rates, and the marginal state tax rate is 5.90%. Starting in 2022, New Mexico offers a limited and temporary tax break for military pensions. Up to $10,000 of military retirement pay is exempt from tax for the 2022 tax year. The exemption amount is increased to $20,000 for 2023, and then to $30,000 for 2024 to 2026.