Study: Most Stressful Cities in New Mexico

Contrary to its nickname, “The Land of Enchantment,” life in New Mexico isn't always easy. Some of this state's cities appear to attract a larger share of worries about money, work, and relationships than in other communities. Those worries add up to high stress levels and, potentially, a lower quality of life.

CreditDonkey set out to find the most stressful cities in New Mexico, based on a variety of factors that could make staying above the fray and feeling even-keeled very hard to do.

10 Most Stressful Cities in New Mexico

Study Methodology

1. Odds of being a victim of violent crime
   
2. Commute time
   
3. Average hours worked per week
   
4. Percentage of divorcees
   
5. Percentage of income spent on housing

To calculate the most stressful cities in New Mexico, we first looked at the odds of being a victim of violent crime using crime statistics from the FBI. We all have enough to worry about as it is without feeling in constant fear for our physical safety.

Second, we looked at the average number of hours worked per week and the average daily commute using U.S. Census data. Even if you have your dream job, long hours spent at the office and commuting to and from work are bound to take its toll. Work-life balance requires a healthy mix of work and play. We figure that the more time they spend working and commuting through traffic, the more stressed residents are.

Most people won’t admit it, but marriage doesn’t always have a fairy-tale ending. Just ask a recently divorced person. That’s why we looked at the percentage of divorced people in each city to find out which cities have more stress from relationships gone wrong.

Finally, we looked at how much people spend on housing in relation to their income. Food, transportation, and rent are all basic necessities, but it doesn’t make it any easier to see your hard-earned cash trickle away each month. The more people spend on housing, the less money they have to spend or save as they want.

With these five measures in mind, we’ve ranked the 10 most stressful cities in New Mexico.

10. Raton

• Odds of being a victim of violent crime: 1 in 760 inhabitants
  
• Commute time: 14.9 minutes
  
• Average hours worked per week: 38.7
  
• Percentage of divorcees: 14.8% of males, 18.3% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 20.6%

Just south of the Raton Pass in northern New Mexico sits the town of Raton, population 6,607. Surrounded by mountains and 12 miles from the Sugarite Canyon State Park, Raton may inspire you to think residents have nothing to stress about day-to-day. In fact, our research shows that Raton is the safest city on our list and residents don’t spend a lot of time in traffic commuting to work. But what gave Raton its #10 ranking on our list is its high number of divorced women – a sign that not everything is peaceful in this town.

Did you know: The Raton-Clayton volcanic field is a cluster of small volcanoes that extends from northern New Mexico all the way to Oklahoma. Residents need not worry, though. The volcanic field, which includes the famous Capulin Volcano, has been extinct for thousands of years.

9. Taos

• Odds of being a victim of violent crime: 1 in 102 inhabitants
  
• Commute time: 12.9 minutes
  
• Average hours worked per week: 35.6
  
• Percentage of divorcees: 16.5% of males, 20% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 26.6%

Taos has long been a popular destination for tourists visiting New Mexico. The Taos Pueblo, located just outside of the city, is one of the most ancient Native American communities in the U.S. and is a designated UNESCO world heritage site. When it comes to work stress, Taos residents are lucky. They have the shortest daily commute and shortest workweek on our list. Unfortunately, they spend the highest percentage of their income on housing on our list, suggesting that wages are either really low or housing costs are really high.

Did you know: Taos is home to Earthship Biotecture, a company that specializes in building autonomous, sustainable houses from recycled materials.

8. Lovington

• Odds of being a victim of violent crime: 1 in 248 inhabitants
  
• Commute time: 20.2 minutes
  
• Average hours worked per week: 42.2
  
• Percentage of divorcees: 10.8% of males, 9.2% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 17.6%

Lovington is an agricultural city in southeastern New Mexico. Throughout its short history as a town, its main industries have been farming, oil, and dairy products. The good news is that Lovington is relatively safe, has a low number of divorcees, and has cheap housing in relation to the median annual income. However, for those looking for a sleepy town, Lovington is anything but. Residents work the longest hours than any other city on our list.

Did you know: Every 4th of July, Lovington residents have their pet lizards race each other in the “World’s Greatest Lizard Race” in Chaparral Park. In the first year of the race, the lizards were reportedly so stressed that they attacked one another.

7. Farmington

• Odds of being a victim of violent crime: 1 in 94 inhabitants
  
• Commute time: 17.8 minutes
  
• Average hours worked per week: 39.6
  
• Percentage of divorcees: 11% of males, 11.5% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 19.3%

Farmington sits on the Colorado Plateau near the Four Corners region, where New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona meet. Despite its agricultural name, Farmington is a fairly big city and its primary industries are petroleum and coal. Work and traffic don’t seem to be sources of stress for Farmington residents, as the average daily commute and workweek are in the average range. Crime and personal safety are what keeps residents on edge – Farmington has the highest crime rate on our list.

Did you know: Were they stressed about an invasion? In the 1950s, half of the residents of Farmington reported seeing hundreds of UFOs flying through the sky for three consecutive days.

6. Las Vegas

• Odds of being a victim of violent crime: 1 in 109 inhabitants
  
• Commute time: 15.8 minutes
  
• Average hours worked per week: 36.2
  
• Percentage of divorcees: 14.1% of males, 13.9% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 27.7%

Las Vegas, not to be confused with the “Sin City” in Nevada of the same name, is an historical town on the Santa Fe Trail. As such, its downtown is like a walk through the past, with over 900 historical buildings and structures. People in Las Vegas are probably more relaxed about work than other cities on our list — they work only 36.2 hours a week and commute 15.8 minutes each morning. However, some might be counting pennies at the end of the month because of the high cost of housing. Residents spend 27.7% of their income on housing on average.

Did you know: Many silent Western films, as well as modern-day Westerns like No Country for Old Men (which is a very stressful movie to watch), were filmed in Las Vegas.

5. Carlsbad

• Odds of being a victim of violent crime: 1 in 187 inhabitants
  
• Commute time: 17.6 minutes
  
• Average hours worked per week: 40.2
  
• Percentage of divorcees: 15.9% of males, 16.8% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 17.4%

Carlsbad defies the stereotype of a typical New Mexican town. With tree-lined avenues, golf courses, and even a municipal beach, the city originated as an oasis in the Chihuahuan Desert. The ratio of housing costs to median income in Carlsbad is the lowest on our list. While housing is relatively cheap in Carlsbad, residents put in long hours at the office to make it more affordable. Long work hours probably don’t help the high percentage of divorces in this city either, as its percentage of divorced men is the highest on our list.

Did you know: Tourists who visit the Carlsbad Caverns during the summer can participate in a bat flight program, where thousands of bats fly out of the entrance of the cave. This is a stressful image for anyone who isn’t a devoted bat fan.

4. Santa Fe

• Odds of being a victim of violent crime: 1 in 208 inhabitants
  
• Commute time: 18.4 minutes
  
• Average hours worked per week: 37.1
  
• Percentage of divorcees: 15.2% of males, 20.4% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 24.5%

With its Pueblo-style architecture and countless museums, Santa Fe is not only the state’s capital but the cultural center of New Mexico. As a city that celebrates creativity, Santa Fe is home to many artists and prides itself on its eccentricities. It may be relaxed in terms of social norms, but our research shows that life can still be stressful in “The City Different.” Housing is a big expense for locals, who pay 24.5% of their income on their rent or mortgage. Santa Fe also shows evidence of stressful relationships – it has the highest percentage of divorced women than any other city.

Did you know: Santa Fe has a city ordinance that mandates that all new and rebuilt buildings must be built in the Spanish Territorial or Pueblo style of architecture, especially in the historic district.

3. Albuquerque

• Odds of being a victim of violent crime: 1 in 133 inhabitants
  
• Commute time: 21.4 minutes
  
• Average hours worked per week: 37.9
  
• Percentage of divorcees: 11.9% of male, 16.2% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 23.1%

Santa Fe might be the state capital, but Albuquerque beats it in terms of population, job opportunities, and square mileage. Albuquerque is the biggest city in New Mexico and hosts the International Balloon Fiesta every year. Housing costs in Albuquerque are lower than Santa Fe’s, and it also has a lower percentage of divorcees. It earned the third position on our list of stressful cities because of the combination of its relatively high crime rate and the long commute residents endure every day.

Did you know: Featuring one of the most stressed-out characters to ever appear on TV, Breaking Bad was set and filmed in Albuquerque. Fans can take tours of filming locations throughout the city on trolley, bike, or RV.

2. Aztec

• Odds of being a victim of violent crime: 1 in 278 inhabitants
  
• Commute time: 20.7 minutes
  
• Average hours worked per week: 40
  
• Percentage of divorcees: 11% of males 17.7% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 21.9%

Thirty minutes from Farmington is the lesser-known city of Aztec, named after what were believed at the time to be Aztec ruins. Locals pride themselves on the close-knit community that characterizes Aztec. With a population of only 6,683, it’s hard to believe that it’s the second most stressful city in New Mexico. What probably stresses out residents are the long hours they work per week and the relatively long daily commute (especially for a city of its small size). It also doesn’t help that there is a high percentage of divorced women, suggesting that harmonious relationships are harder to maintain in Aztec.

Did you know: The Aztec Ruins National Monument is home to the Great Kiva, a vast chamber used by the Pueblo people for religious ceremonies.

1. Rio Rancho

• Odds of being a victim of violent crime: 1 in 443 inhabitants
  
• Commute time: 29.7 minutes
  
• Average hours worked per week: 39.3
  
• Percentage of divorcees: 10.7% of males, 14.5% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 23.2%

Rio Rancho, a close neighbor to Albuquerque, is the economic hub of Sandoval County. As one of the fastest growing cities in New Mexico, it’s only natural that it would experience some growing pains. Residents spend more time commuting to work each day than any other city, which could be a symptom of a growing population and an infrastructure that hasn’t quite caught up yet. Residents also work almost 40 hours per week on average, which is more than many of the cities on our list. Luckily, residents don’t need to worry about crime, but the daily stress that comes with traffic and long work hours are enough to earn it its status as the #1 most stressful city in New Mexico.

Did you know: The historic U.S. Route 66 used to pass through Sandoval County prior to 1937.

Whether one lives in a bustling city or a secluded cabin, stress is inevitable. Tension because of a lack of money, a romantic relationship gone wrong, or job woes are a part of life and sometimes out of our control. Living in one of the above cities may increase your chances of feeling high stress levels.