Best Small Places for Business and Careers 2019

Las Cruces, NM

Las Cruces, NM
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Las Cruces, NM

Las Cruces, NM
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gross metro product
$8B
population
217.5K
median household income
$37,191
median home price
$176,000
cost of living
11% below nat'l avg
college attainment
24.9%
net migration
30 (year: 2018)
unemployment
5.8%
major industries
Agriculture, Aerospace & Defense
job growth
2% (year: 2018)
As of October 2019
population
102.0K
median home price
$164,000
As of August 2018
Las Cruces is the economic and geographic center of the fertile Mesilla Valley. Las Cruces is also the home of New Mexico State University, New Mexico's only land grant university. The city's major employer is the federal government on nearby White Sands Test Facility and White Sands Missile Range. The majestic Organ Mountains are dominant in the city's landscape, along with the Do�a Ana Mountains, Robledo Mountains, and Picacho Peak. Notable cultural venues within the city include the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage
Museum, the Las Cruces Museum of Art, the Las Cruces Railroad Museum and a number of the area's surrounding monuments and features. Annual events include the Border Book Festival, the Whole Enchilada Fiesta, the Southern New Mexico State Fair and the Day of the Dead Festival held at the Branigan Cultural Center.
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On forbes lists
#129
In Cost of Doing Business
#121
In Job Growth
#97
In Education
By The Numbers
EmploymentHousingEducationQuality of Life
Job Growth
2% (year: 2018)
Projected Annual Job Growth
0.3%
Unemployment
5.8%
Median Household Income
$37,191
Household Income Growth
0.1%
High-Tech Employment
1.5%
  • Data is for the metro area
  • Sources: Moody's Analytics; Sperling's BestPlaces; U.S. Census.
  • Numbers as of October 2019


  • a - Value of 100 means that a family with the median income has exactly enough income to qualify for a typical mortgage on a median-priced single-family home. An index above 100 signifies that the family has surplus income.
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