Best Life Index › States › New Mexico › Cities › Las Cruces

New Mexico city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Las Cruces?

What it costs to live in Las Cruces, and how it compares with other New Mexico cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

22

14th best value in New Mexico

How much you get for what you pay, versus other New Mexico cities.

Overall livability

23

14th overall in New Mexico

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Las Cruces is home to about 109,934 people. A typical home runs $167,800 and a household earns around $47,700, a price-to-income ratio of 3.5. Among New Mexico's largest cities, it ranks 14th for value and 14th overall.

Las Cruces at a glance

Median home price

$167,800

10th in NM of 14

Median rent

$824/mo

Median household income

$47,700

Home price to income

3.5x

Unemployment

7.5%

13th in NM of 14

School rating

3/10

10th in NM of 14

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in NM of 14

Walk score

12/100

See your real take-home pay in New Mexico

Enter your salary and see your paycheck after New Mexico taxes.

Calculate my take-home pay ›

‹ See all top New Mexico cities ranked  ยท  New Mexico state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within New Mexico only. Updated 2026.