Southwestern College Santa Fe, NM
New Mexico ranks in the top half of the most affordable states to live in and the state with the lowest average taxes paid per household. New Mexico doesn’t have a state sales tax. It has a statewide gross receipts tax, which is commonly passed on to the consumer by businesses just like a normal sales tax. The state income tax ranges from 1.7% to a maximum of 4.9%. Just look at the tax difference compared to its East neighbor, Texas, which often boasts about having no state income tax, the average taxes paid by Texans is 20% higher than it is compared to New Mexicans.
In addition, New Mexico property and real estate taxes are low (24% lower than the national average), especially compared to West neighboring Arizona. Renting cost is almost 20% lower in the New Mexico than other states. The state is known for its clean air and blue skies, even in the largest cities within the state: Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Las Cruces. New Mexico is the fifth largest in dimensional size in the USA, but only has 2.1 million residents. NM is 36th in population and 46th in population density. In addition, NM is quiet and slow-paced, which is a draw for introverts and nature lovers of all ages, young families, and retirees. It is a great location for those that are who are looking for a healthy place to live.
The largest industries in New Mexico are tourism, education, hospitality, leisure, agriculture, and health services. New Mexico needs more people to serve in the education and healthcare department, especially in the rapidly growing mental/behavioral health field. Drug abuse and domestic violence are two specialties that are needed, especially in less populated areas of New Mexico.
Come live in New Mexico where the sky is bluer, the houses are more affordable! Let New Mexico’s laid-back attitude, plus spread-out nature, give you more access the self-care practices our stressed-out world needs. Put your mental health specialties to work for a much needed and worthwhile population. This just might be the best place not only to work and live, but peacefully retire.
Info gleaned from these websites:
https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Mexico/Economy
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/NM
https://www.dws.state.nm.us/Portals/0/DM/LMI/State_of_the_Workforce_2021.pdf
https://www.onetonline.org/link/localtrends/21-1014.00?st=
https://smartasset.com/mortgage/15-things-to-know-before-moving-to-new-mexico
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-states-to-be-a-taxpayer/2416
Featured pic from: https://www.classicnmhomes.com
Tya Bussell is a Southwestern College MA in Counseling student
About the Moderator
Dru is a graduate of the SWC MA in Art Therapy/Counseling program. In her spare time, she serves as the Director of Enrollment Services at SWC and has a private practice. She is the proud guardian of two pups – Kioko and Suki and is a huge animal lover!
