Albuquerque today ranks as New Mexico's largest city. With more than half a million residents, this beautiful Southwestern metropolis in the Rio Grande River Valley has become a popular tourist destination during recent years. The city welcomes an ethnically diverse population, which includes a Hispanic majority and a significant White minority. Sprawling Albuquerque serves as the seat of Bernalillo County. It covers over 180 square miles in area.
If you relocate to this vibrant New Mexico city, you'll discover employment opportunities provided by a variety of industries. Retail, high-tech, education, construction, manufacturing, service businesses, medicine and the military all employ significant numbers of people. New residents appreciate knowing the air quality in the city proves worse than in many other communities in New Mexico. However, the semi-arid climate offers an impressive average of 278 sunny days annually. Although subject to occasional snowfalls, this part of New Mexico generally experiences mild winters with fewer than three days of freezing weather annually. During summer temperatures rise significantly; average temperatures hover in the 90 degree Fahrenheit range during the two hottest months of the year, and occasionally exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Its climate draws many people to Albuquerque. The community hosts a renowned international hot air balloon festival every October, a colorful event which appeals to tourists from around the world. Other popular attractions include over 200 municipal parks scattered across the city and the historic Old Town Plaza downtown. The Plaza displays some outstanding examples of Southwestern architecture, such as the Casa Armijo. Some people move here simply to enjoy the city's distinctive Southwestern culture.
You'll discover the cost of living a bit steeper in Albuquerque than in other areas of New Mexico. Yet prices here remain far lower than in cities of comparable size in most other regions of the United States. Current real estate sales prices vary widely. In general, renters pay higher rents for houses than apartments in Albuquerque. Residents enjoy a reliable roadway and transportation network, plus available bus and taxi service, and ridesharing. Commuter rail serves several outlying suburbs and the city of Santa Fe.
With many charming neighborhoods here, discover the best places to live in Albuquerque easily using the convenient search filters above. Identify the best places in Albuquerque for entertainment, shopping and other recreational activities. You can search for the best places to live in Albuquerque easily: simply indicate a search radius and the population size, your available budget, and other key metrics (such as weather, education, crime, or the cost of living).
