Taking a highway truck route through Las Cruces in 2019 is no way to draw conclusions about a city. That's why we visited here for ten days in February of 2022. While we liked the weather, outdoor opportunities, New Mexico cuisine, the downtown area, and the people, there were a few other factors that will probably turn us in other directions for a retirement home, if we decide to eventually relocate.
The university: Julia and I have always lived our adult lives in close proximity to a major university. When we were doing our research on Las Cruces, New Mexico State University checked off one of our boxes. We find that a university adds all kinds of diversity: ideas, people, music, art, all leading to what makes up culture.
We have lived in the greater Madison, Wisconsin population area for well over half of our adult lives. The University of Wisconsin is an integral part of the City of Madison. Students and legislators, together, live and work in the downtown area between the domed state capitol and Bascom Hall hill , the signature of the UW campus. Without the university, Madison would be greatly diminished.
When we lived in Green Bay for two years, the university was on the far east end of town, away from everything else. We didn't think that the university contributed much at all to the city, and that certainly didn't help the city' culture (which was dominated by the Green Bay Packers).
Like UW-Green Bay, New Mexico State University is located on the south-eastern edge of Las Cruces at a corner of a triangle where Interstates 25 and 10 intersect. Around the university, you can find roadside hotels, chain restaurants, and strip malls. All of this is far away from downtown. We liked the fact that Lac Cruces had a university; unfortunately, it didn't seem to contribute much culture to the city itself.
The culture: We enjoyed the culture that we found in Las Cruces, but we didn't find it to be very diverse. There is a heavy emphasis on Mexican and New Mexican cuisine, which we enjoy. But there is an absence of many other cuisines that we like (Thai, Hmong, Jamaican, Ethiopian, Indian). Similarly, we didn't see very many people of Asian or African descent.
To be fair, our small town isn't very culturally diverse either. When we adopted our Asian kids, we probably doubled the Asian population. We have a Mexican and a Chinese restaurant but both serve diluted American versions of food. However, Madison is only 30 minutes away. Las Cruces is the cultural city and "university town" for southern New Mexico.
The housing market: One of of the factors that drew us to consider Las Cruces was the inexpensive housing market. We live in one of the least expensive housing markets in the country. To buy a similar property or even a downsized property, we would need to relocate to a similar priced market.
The best priced housing in Las Cruces was in the neighborhoods surrounding downtown. There is some petty crime here, and every other house seems to have a big scary dog chained up close to the front door. There were also loose dogs running around the streets. As someone who loves to walk daily from my house with my dog, these were negatives. The small lots, noise, and distance to nature were also negatives.
Homes on the edge of Las Cruces, close to the mountains, offered access to nature and bigger lots. We found these homes to be very expensive and too far away from what the city had to offer. The neighborhoods weren't gated communities, but had that same feel. We can't afford these places anyway.
In conclusion, we're glad we checked out Las Cruces. Research on the internet regarding housing and the university didn't pass the boots on the ground test. None of this diminished our enjoyment of Las Cruces as a place to visit, but we probably won't live here.
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