Albuquerque, NM, known as 'The Duke City,' offers a unique blend of Southwestern charm and urban sophistication. Located in central New Mexico, Albuquerque is a large city that serves as a major cultural and economic hub. Major nearby cities like Santa Fe and Rio Rancho enhance its status as a central point in the region. Albuquerque's blend of scenic landscapes, cultural festivals, and urban amenities creates a distinctive living experience.
Albuquerque is home to several iconic landmarks, including the Sandia Peak Tramway, Old Town Albuquerque, and the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. The city offers a variety of attractions, from the beautiful Petroglyph National Monument to the bustling ABQ BioPark, known for its zoo, aquarium, and botanical garden. Albuquerque's dining scene is renowned for its New Mexican cuisine, featuring dishes like green chile stew and enchiladas.
Annual events such as the Gathering of Nations Powwow and the New Mexico State Fair highlight the city's vibrant cultural scene and provide unique entertainment opportunities for residents and visitors. These events celebrate Albuquerque's rich cultural heritage and community spirit. Prestigious institutions like the University of New Mexico contribute to the city's academic and cultural vibrancy, fostering a thriving intellectual community.
The arts and culture scene in Albuquerque is dynamic and diverse, with numerous theaters, music venues, and art galleries. The Albuquerque Museum and the KiMo Theatre are just a few of the cultural landmarks that showcase the city's commitment to the arts. Living in Albuquerque provides ample opportunities to engage with art, music, and history, making it an exciting place to call home.
Albuquerque’s community is welcoming and diverse, creating a friendly environment for newcomers. The city is home to professional sports teams like the Isotopes (MiLB) and New Mexico United (USL), providing plenty of excitement for sports fans. Major industries in Albuquerque include technology, healthcare, and defense, with significant employers such as Sandia National Laboratories and Presbyterian Healthcare Services driving economic growth. The city has extensive public transit options, including buses and a developing light rail system.
Amenities
An abundance of amenities, including restaurants, coffee shops, grocery stores and fitness facilities, are conveniently situated within walking distance of the area.
Commute
High commute scores indicates that public transit should be easily accessible in this area and the average commute time to work is less than average.
Cost Of Living
The overall cost of living in this area is much lower than average. This includes everyday goods and services, as well as housing, utilities and health care.
Housing
This area has received high scores in the housing category. This could be due to a positive home affordability ratio, high appreciation rates or elevated home values.
Health & Safety
A high score in the health and safety category is a result of good air quality and the accessibility to health facilities such as hospitals, clinics, doctors, pharmacies and fire stations.
Crime
This area is reporting high crime rates per 100,000 people and could signify that it is a dangerous place to live. Crime rates include both violent and property crimes.
Schools
Lower than average education levels, poor reading and math scores, as well as the inaccessibility of local elementary and high schools could all be factors in the low schools score.
Ratings
AreaVibes conducted surveys and polls with locals who live in the area. The results were not favorable for walkability of amenities, parks, public transit and the overall sense of community in the area.
Albuquerque is a large city located in the state of New Mexico. The city has a population of 560,447 inhabitants. At 70%, the majority of the Albuquerque population is White; this is followed by 4% American Indian and Alaskan and 3% Black. Additionally, more than a quarter of the population of Albuquerque are of Hispanic or Latino origin, and 21% of the population also speak Spanish. In Albuquerque, only 46% of people over the age of fifteen are married. This city could be a good option for singles ready to mingle.
Living in Albuquerque can be a good experience for anyone relocating to the city. Having said that, in the state of New Mexico, there are many amazing places to live, so choose wisely! When searching for a new neighborhood, several factors play a vital role in determining its suitability. Safety should be a top priority, ensuring a secure environment with low crime rates. Proximity to your workplace or school helps minimize commuting time and allows for a better work-life balance. Availability of essential amenities such as parks, coffee shops, restaurants, grocery stores, and healthcare facilities contributes to convenience and well-being. Access to reliable public transportation options facilitates easy commuting and connectivity. Additionally, considering the sense of community and the overall atmosphere that resonates with your lifestyle and preferences fosters a harmonious living experience. Using the livability score which includes data from categories like crime, health & safety, education, housing, you can easily compare the best places to live in Albuquerque and also determine if there are any nearby cities that might be a better match for your lifestyle. You can also compare Albuquerque to New Mexico and the national average.
Albuquerque, NM receives 71/100 for its livability score; this results in a ranking of #14 in New Mexico and #5,737 in the USA. For each of the livability categories, we see that Albuquerque ranks very well for cost of living (A-) and housing (B+). Albuquerque does not do well for the following: crime (F) and education (D-). It might be a smart idea to take a closer look at each category to find out why.
Living in Albuquerque offers many benefits and offers an extensive array of local amenities. These amenities play a crucial role in enhancing the quality of life in this vibrant community. From readily accessible grocery stores to charming coffee shops, diverse dining options and generously spaced parks, Albuquerque provides a wide spectrum of resources for its residents. This ensures that your daily requirements are effortlessly met and creates abundant opportunities for leisure and recreation. The abundant local offerings contribute to the area's overall appeal, making it an attractive destination for those seeking convenience, variety and a fulfilling lifestyle. If you're considering a move, the wealth of local amenities continues could be a defining feature of this remarkable locale. Some of the more notable entertainment options include: Old Town Albuquerque, ABQ Trolley Co., and Albuquerque Biological Park.
A robust real estate market serves as a crucial economic indicator, reflecting the local area's strength, stability and the confidence of its residents. Albuquerque excels in the housing sector, scoring high marks based on factors such as median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability. These calculations suggest that the apartment rental and real estate market in the region is exceptionally healthy, highlighting the area's economic vitality and attractiveness to potential homebuyers and renters.
Certain items on your wish list like shopping, restaurants, nightlife, parks and proximity to public transportation are all important things to look for. Having said that, perhaps the most important metric to consider when contemplating a move to Albuquerque is real estate affordability. The median home price for Albuquerque homes is $204,100, which is 26.3% higher than the New Mexico average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Albuquerque, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 3.8, which is 8.6% higher than the New Mexico average.
| Statistic | Albuquerque | New Mexico | National |
| Average one way commute | 22min | 22min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 78.5% | 79.8% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 9.5% | 10.1% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 1.7% | 1.2% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 1.0% | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 1.9% | 2.2% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 6.5% | 4.7% | 4.6% |
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