Study: Happiest Cities in New Mexico

New Mexico is called the Land of Enchantment for good reason. It's a place where residents can get swept up in nature's astonishing beauty and where warm, dry weather can provide a sense of contentment. And those who live here aren't losing their shirts to stay, as New Mexico has low tax rates. And, for the cities below, they have a decent housing costs, short commutes, and happy marriages. Read on to find out the happiest cities in New Mexico.

Study Methodology

Bigger cities are few and far between in the southwest, so for our study, we've included all of New Mexico's municipalities with a population of 5,000 or more. Using data from the U.S. Census bureau and FBI crime reports, we ranked our top 10 cities based on the following:

1. Restaurants
   
2. Crime rate
   
3. Commute
   
4. Departure time
   
5. Income
   
6. Divorce rate
   
7. Housing

Happy people like to share in their good cheer, and what better way to do that than by getting together for dinner or drinks? Our first study measure is based on the number of restaurants per capita for each city.

New Mexico's violent crime rate is well below the national average, but in some places, safety is more of an issue than in others. To find out where residents feel safest, we looked for places with the lowest rates of violent crime.

One of the biggest downers about living in the big city is having to deal with heavy traffic. The relatively short commutes for our top 10 will lift you right up.

If you're up with the sunrise, you may be boosting your happiness quotient. Studies have linked waking earlier to being more satisfied, so we considered the percentage of residents in each city who leave for work before 5 a.m.

The size of your paycheck can play a big part in determining how content you are in your job. To gauge how happy workers are, we looked at the median household income in each city.

Relationships play a big role in how happy we are. We looked for low percentages of people who are divorced to find where marriages are presumably tighter and households are happier.

Getting the best deal on a home or snagging a low rental rate is a must if you're on a tight budget. Wiggle room in the budget can play a huge part in how content you feel when it’s time to pay your bills. To find out which cities are the easiest on your wallet, we considered the percentage of income residents spend on housing.

10 Happiest Cities in New Mexico

10. Socorro

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 371 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 116.3
  
• Average commute time: 13.6 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 3.1%
  
• Median household income: $32,629
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 12.3% of males, 13.9% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 18.6%

Socorro is a smaller town of about 9,000 people, located roughly 80 miles south of Albuquerque. It managed to score the number 10 spot by having the shortest average commute in our study, at just under 14 minutes. Despite its rather remote location, home prices are on par with what you'd find in Albuquerque, but you'll still spend less than 20% of your income on housing.

Did You Know: Socorro's San Miguel Mission is one of four built among the Piro Pueblos during the 1600s.

9. Deming

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 379 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 176.3
  
• Average commute time: 17.9 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 9.7%
  
• Median household income: $26,767
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 12.4% of males, 10.4% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 21.1%

There are a lot of things that work in Deming's favor as far as happiness goes. The drive to work clocks in at less than 18 minutes on average, and almost 10% of the 15,000 people who live here are on the road before 5 a.m. The median income isn't as high compared to some of the other cities we've studied, but the cost of living is substantially lower than the national average.

Did You Know: Deming earned a place in the history books in 1881, when the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe train line was joined with the Southern Pacific to form the second transcontinental railroad in the U.S.

8. Aztec

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 334 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 278.3
  
• Average commute time: 20.7 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 4.9%
  
• Median household income: $45,895
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 11% of males, 17.7% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 21.9%

The 6,700 people who live in Aztec have more to appreciate about their hometown than just its quiet nature. Part of its appeal also lies in the size of workers’ paychecks and the relatively short amount of time they need to get to the office. Buying a home isn't too financially stressful either, and the local neighborhoods are friendly to families, retirees and young professionals alike.

Did You Know: The Aztec Ruins National Monument features North America's largest reconstructed Great Kiva, a circular structure once used for Pueblo Indian gatherings.

7. Carlsbad

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 523 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 186.8
  
• Average commute time: 17.6 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 5.4%
  
• Median household income: $46,309
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 15.9% of males, 16.8% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 17.4%

As far as natural attractions go, Carlsbad is famed for its network of subterranean caverns, but there are plenty of things to see and do aboveground. Nearly 27,000 people reside in the city, but it still conveys that sense of small-town living. A $46,000 median income is certainly a reason to smile, and a burger from Happy's is a great pick-me-up when you're feeling down.

Did You Know: Carlsbad Caverns National Park is home to 67 mammal species, 17 of which are bats, as well as more than 350 species of bird and 55 different kinds of reptiles and amphibians.

6. Alamogordo

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 470 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 348.6
  
• Average commute time: 18 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 4.4%
  
• Median household income: $42,969
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 11.7% of males, 12.3% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 19%

If staying busy helps you keep a positive attitude, Alamogordo is the place to be. From attractions like the Alameda Park Zoo to the White Sands National Monument, there's no reason to be stuck at home twiddling your thumbs. The 32,000 people who live here enjoy the best violent crime rate in our study, and they also do pretty well when it comes to housing costs and the average commute.

Did You Know: Alameda Park Zoo is the oldest zoo in the southwest.

5. Farmington

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 433 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 94.2
  
• Average commute time: 17.8 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 4.3%
  
• Median household income: $53,777
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 11% of males, 11.5% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 19.3%

Compared to nearby Aztec, Farmington seems downright huge with a population of about 46,000. That makes it the largest city in our study, and it also stands out for having the best median income, at nearly $54,000. Commute times are shorter and housing is less expensive than in Aztec, which may be one of the reasons why newcomers continue to flock here.

Did You Know: Local legend holds that in March of 1950, around half of Farmington residents reported seeing multiple UFOs flying over the city.

4. Gallup

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 225 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 53.4
  
• Average commute time: 18.9 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 3.4%
  
• Median household income: $48,432
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 7.7% of males, 11.9% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 16.6%

Gallup made it to number four on our list, earning top ratings in two separate categories. It has both the highest number of restaurants per capita and the best combined divorce rate. Incomes are good, and the amount of pay residents spend on housing is among the lowest in our study. If you're wondering where the best place is to chow down, check out the Badlands Grill or Jerry's Cafe.

Did You Know: Gallup's El Rancho Hotel & Motel has seen its fair share of famous guests over the years, including Betty Grable, Doris Day and Errol Flynn.

3. Lovington

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 564 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 247.7
  
• Average commute time: 20.2 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 13.1%
  
• Median household income: $40,777
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 10.8% of males, 9.2% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 17.6%

Lovington's 11,000 residents love to get a head start on the day. Just over 13% of them are leaving for work while the rest of the city is still hitting the snooze button. It takes them 20 minutes on average to reach their destination, and they make some decent dough, with a median income of almost $41,000. Lovington also gets the thumbs up for its housing costs, which take up less than 18% of residents' paychecks.

Did You Know: Former NFL linebacker Brian Urlacher graduated from Lovington High School in 1996.

2. Artesia

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 455 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 94.1
  
• Average commute time: 14.6 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 5.6%
  
• Median household income: $44,269
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 10.7% of males, 14.2% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 16.2%

Artesia earned a higher spot in our rankings primarily due to its inexpensive housing. Its 11,000 residents spend slightly over 16% of their pay on a home, the lowest amount of all 10 cities. An average commute of less than 15 minutes also pushed it further up on the happiness scale. Great restaurants like Piccolino and Henry's Barbecue solidify the city's appeal.

Did You Know: The city's now-closed Abo Elementary School was the first public school in the U.S. to be built entirely underground and equipped as a fallout shelter.

1. Hobbs

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 530 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 149.5
  
• Average commute time: 16.8 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 7.9%
  
• Median household income: $47,654
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 9.3% of males, 11.4% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 16.9%

Hobbs is Lovington's southeastern neighbor, and it managed to come out on top based on its ranking in every category. About 8% of residents are making their way into work first thing in the morning, and it only takes them about 17 minutes to get there. They're also earning a nice salary to boot, at more than $47,000. You won't have to sink a lot of cash into a home if you live here. And there are great restaurants like Casey's, which serves up some of the best burgers around.

Did You Know: Strong thermal winds in the desert surrounding Hobbs make it ideal for the sport of soaring, which involves gliding along in non-motorized sailplanes.

Although Albuquerque is the state's largest economic hub and Santa Fe is a haven for artsy types, neither city was able to get the edge over the ones included in our list. While they may be smaller in size, they all share characteristics that make them the happiest places to live in New Mexico.