#1 in NM
Los Alamos County
79.2
Overall score
Open county reportState rankings
Best Counties to Live in New Mexico
Compare counties in New Mexico by overall score, affordability, economy, schools, safety, taxes, and peace & quiet. Rankings are public-data estimates for comparison and research.
#2 in NM
Union County
68.9
Overall score
Open county report#3 in NM
Harding County
66.6
Overall score
Open county report#4 in NM
Eddy County
64.9
Overall score
Open county report#5 in NM
Sandoval County
64.9
Overall score
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Quick entry points for common county search priorities.
All New Mexico counties
Showing 33 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 | 79.2 | 94 | 49.1 | 99.5 | - | 72.7 | 87.2 | $582,355 | $147,139 |
| 2 | Union County FIPS 35059 | 68.9 | 37.1 | 78 | 79.8 | 91.5 | 61.4 | 86.5 | $121,431 | $46,694 |
| 3 | Harding County FIPS 35021 | 66.6 | 40.3 | 86.6 | 64.6 | - | 78.6 | 81.7 | $70,000 | $48,553 |
| 4 | Eddy County FIPS 35015 | 64.9 | 73.5 | 70.1 | 23.9 | 80.2 | 76.5 | 91.2 | $247,119 | $78,426 |
| 5 | Sandoval County FIPS 35043 | 64.9 | 75.4 | 54.3 | 41.3 | 92.3 | 61.3 | 85 | $375,318 | $86,636 |
| 6 | Curry County FIPS 35009 | 62.8 | 52.3 | 74.8 | 29.5 | 93.2 | 65.1 | 93 | $159,647 | $57,309 |
| 7 | Lea County FIPS 35025 | 59.4 | 64.2 | 75.3 | 7.5 | 73.5 | 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 | 97.6 | 74.5 | 92.6 | $106,213 | $41,946 |
| 10 | Chaves County FIPS 35005 | 55.2 | 43.9 | 72.5 | 15.1 | 76.3 | 69.4 | 93.2 | $170,648 | $52,938 |
| 11 | Otero County FIPS 35035 | 54.8 | 42.3 | 51.8 | 39.5 | 75.8 | 77.8 | 84.9 | $231,765 | $55,876 |
| 12 | Roosevelt County FIPS 35041 | 54.4 | 47.4 | 74.1 | 24.5 | 43.3 | 78.7 | 95.4 | $146,094 | $52,685 |
| 13 | Grant County FIPS 35017 | 53.6 | 35.3 | 58.8 | 24.9 | 87.5 | 74.8 | 89 | $188,064 | $44,958 |
| 14 | Hidalgo County FIPS 35023 | 53.4 | 22.1 | 88 | 18.1 | 71.9 | 74.3 | 81.3 | $100,641 | $48,882 |
| 15 | De Baca County FIPS 35011 | 51.8 | 49.7 | 67.7 | 30.6 | 60.1 | 29.9 | 86 | $101,844 | Data incomplete |
| 16 | Cibola County FIPS 35006 | 51.5 | 27.2 | 71.8 | 11 | 93.6 | 63.4 | 84.1 | $154,549 | $50,759 |
| 17 | Mora County FIPS 35033 | 51.5 | 32.6 | 85.2 | 8.8 | 69 | 61.9 | 75.4 | $122,600 | $53,663 |
| 18 | Catron County FIPS 35003 | 51.3 | 36.9 | 45.7 | 21.8 | 93.1 | 84.2 | 78.1 | $230,424 | $49,864 |
| 19 | Colfax County FIPS 35007 | 51.3 | 43.8 | 45.2 | 11.9 | 97.4 | 79.4 | 82.2 | $244,655 | $53,554 |
| 20 | Torrance County FIPS 35057 | 49.6 | 51.2 | 60.4 | 7.1 | 52.8 | 83.3 | 79.9 | $227,153 | $57,842 |
| 21 | Santa Fe County FIPS 35049 | 48.2 | 66.4 | 16.5 | 13.1 | 89.9 | 71.3 | 85.4 | $551,954 | $79,071 |
| 22 | San Miguel County FIPS 35047 | 46.7 | 37.2 | 38.4 | 5.9 | 100 | 73 | 87.2 | $257,118 | $49,431 |
| 23 | Valencia County FIPS 35061 | 46.5 | 52.9 | 42.9 | 25.1 | 42.3 | 71.3 | 81 | $313,403 | $58,933 |
| 24 | Bernalillo County FIPS 35001 | 45.8 | 59.4 | 40.1 | 12.2 | 73.3 | 47.9 | 53.1 | $347,857 | $69,473 |
| 25 | Rio Arriba County FIPS 35039 | 43.4 | 47 | 28.6 | 5.3 | 75.3 | 81 | 80.8 | $342,347 | $57,155 |
| 26 | San Juan County FIPS 35045 | 43.1 | 35.9 | 45.1 | 16.4 | 55.6 | 68.8 | 87.8 | $269,836 | $55,872 |
| 27 | Taos County FIPS 35055 | 42.5 | 50.7 | 18.1 | 9.5 | 75.3 | 80.2 | 81 | $436,543 | $58,950 |
| 28 | Socorro County FIPS 35053 | 41.4 | 28.7 | 37.3 | 1.7 | 86.7 | 72 | 86.9 | $195,298 | $36,570 |
| 29 | Sierra County FIPS 35051 | 39.7 | 24.7 | 53.1 | 11.1 | 42.8 | 72.8 | 86.5 | $171,957 | $41,600 |
| 30 | Luna County FIPS 35029 | 39.4 | 15.7 | 52.4 | 2.3 | 66.5 | 74.6 | 89.3 | $161,942 | $36,419 |
| 31 | McKinley County FIPS 35031 | 37.2 | 17.7 | 49.8 | 3.3 | 67.8 | 52.6 | 85.4 | $219,828 | $47,668 |
| 32 | Lincoln County FIPS 35027 | 36.9 | 41.3 | 18.5 | 11.7 | 53.1 | 75 | 82 | $345,944 | $53,303 |
| 33 | Doña Ana County FIPS 35013 | 36 | 42.4 | 42.2 | 16.6 | 3.2 | 66.1 | 88.7 | $287,470 | $56,848 |