Top 10 Safest Cities in New Mexico (Updated 2023) (2023)

New Mexicois a great example of how misleading crime statistics can be.

It has the second highest crime rate in the country, but its crime rate is almost on the low end.

It's also one of the most sparsely populated states in the country, so skewed are the statistics.

CaliforniaIt has the largest population and nearly 10 times the violent crime rate.

Still newMexicoThe 778 violent crimes per 100,000 population is nearly double the national average and more than 300 per 100,000 higher than California.

With that in mind, we've tried to cover more than just the numbers on our list of the safest cities in New Mexico.

10 Safest Cities in New Mexico

Choupos

Los Alamos is famous for being part of the development of the atomic bomb and is in a very rural area.

It has a population of 11,000 and a very low crime rate.

The overall crime rate is 80% below the national crime rate.

Only 83 crimes were reported last year, of which only 11 were violent.

Unfortunately, 10 of those 11 cases were of rape.

Theft was the most common property crime.

The city ranks high for amenities, low crime, employment and schools.

Corris

This little town is far enough awayAlbuquerqueoutside of the city but close enough to enjoy big city amenities with ease.

It is a historic city with people documented in its vicinity dating back to the 16th century.

It has a population of 8,500 and a violent crime rate of 138 per 100,000, well below the state and national averages.

The property crime rate of 711 per 100,000 is also below average.

Most violent crimes were robberies, and there were no homicides here last year.

Rio Rancho

Rio Rancho is even closer to Albuquerque and has similar stats to Corrales.

It's the second largest city in the state with a population of 100,000, but the crime rate is quite low.

It had a state high of 190 violent crimes per 100,000 people, well below the national average.

Almost all violent crimes were assaults.

The property crime rate of 1,474 per 100,000 ranks fourth in the state and just a few points above the national average.

It ranks highly for amenities, housing, employment and security from crime, earning it a high quality of life rating.

Lovington

Lovington is a rural town of 11,000 in the southeast corner, very close to theTexasshould.

It has a very low overall crime rate, with 272 reported incidents in the last year, just below the national average.

Last year there were only 12 violent crimes, giving it a score of 106 per 100,000.

That's almost a quarter of the national average of 388.

Property crime was slightly above the national average but below the state average.

Lovington ranks high for crime, lower housing and cost of living, but low for employment.

Antonio

Anthony is a city in the lower southeast of the state, the city limits are on the border with Texas.

It is north ofStep.

The city of 8,000 people has an overall crime rate that is half the national average.

The property crime rate of 722 per 100,000 is well below the 1958 national average.

Last year there were 67 property crimes, 40 of which were robberies.

There were 32 violent crimes and 29 of those were assaults.

The rate of 312 per 100,000 is just below the national average.

It ranks high for the cost of living, low crime and amenities, but ranks low for schools, employment and housing.

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Grants is a small rural town of 9,000 people in the west of the state nearArizonashould.

The crime rate is not that low here, but there is not much crime.

Last year there were 49 violent crimes, 44 of which involved bodily harm.

185 property crimes were reported, 170 of which were robberies or burglaries.

Perhaps because of its size, the crime rate is higher.

With a total of 234 crimes, it is above the national average at 2,615 out of 100,000.

The violent crime rate of 492 per 100,000 is just above the national average.

Endowments are high on services and cost of living, but low on jobs, housing and schools.

Sonnenpark

Sunland Park doesn't seem like a good candidate for a safe city since it borders Mexico and is only a few miles from the city of El Paso.

The overall crime rate is half the national average.

Last year, 96 violent crimes were reported, 90 of which involved bodily harm.

However, this is slightly above the national average.

The property crime rate is very low at 624 per 100,000, while the national average is 1,958.

Last year there were 115 property crimes at Sunland Park, of which 100 were burglaries or thefts.

It does not have a high quality of life due to housing and unemployment.

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Raton is a town of 8,000 six miles south ofColoradoshould.

There is very little crime, with a total of just 66 incidents reported last year.

That still equates to a rate of 1,111 per 100,000 people, less than half the national average of 2,346.

There were 16 violent crimes, all involving bodily harm.

There was no rape or murder.

There were 50 property crimes, and that too was less than half the national rate.

All but one of the property offenses were robbery or theft.

It's in a remote area, but it's right off Interstate 25, making it easy to get around.

Las Vegas, New Mexico

Las Vegas, New Mexico has little in common with the city of the same nameNevada.

It is a small city of 14,000 people about 100 miles northeast of Albuquerque and 30 miles east of Santa Fe.

The violent crime rate is close to the national average, but the property crime rate and overall crime rate are much lower.

Last year there was a total of 56 violent crimes, giving a score of 438 per 100,000, higher than the national average of 388.

There were 177 property crimes, including 121 thefts, at a rate of 1,383 per 100,000, well below the national rate.

There were a total of 233 reported crimes, and that would also be well below the national rate.

Aztecs, New Mexico

Aztec, New Mexico is located in the northwest corner of the state about 30 miles from the famous Four Corners of the Four States.

Its crimes per 100,000 aren't that low, but it has very few crimes.

Last year there were 25 violent crimes, 23 of which involved bodily harm.

There were no murders or armed robberies.

There were 100 property crimes and all related to theft.

This equates to 1,975 crimes per 100,000, which is close to the national average.

The violent crime rate is about 25% below the national average and the property crime rate is about 25% lower.

Five safety tips for traveling to New Mexico

1. Stay hydrated. It is a very dry area and very hot in the summer and you can become dehydrated and overheated quickly. Always carry water with you when driving and drink plenty of water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine as much as possible.
2. natural hazards. In many parts of New Mexico, snakes and other wildlife pose a greater threat than other humans. Especially if you are in an area off the beaten path, keep an eye out for snakes and wildlife.
3. Respect local customs. There are Indian reservations all over the state, and you might find yourself on one of them. Just watch where you are. The same goes for small towns that have slightly different cultures than you are used to.
4. don't be obvious. Try not to look like a tourist. While many areas are safe, there are bad people looking for an opportunity. Try to blend in and look like a local as much as possible.
5. keep closed. No matter where you are, keep your car and hotel room door locked. Again, many criminals are looking for an opportunity and few bother to pick a lock.