Guest, Sign inJoin
Taos plaza la fondaTaos, #1 on this list · Photo: Zeality · CC BY 2.5
New Mexico rankings · Civic life

Towns with the most civic life in New Mexico

Taos ranks first on civic life among New Mexico’s 46 towns of 2,500+; 5 of the 46 grade A− or better on civic life nationally.

The Civic life grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): library visits per resident (IMLS), community nonprofits (IRS) and volunteering groups. How grades work

#1

Taos

Taos County · 6,526 people
A+

Civic life grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall D · #66 of 72 in NM

#2

Placitas

unincorporated, Sandoval County · 4,223 people
A+

Civic life grade, better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #17 of 72 in NM

#3

Corrales

Sandoval County · 8,484 people
A−

Civic life grade, better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #5 of 72 in NM

All 46 towns

Civic life grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank; the overall grade and state rank are beside each.

46 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownGradeOverall
1TaosTaos County · 6,526 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall D · #66 of 72
2Placitasunincorporated, Sandoval County · 4,223 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #17 of 72
3CorralesSandoval County · 8,484 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #5 of 72
4RuidosoLincoln County · 7,580 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #45 of 72
5Santa FeSanta Fe County · 89,837 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #22 of 72
6RatonColfax County · 5,952 peopleB+better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #33 of 72
7AztecSan Juan County · 6,091 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #51 of 72
8Eldorado at Santa Feunincorporated, Santa Fe County · 5,619 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #9 of 72
9TucumcariQuay County · 5,082 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #46 of 72
10SocorroSocorro County · 8,261 peopleB+better than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #50 of 72
11Truth or ConsequencesSierra County · 5,949 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #62 of 72
12Santa RosaGuadalupe County · 2,802 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #18 of 72
13Silver CityGrant County · 9,284 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #30 of 72
14ArtesiaEddy County · 12,735 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #26 of 72
15GallupMcKinley County · 19,969 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #72 of 72
16CarlsbadEddy County · 32,524 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #23 of 72
17BelenValencia County · 7,589 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #64 of 72
18BloomfieldSan Juan County · 7,335 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #67 of 72
19AlbuquerqueBernalillo County · 556,588 peopleC+better than 35% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #44 of 72
20ClaytonUnion County · 2,510 peopleCbetter than 33% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #7 of 72
21TularosaOtero County · 2,662 peopleCbetter than 32% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #71 of 72
22EdgewoodSanta Fe County · 6,157 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #10 of 72
23GrantsCibola County · 8,933 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #57 of 72
24RoswellChaves County · 46,878 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #70 of 72
25FarmingtonSan Juan County · 46,055 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #40 of 72
26PortalesRoosevelt County · 11,734 peopleC−better than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #25 of 72
27Bosque FarmsValencia County · 4,174 peopleC−better than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #11 of 72
28AlamogordoOtero County · 31,906 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #39 of 72
29Las VegasSan Miguel County · 12,574 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #69 of 72
30EspañolaRio Arriba County · 10,458 peopleC−better than 21% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #59 of 72
31DemingLuna County · 14,944 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #49 of 72
32Rio CommunitiesValencia County · 4,953 peopleDbetter than 13% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #68 of 72
33Los LunasValencia County · 20,572 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #53 of 72
34Las CrucesDoña Ana County · 116,978 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #56 of 72
35EuniceLea County · 3,037 peopleDbetter than 10% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #47 of 72
36Rio RanchoSandoval County · 114,419 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #3 of 72
37Los Ranchos de AlbuquerqueBernalillo County · 5,790 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #14 of 72
38BernalilloSandoval County · 9,159 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #34 of 72
39ClovisCurry County · 37,127 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #37 of 72
40HobbsLea County · 40,863 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #38 of 72
41LovingtonLea County · 11,620 peopleDbetter than 6% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #27 of 72
42AnthonyDoña Ana County · 8,900 peopleD−better than 5% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #19 of 72
43Ruidoso DownsLincoln County · 2,588 peopleD−among the lowest in the U.S.·Overall D · #58 of 72
44Sunland ParkDoña Ana County · 18,268 peopleD−among the lowest in the U.S.·Overall C− · #32 of 72
45Dulceunincorporated, Rio Arriba County · 3,218 peopleD−among the lowest in the U.S.·Overall D · #65 of 72
46Zuni Pueblounincorporated, McKinley County · 5,864 peopleD−among the lowest in the U.S.·Overall D · #63 of 72
Not ranked

27 towns without a civic life grade

Towns of 2,500+ that don’t have the figures this grade needs. Each town’s page says which ones are missing.

Quick answers

Questions people ask

Which New Mexico town has the most civic life?

Taos (Taos County) ranks first on civic life among 46 towns, with an A+; Placitas and Corrales follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Civic life grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): library visits per resident (IMLS), community nonprofits (IRS) and volunteering groups. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a civic life grade (46 in New Mexico). 27 towns of 2,500+ lack the figures and are listed above. Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the New Mexico page.

Go deeper

More New Mexico lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All New Mexico rankings →
Best places to live72 towns · #1 Los AlamosBest small towns49 towns · #1 White RockMost affordable towns72 towns · #1 DulceSafest towns29 towns · #1 CorralesTowns with the best schools73 towns · #1 Los Alamos and White RockHealthiest towns73 towns · #1 White RockBest towns for jobs & income72 towns · #1 Sandia HeightsMost walkable towns73 towns · #1 Santa FeTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk73 towns · #1 University ParkBest towns for the outdoors73 towns · #1 White RockMost historic towns73 towns · #1 Las VegasTowns with the least snow69 towns · #1 DemingDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns69 towns · #1 DulceDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters72 towns · #1 Santa TeresaDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers72 towns · #1 CarlsbadDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers72 towns · #1 RuidosoDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes72 towns · #1 White RockDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes65 towns · #1 VadoDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns43 towns · #1 Los LunasDescribed, no lettersTowns with the most-used libraries36 towns · #1 TaosDescribed, no letters
Other states

Towns with the most civic life in other states

ALAKAZARCACOCTDEFLGAIDILINIAKSKYLAMEMDMAMIMNMSMOMTNENVNHNJNMNYNCNDOHOKORPARISCSDTNTXUTVTVAWAWVWIWY