Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Las Cruces, NM

    Is Las Cruces a good place to live?

    Watch Las Cruces

    Las Cruces ranks #7 of 11 New Mexico cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (50/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 1.2% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $217,400
    +10.2% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $946
    per month
    Household income
    $55,176
    median
    Unemployment
    7.4%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Las Cruces

    The median home value in Las Cruces is $217,400 and median rent is $946 a month, against a median household income of $55,176. Homes cost about 3.9× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Las Cruces crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across New Mexico the 2025 rate was 648 violent and 2,351 property crimes per 100,000 people — #1 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Las Cruces, NM

    Las Cruces has about 112,612 residents, 7.4% unemployment and 20% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Las Cruces with

    Las Cruces vs AlbuquerqueLas Cruces vs Rio RanchoLas Cruces vs Santa FeLas Cruces vs RoswellLas Cruces vs FarmingtonLas Cruces vs HobbsLas Cruces vs ClovisLas Cruces vs South Valley

    More: Where to move in New Mexico · Best counties in New Mexico

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report