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New Mexico rankings · Jobs & income

Best towns for jobs & income in New Mexico

Sandia Heights ranks first on jobs & income among New Mexico’s 72 towns of 2,500+; 5 of the 72 grade A− or better on jobs & income nationally.

The Jobs & income grade: household income, poverty, unemployment (Census ACS) and jobs within a 45-minute drive (EPA). How grades work

#2

Los Alamos

Los Alamos County (city and county) · 13,317 people
A

Jobs & income grade, better than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #1 of 72 in NM

#3

White Rock

Los Alamos County (city and county) · 5,716 people
A

Jobs & income grade, better than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #2 of 72 in NM

All 72 towns

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

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

#TownGradeOverall
1Sandia Heightsunincorporated, Bernalillo County · 3,160 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #13 of 72
2Los AlamosLos Alamos County (city and county) · 13,317 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #1 of 72
3White RockLos Alamos County (city and county) · 5,716 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #2 of 72
4Placitasunincorporated, Sandoval County · 4,223 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #17 of 72
5Los Ranchos de AlbuquerqueBernalillo County · 5,790 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #14 of 72
6Eldorado at Santa Feunincorporated, Santa Fe County · 5,619 peopleB+better than 67% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #9 of 72
7Rio RanchoSandoval County · 114,419 peopleB+better than 67% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #3 of 72
8El Cerrounincorporated, Valencia County · 2,923 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #6 of 72
9CorralesSandoval County · 8,484 peopleB+better than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #5 of 72
10Kirtland AFBunincorporated, Bernalillo County · 3,413 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #8 of 72
11PeraltaValencia County · 3,499 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #15 of 72
12La Cienegaunincorporated, Santa Fe County · 3,543 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #4 of 72
13La Mesillaunincorporated, Rio Arriba County · 2,697 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #54 of 72
14Paradise Hillsunincorporated, Bernalillo County · 4,591 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #12 of 72
15Santa Teresaunincorporated, Doña Ana County · 6,041 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #36 of 72
16Los Chavesunincorporated, Valencia County · 4,838 peopleB−better than 49% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #42 of 72
17EdgewoodSanta Fe County · 6,157 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #10 of 72
18AlbuquerqueBernalillo County · 556,588 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #44 of 72
19Santa FeSanta Fe County · 89,837 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #22 of 72
20Bosque FarmsValencia County · 4,174 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #11 of 72
21FarmingtonSan Juan County · 46,055 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #40 of 72
22South Valleyunincorporated, Bernalillo County · 37,120 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #20 of 72
23Flora Vistaunincorporated, San Juan County · 2,770 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #55 of 72
24Sunland ParkDoña Ana County · 18,268 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #32 of 72
25BernalilloSandoval County · 9,159 peopleCbetter than 32% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #34 of 72
26North Hobbsunincorporated, Lea County · 6,034 peopleCbetter than 32% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #24 of 72
27Los LunasValencia County · 20,572 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #53 of 72
28CarlsbadEddy County · 32,524 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #23 of 72
29North Valleyunincorporated, Bernalillo County · 10,455 peopleCbetter than 29% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #29 of 72
30ArtesiaEddy County · 12,735 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #26 of 72
31HobbsLea County · 40,863 peopleC−better than 20% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #38 of 72
32RatonColfax County · 5,952 peopleC−better than 20% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #33 of 72
33Agua Friaunincorporated, Santa Fe County · 2,898 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #16 of 72
34Las CrucesDoña Ana County · 116,978 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #56 of 72
35RuidosoLincoln County · 7,580 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #45 of 72
36Crouch Mesaunincorporated, San Juan County · 4,812 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #21 of 72
37Santa RosaGuadalupe County · 2,802 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #18 of 72
38EspañolaRio Arriba County · 10,458 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #59 of 72
39Truth or ConsequencesSierra County · 5,949 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #62 of 72
40SocorroSocorro County · 8,261 peopleC−better than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #50 of 72
41RoswellChaves County · 46,878 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #70 of 72
42DemingLuna County · 14,944 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #49 of 72
43GallupMcKinley County · 19,969 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #72 of 72
44Holloman AFBunincorporated, Otero County · 4,433 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #31 of 72
45AztecSan Juan County · 6,091 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #51 of 72
46Meadow Lakeunincorporated, Valencia County · 4,259 peopleDbetter than 13% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #48 of 72
47Chaparralunincorporated, Doña Ana County · 18,186 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #35 of 72
48University Park College campusunincorporated, Doña Ana County · 2,782 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·No overall grade
49LovingtonLea County · 11,620 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #27 of 72
50EuniceLea County · 3,037 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #47 of 72
51AlamogordoOtero County · 31,906 peopleDbetter than 11% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #39 of 72
52ClovisCurry County · 37,127 peopleDbetter than 10% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #37 of 72
53AnthonyDoña Ana County · 8,900 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #19 of 72
54BloomfieldSan Juan County · 7,335 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #67 of 72
55Ruidoso DownsLincoln County · 2,588 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #58 of 72
56Vadounincorporated, Doña Ana County · 2,895 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #28 of 72
57TaosTaos County · 6,526 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #66 of 72
58Las VegasSan Miguel County · 12,574 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #69 of 72
59Rio CommunitiesValencia County · 4,953 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #68 of 72
60BelenValencia County · 7,589 peopleDbetter than 6% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #64 of 72
61PortalesRoosevelt County · 11,734 peopleDbetter than 6% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #25 of 72
62GrantsCibola County · 8,933 peopleD−better than 5% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #57 of 72
63Lee Acresunincorporated, San Juan County · 4,272 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #60 of 72
64TularosaOtero County · 2,662 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #71 of 72
65El Cerro Missionunincorporated, Valencia County · 5,323 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #52 of 72
66Dulceunincorporated, Rio Arriba County · 3,218 peopleD−better than 3% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #65 of 72
67Crownpointunincorporated, McKinley County · 2,882 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #41 of 72
68Silver CityGrant County · 9,284 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #30 of 72
69Zuni Pueblounincorporated, McKinley County · 5,864 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #63 of 72
70ClaytonUnion County · 2,510 peopleD−among the lowest in the U.S.·Overall B− · #7 of 72
71TucumcariQuay County · 5,082 peopleD−among the lowest in the U.S.·Overall C− · #46 of 72
72Shiprockunincorporated, San Juan County · 7,610 peopleD−among the lowest in the U.S.·Overall D · #61 of 72
Not ranked

1 town without a jobs & income 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 is best for jobs and income?

Sandia Heights (Bernalillo County) ranks first on jobs & income among 72 towns, with an A; Los Alamos and White Rock follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Jobs & income grade: household income, poverty, unemployment (Census ACS) and jobs within a 45-minute drive (EPA). 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 jobs & income grade (72 in New Mexico). 1 town of 2,500+ lack the figures and is 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 RockMost 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 most civic life46 towns · #1 TaosTowns 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
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