Best overall
Los Alamos County
Overall score 80.1
Economy 94 / Affordability 49.1
State rankings
Best Counties to Live in New Mexico
Compare counties in New Mexico by affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and quality-of-life tradeoffs.
Use the county-size filter to compare large metro counties, mid-size counties, small counties, and rural areas separately. These modules are a starting point, then you can open the full rankings table or compare individual counties.
County size
County size helps compare places with similar scale. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Showing all 33 New Mexico counties
Use this state ranking
Compare counties in New Mexico
Put New Mexico counties side by side.
Estimate moving costs
Compare housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, insurance, and tax-pressure estimates.
Open New Mexico rankings
Open the full New Mexico ranking table with filters.
Explore on the map
Scan county scores geographically across the country.
New Mexico county rankings at a glance
Compact winners for common county-search priorities.
Best for families
Los Alamos County
Family score 83.0
Schools 99.5 / Safety 85
Best value
Guadalupe County
Value score 76.9
Affordability 80.3 / Taxes 75.8
Most affordable
Hidalgo County
Affordability 88
Typical home $100,641
Best schools
Los Alamos County
Schools 99.5
Safety 85 / Economy 94
Safest
San Miguel County
Safety 100
Schools 5.9 / Peace 87.2
Low taxes
Catron County
Taxes 84.2
Affordability 45.7 / Typical home $230,424
Peace & quiet
Roosevelt County
Peace & Quiet 95.4
Density and built-environment signals
Top counties by category
Use these short lists to jump into the state rankings that match your priorities.
Best overall counties in New Mexico
View full- 1Los Alamos County
Typical home $582,355
80.1
Overall
- 2Union County
Typical home $121,431
69.1
Overall
- 3Eddy County
Typical home $247,119
65.2
Overall
- 4Sandoval County
Typical home $375,318
65
Overall
- 5Harding County
Typical home $70,000
64.2
Overall
Best counties for families in New Mexico
View full- 1Los Alamos County
Typical home $582,355
83.0
Family
- 2Union County
Typical home $121,431
80.2
Family
- 3Harding County
Typical home $70,000
66.8
Family
- 4Curry County
Typical home $159,647
64.0
Family
- 5Sandoval County
Typical home $375,318
63.9
Family
Best value counties in New Mexico
View full- 1Guadalupe County
Typical home $110,000
76.9
Value
- 2Eddy County
Typical home $247,119
76.1
Value
- 3Lea County
Typical home $191,098
75.3
Value
- 4Quay County
Typical home $106,213
75.1
Value
- 5Curry County
Typical home $159,647
73.7
Value
Most affordable counties in New Mexico
View full- 1Hidalgo County
Typical home $100,641
88
Afford.
- 2Harding County
Typical home $70,000
86.6
Afford.
- 3Mora County
Typical home $122,600
85.2
Afford.
- 4Quay County
Typical home $106,213
82.8
Afford.
- 5Guadalupe County
Typical home $110,000
80.3
Afford.
Best school counties in New Mexico
View full- 1Los Alamos County
Typical home $582,355
99.5
Schools
- 2Union County
Typical home $121,431
79.8
Schools
- 3Harding County
Typical home $70,000
64.6
Schools
- 4Sandoval County
Typical home $375,318
41.3
Schools
- 5Otero County
Typical home $231,765
39.5
Schools
Lowest tax-score counties in New Mexico
View full- 1Catron County
Typical home $230,424
84.2
Taxes
- 2Torrance County
Typical home $227,153
83.3
Taxes
- 3Rio Arriba County
Typical home $342,347
81
Taxes
- 4Taos County
Typical home $436,543
80.2
Taxes
- 5Colfax County
Typical home $244,655
79.4
Taxes
Quietest counties in New Mexico
View full- 1Roosevelt County
Typical home $146,094
95.4
Quiet
- 2Chaves County
Typical home $170,648
93.2
Quiet
- 3Curry County
Typical home $159,647
93
Quiet
- 4Quay County
Typical home $106,213
92.6
Quiet
- 5Eddy County
Typical home $247,119
91.2
Quiet
Safest counties in New Mexico
View full- 1San Miguel County
Typical home $257,118
100
Safety
- 2Guadalupe County
Typical home $110,000
99.7
Safety
- 3Quay County
Typical home $106,213
97.9
Safety
- 4Colfax County
Typical home $244,655
97.8
Safety
- 5Cibola County
Typical home $154,549
94.2
Safety
Popular New Mexico county comparisons
Put two counties side by side before you narrow the search.
How to choose a county in New Mexico
The best county in New Mexico depends on what you need most. Families may care more about schools and safety, budget-focused movers may care more about affordability and taxes, and quiet-living households may care more about density and peace & quiet. Large counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so use the county-size filter to compare places with similar scale.
Best for different needs
Best overall counties in New Mexico
For best overall counties in New Mexico, Los Alamos County, Union County, and Eddy County stand out in this model because they combine several public-data signals instead of winning on only one category.
View this rankingBest counties for families in New Mexico
For families, Los Alamos County, Union County, and Harding County score well in the family blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet.
View this rankingMost affordable counties in New Mexico
For affordability-focused movers, Hidalgo County, Harding County, and Mora County may appeal because they score well on housing and income tradeoff signals in the current model.
View this rankingBest school counties in New Mexico
For school-first households, Los Alamos County, Union County, and Harding County lead the current school score, though families should still compare district-level details.
View this rankingBest low-tax counties in New Mexico
For lower tax-pressure searches, Catron County, Torrance County, and Rio Arriba County score well on the tax model, but buyers should still check local property taxes and carrying costs.
View this rankingBest quiet counties in New Mexico
For quieter-living searches, Roosevelt County, Chaves County, and Curry County stand out on peace & quiet signals such as density and built-environment indicators.
View this rankingWhat to watch before moving to New Mexico
Compare county scale carefully in New Mexico; large metro counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Check town-level housing costs, commute patterns, school districts, and local services before making a final move decision.
Frequently asked questions about the best counties in New Mexico
What is the best county to live in New Mexico?
The best county depends on your priorities. In this ranking model, Los Alamos County currently scores highest overall, but families, budget-focused movers, and quiet-living households may prefer different counties.
What is the best county in New Mexico for families?
Based on the family ranking blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet, Los Alamos County stands out in this model.
What is the most affordable county in New Mexico?
Hidalgo County scores highly on affordability in this model, but buyers should still compare home prices, taxes, insurance, commute costs, and local job access.
How should I compare large and small counties?
Use the county-size filter. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so comparing similar county sizes usually gives a more realistic shortlist.
Are these rankings based on reviews?
No. These rankings use public-data signals such as affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and peace & quiet. Local reviews and personal visits should still be part of a final decision.
Which New Mexico counties score well for schools or taxes?
Los Alamos County currently leads the school-score view, while Catron County stands out on the tax-score view. Use the rankings presets to compare those priorities separately.
All New Mexico counties
Showing all 33 New Mexico counties ranked by the default generated overall score.
| Rank | County | Overall | Economy | Afford. | Schools | Safety | Taxes | Peace & Quiet | Typical home | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Alamos County FIPS 35028 | 80.1 | 94 | 49.1 | 99.5 | 85 | 72.7 | 87.2 | $582,355 | $147,139 |
| 2 | Union County FIPS 35059 | 69.1 | 37.1 | 78 | 79.8 | 92.5 | 61.4 | 86.5 | $121,431 | $46,694 |
| 3 | Eddy County FIPS 35015 | 65.2 | 73.5 | 70.1 | 23.9 | 82 | 76.5 | 91.2 | $247,119 | $78,426 |
| 4 | Sandoval County FIPS 35043 | 65 | 75.4 | 54.3 | 41.3 | 93 | 61.3 | 85 | $375,318 | $86,636 |
| 5 | Harding County FIPS 35021 | 64.2 | 40.3 | 86.6 | 64.6 | 51 | 78.6 | 81.7 | $70,000 | $48,553 |
| 6 | Curry County FIPS 35009 | 62.9 | 52.3 | 74.8 | 29.5 | 94.1 | 65.1 | 93 | $159,647 | $57,309 |
| 7 | Lea County FIPS 35025 | 59.8 | 64.2 | 75.3 | 7.5 | 76 | 76.2 | 88.2 | $191,098 | $68,015 |
| 8 | Guadalupe County FIPS 35019 | 59.1 | 41.5 | 80.3 | 9.1 | 99.7 | 75.8 | 86.6 | $110,000 | $42,750 |
| 9 | Quay County FIPS 35037 | 57.9 | 23.8 | 82.8 | 22.5 | 97.9 | 74.5 | 92.6 | $106,213 | $41,946 |
| 10 | Chaves County FIPS 35005 | 55.5 | 43.9 | 72.5 | 15.1 | 78.3 | 69.4 | 93.2 | $170,648 | $52,938 |
| 11 | Otero County FIPS 35035 | 55.1 | 42.3 | 51.8 | 39.5 | 77.9 | 77.8 | 84.9 | $231,765 | $55,876 |
| 12 | Roosevelt County FIPS 35041 | 55.1 | 47.4 | 74.1 | 24.5 | 47.9 | 78.7 | 95.4 | $146,094 | $52,685 |
| 13 | Hidalgo County FIPS 35023 | 53.8 | 22.1 | 88 | 18.1 | 74.2 | 74.3 | 81.3 | $100,641 | $48,882 |
| 14 | Grant County FIPS 35017 | 53.7 | 35.3 | 58.8 | 24.9 | 88.5 | 74.8 | 89 | $188,064 | $44,958 |
| 15 | De Baca County FIPS 35011 | 52.1 | 49.7 | 67.7 | 30.6 | 62.2 | 29.9 | 86 | $101,844 | Data incomplete |
| 16 | Mora County FIPS 35033 | 51.8 | 32.6 | 85.2 | 8.8 | 70.6 | 61.9 | 75.4 | $122,600 | $53,663 |
| 17 | Cibola County FIPS 35006 | 51.6 | 27.2 | 71.8 | 11 | 94.2 | 63.4 | 84.1 | $154,549 | $50,759 |
| 18 | Catron County FIPS 35003 | 51.4 | 36.9 | 45.7 | 21.8 | 93.7 | 84.2 | 78.1 | $230,424 | $49,864 |
| 19 | Colfax County FIPS 35007 | 51.4 | 43.8 | 45.2 | 11.9 | 97.8 | 79.4 | 82.2 | $244,655 | $53,554 |
| 20 | Torrance County FIPS 35057 | 50 | 51.2 | 60.4 | 7.1 | 55.5 | 83.3 | 79.9 | $227,153 | $57,842 |
| 21 | Santa Fe County FIPS 35049 | 48.4 | 66.4 | 16.5 | 13.1 | 91.1 | 71.3 | 85.4 | $551,954 | $79,071 |
| 22 | Valencia County FIPS 35061 | 47 | 52.9 | 42.9 | 25.1 | 45.4 | 71.3 | 81 | $313,403 | $58,933 |
| 23 | San Miguel County FIPS 35047 | 46.7 | 37.2 | 38.4 | 5.9 | 100 | 73 | 87.2 | $257,118 | $49,431 |
| 24 | Bernalillo County FIPS 35001 | 46.4 | 59.4 | 40.1 | 12.2 | 77.5 | 47.9 | 53.1 | $347,857 | $69,473 |
| 25 | Rio Arriba County FIPS 35039 | 43.9 | 47 | 28.6 | 5.3 | 78.7 | 81 | 80.8 | $342,347 | $57,155 |
| 26 | San Juan County FIPS 35045 | 43.5 | 35.9 | 45.1 | 16.4 | 58.2 | 68.8 | 87.8 | $269,836 | $55,872 |
| 27 | Taos County FIPS 35055 | 42.8 | 50.7 | 18.1 | 9.5 | 77.5 | 80.2 | 81 | $436,543 | $58,950 |
| 28 | Socorro County FIPS 35053 | 41.7 | 28.7 | 37.3 | 1.7 | 88.5 | 72 | 86.9 | $195,298 | $36,570 |
| 29 | Sierra County FIPS 35051 | 40.2 | 24.7 | 53.1 | 11.1 | 45.9 | 72.8 | 86.5 | $171,957 | $41,600 |
| 30 | Luna County FIPS 35029 | 39.8 | 15.7 | 52.4 | 2.3 | 69.4 | 74.6 | 89.3 | $161,942 | $36,419 |
| 31 | McKinley County FIPS 35031 | 37.7 | 17.7 | 49.8 | 3.3 | 71 | 52.6 | 85.4 | $219,828 | $47,668 |
| 32 | Lincoln County FIPS 35027 | 37.4 | 41.3 | 18.5 | 11.7 | 56.9 | 75 | 82 | $345,944 | $53,303 |
| 33 | Doña Ana County FIPS 35013 | 37 | 42.4 | 42.2 | 16.6 | 9.6 | 66.1 | 88.7 | $287,470 | $56,848 |