New Mexico
D+10 · Moderate tax burden · COL index 91
5.9%
Income Tax
778
Violent Crime / 100K
74.1
Life Expectancy
$330K
Median Home
$950
Childcare / Mo
State Profile
Stay Current
Get notified when New Mexico tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.
Taxes
▾
Income Tax
Property Tax
~$1,815/yr on median home
Sales Tax
Social Security
Pension / IRA
SS exempt as of 2023
Estate Tax
Inheritance Tax
Capital Gains
Housing & Cost of Living
▾
Cost of Living Index
National avg = 100
Median Home Price
Median Rent (2BR)
Home Insurance
Near national avg (~$1,900/yr)
Flood Insurance
Homestead Exemption
Home equity protected from creditors
Asset Protection
Crime & Safety
▾
Violent Crime Rate
Well above national avg
Property Crime Rate
Above national avg
Traffic Fatality Rate
Healthcare
▾
State Healthcare Rank
Bottom tier
Life Expectancy
Medicaid Expansion
Uninsured Rate
Education
▾
K-12 Quality Rank
Bottom 10 nationally
School Choice / Vouchers
Childcare
▾
Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)
Utilities & Daily Costs
▾
Avg Monthly Energy Bill
Avg Monthly Groceries
2-person household, moderate spending
Road Quality Rank
Airports & Travel
▾
Nonstop Destinations
From state's primary airport
Major Hub Airport
Regional airport — connections via hub
Culture & Lifestyle
▾
Urban Population
Mix of urban and rural
Restaurant Density
Religious Congregations
Pro Sports Teams
NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS
Major Venues
Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)
Craft Breweries
3.8/100K residents — Solid scene
Craft Distilleries
Live Music
Santa Fe Opera (world-class); Meow Wolf performance spaces; Marble Brewery; Zozobra
Transportation
▾
Car Insurance (Avg Annual)
Traffic Fatality Rate
Broadband Access
Below national avg
Social & Legal
▾
Abortion Access
No gestational limit; strong state protections
LGBTQ+ Protections
Marijuana
Minimum Wage
Right to Work
Sports Betting
Casino Gambling
Online Gambling
State Lottery
Tribal casinos only. Small card rooms legal. Sports betting via tribal compacts.
Age of Consent
Sex Education
No state sex ed mandate
Medically Accurate Required
Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs
Desert Shadows Inn (Santa Fe area) · Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs — clothing optional section
Environment & Climate
▾
Air Quality (Annual AQI)
Near national avg
Natural Disaster Risk
Primary Hazards
Politics & Gun Laws
▾
2024 Presidential Vote
Gun Laws
Carry Permit
Purchase Permit Required
Gambling
Jobs & Economy
▾
Job Market
+1.3% job growth · 4% unemployment
Top Industries
Tech Jobs
Healthcare Jobs
Remote Work
Median Household Income
Business Climate
▾
Corporate Income Tax
LLC Formation Fee
LLC Annual Fee
Business Climate Rank
Daily Life
▾
Gas Price (Regular)
Well below avg (-0.28 vs national avg)
Consumer Fireworks
Extreme fire risk — most fireworks frequently banned statewide
Weather & Natural Risks
▾
Winter Severity
Avg January high: 47°F
Summer Heat
Hot summers
Annual Rainfall
Tornado Risk
Hurricane Risk
Wildfire Risk
Flood Risk
Natural Hazards
▾
Venomous Snakes
Spider Hazard
Scorpions
Hurricane Risk
Tornado Risk
Wildfire Risk
Earthquake Risk
Armadillo Leprosy Risk
Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗
Veteran Benefits
▾
Veteran-Friendly Score
9.9% of state population are veterans
Property Tax Exemption
Disabled vet property tax exemption
Military Retirement Pay
Active Duty Pay
VA Facilities Access
Notable Benefits
Explore New Mexico counties
Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county
See your full cost of living in New Mexico
Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance — all estimated.
Compare Similar States
NM vs IL
New Mexico vs Illinois
COL 91 vs 92 · 5.9% vs 4.95% income tax
Full comparison →
NM vs MN
New Mexico vs Minnesota
COL 91 vs 95 · 5.9% vs 9.85% income tax
Full comparison →
NM vs DE
New Mexico vs Delaware
COL 91 vs 102 · 5.9% vs 6.6% income tax
Full comparison →
NM vs VA
New Mexico vs Virginia
COL 91 vs 102 · 5.9% vs 5.75% income tax
Full comparison →
Trending in New Mexico
New Mexico governor appoints infrastructure advisor as Office of Natural Resources Trustee - Source New Mexico
Source New Mexico · Jun 8
Who Is Ahead in the New Mexico Governor's Race? Latest 2026 Election Polls - The New York Times
The New York Times · Jun 8
2026 New Mexico primary election results - The Daily Lobo
The Daily Lobo · Jun 5
Former Biden official Deb Haaland wins New Mexico primary for governor - The Washington Post
The Washington Post · Jun 3
Gregg Hull winner of Republican nomination for New Mexico governor - KRQE
KRQE · Jun 3
What Residents Say
Wanting to move to NM. Recommendations? : r/NewMexico
NM's tax rates for small businesses and cheaper cost of living are really attractive. New Mexico dosent have the resources for its own tax ......
reddit.com ↗
New Mexico is at the bottom of every list(education, quality ...
Or is the difference not that much because we are both states in the same first world country?...
reddit.com ↗
Pros and cons of living in NM? : r/NewMexico
low cost of living overall, however food prices are higher than surrounding states. house prices are cheaper. Cons: Santa Fe and northern New ......
reddit.com ↗
New Mexico State Taxes for a first year Resident
New Mexico State Taxes for a first year Resident. Cost of living in New Mexico. Our New Mexico State tax return was altered by the state we ......
reddit.com ↗
Thinking of Moving to New Mexico : r/NewMexico
New Mexico for the stunning landscape, reasonable cost of living, How are taxes and cost of living in certain areas?...
reddit.com ↗
Anyone retired to New Mexico? Wondering how social ...
Social Security isn't taxed by the state, but everything else is, at roughly 5% income tax rate. There is a "retiree deduction" that helps ......
reddit.com ↗
What's it like living in New Mexico? : r/NewMexico
I'm considering moving to New Mexico because I love the heat and am so sick of snow. We get an average of nearly 5 feet of snow where I live and I absolutely .....
reddit.com ↗
TX vs NM taxes, reposting because I was told the other one ...
New Mexico also has a Gross Receipts Tax instead of a sales tax and what's passed on to the customer can be 6% to 9%. And they tax certain ......
reddit.com ↗
Thinking of moving to NM : r/NewMexico
BUT, the cost of living is good, no one will bother you, and the stars at night are amazing. Be sure to check out the doctor situation for sure ......
reddit.com ↗
New Mexico will be the first state to make child care free
the National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs has found that high quality early childhood programs can yield a $4 – $9 dollar ......
reddit.com ↗
Stay Current
Get notified when New Mexico tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.
Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.