Las Cruces, NM
Census place 3539380 · pop 114,197
New Mexico's second-largest city, sitting in the shadow of the Organ Mountains near White Sands.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
4898 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
62 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
726 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
32 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
17.7% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
22.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.48 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$55,422 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
55.9% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
26.0% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
35.4% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
91.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
88/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.1% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$231,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
36.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
15.8% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,434/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.68% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
19 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+11.8% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
Frequently asked
- Is Las Cruces, NM a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Las Cruces scores 39/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is population growth (5yr) and its weakest is property crime rate. New Mexico overall ranks #41 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Las Cruces, NM?
- Las Cruces reports 726 violent crimes per 100k and 4898 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Las Cruces, NM expensive to live in?
- Las Cruces has a median home value of $231,700 and typical rent around $1,434/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Las Cruces, NM?
- Its weakest measured area is property crime rate (4898/100k) — 3/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Las Cruces, NM best at?
- Its strongest measured area is population growth (5yr) (+11.8%) — 84/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: New Mexico's second-largest city, sitting in the shadow of the Organ Mountains near White Sands.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.