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I have lived in Farmington for one year. I moved here to house-sit for a friend. I plan to leave this town as soon as my agreement is completed. I cannot imagine someone seriously considering raising a family here, as NM schools are ranked well below the National average. The social problems of this community are very sad. My auto insurance is ridiculously expensive. With the high number of deadly auto accidents and outrageous numbers of repeat DWI offendors, I understand the high cost of insurance. The majority of jobs in this town do not support the high cost of living here. Housing costs are appalling. This is a very sad way of life. I have found shopping to be very poor in this town. Most of the people that I have met here have gastrointestinal problems. I'm not sure if it's the poor air quality, or the poor sanitary conditions in the restaurants. I wish that I had more positive things to say about this town, but I find the quality of life here to be less than satisfactory. However, the surrounding area's beauty is amazing. If you are an outdoor sportsperson, you will experience Heaven on Earth! Within just a few hours, you can be in a very nice area.
Last spring break, my husband, children and I drove from Kenosha, WI to Farmington. My husband has a friend from there and we want a change. The people were very friendly. I struck up conversations with everyone...from the clerk behind the counter at Walgreens to people waiting for a table at restaurants. The down side for us, was the cost of living. Although property taxes are much, much lower that what I pay in WI, the problem is the housing is over priced. We were told it was because there is little competition for builders, so they set their own rates; and with the gas / water employees coming and going, prices have increased.
That being said, I still have my heart set on moving to New Mexico. We are planning another trip (our third one) to check out Las Cruces, Albuquerque, and any place else we can fit in within a weeks time. So I also need some help...I have been researching these areas, but I would really like to hear from people who live there.
Here is our life...
~I am a Teacher (Language Arts - grades 7-12), and I already have my NM teaching cetificate.
~My husband will be starting his teaching carreer (Science 7-12), switching carreers from the CDL trucking industry.
~We have three children, our oldest will be a Senior for the 07-08 school year. The other two will be in 6th and 7th grade for the 07-08 school year.
~ Our goal is to down size our life so we can have a better quality of life, while our children will still be seen with us
~We are looking for a safe, friendly community, with good schools, views of mountains, and warm weather.
~I personally, would like to teach in a school where the students want to be there, want to learn, and I won't have to worry about being disrespected at every word. (I did see students that were happy to participate in Farmington. I also spoke with Administrators that were very involved.)
So, if I could have the good and the bad of all the towns before we travel in April, I would really appreciate it. Thank you!!!
I wrote you on another post but I can see here the issue is cost for you so I would go with Albuquerque. It is much cheaper. Also Rio Rancho is a cheaper place to live. It is near Albuquerque. I have to say that although I like Albuquerque, the crime just got to me. I left there. There are quite alot of rapes and break-ins and stuff so get a house with a good alarm system if you move there. Las Cruces would be a cheaper place to live too.
Generally speaking, because there are other factors too, crime index and prices of homes go down proportionally to the size of the city.
Remember that everything is a trade off, you cannot have all the amenities of a large city without accepting that crime and house prices will be higher.
Any decision to relocate is based in personal issues, some move because of work and other because of personal choice, therefore the priorities are different. Like many decisions in life, is better to start by generalities and then gradually coming down to specifics.
Yes Tito, you are right. Everyone has to decide which city fits them and what their priorities are. For some it is education, for others it is low crime or low costs, etc. It really is a balancing act for larger cities since they will be both high priced and have more crime. Like with Albuquerque, you just have to have knowledge on knowing where to live in each neighborhood and where to stay out of other ones.
Yes Tito, you are right. Everyone has to decide which city fits them and what their priorities are. For some it is education, for others it is low crime or low costs, etc. It really is a balancing act for larger cities since they will be both high priced and have more crime. Like with Albuquerque, you just have to have knowledge on knowing where to live in each neighborhood and where to stay out of other ones.
I lived 40 years in Chicago and it never occurred to me that Chicago was a high crime city and everybody knows that it is, ever since Chicago became a city in 1824. Have you heard of "The Untouchables"? What happens is that one instinctively learns to stay away of certain areas of the city, of course you also have to be lucky since many times crimes strikes anywhere. When I moved to Alabama a few years ago, I wasn't acquainted with the city of Birmingham and sure enough I was mugged at a hotel by the airport, that incident scared me and made me return to Illinois where I feel more secure because I'm familiar with it. The city I live now, has a high crime index too, but I know what areas to avoid. Some times you fall into a routine and forget about the dangers of today's society. You have be always alert and an realize that not only you neighbor is at danger, you have to follow some common sense precautions no matter where you live.
Absolutely right Tito. I think that is why I feel sorry for people moving into a new area of a big city with no prior knowledge of where not to live and move right into a dangerous area. Yes I have heard of Chicago and crime and it evokes memories on TV of crime mobsters there. For anyone moving to Albuquerque, stay out of the south area of Albuquerque until you know the little sections that are safe. Stay in the north area or over across the river where Rio Rancho is located. Like Tito said, it doesnt mean you are totally safe cause crime can strike anywhere but you just up your chances of not getting hurt or killed in areas with less crime.
For Farmington, you want to stay out of the west side of Farmington. It is Ok to shop at the stores, you just go and shop and leave but you dont want to be just standing around outside in the open, like a target. The east and north sides are much better and safer.
greetings more info on farmington NM
I am from Wi, the northern part. I moved to phoenix almost 4 years ago, and to tell you the truth, phoenix sucks big time, the heat, lack of rain and water, the gangs, car jacking, robberies and on and on. I am going to Farmington NM in april to check it out, i know farming has so many things to offer us. They have great schools, and cheaper rent on homes and apts. You can get a nice 3 bedroom apt for 450 a month there. The cost of food is way cheaper then wis or az.
I have heard there are meth labs there in Farmington but you have them everywhere, and coming from wis, i can tell you lots of bad things about wis for sure. I don't like the non seasons here and its all brown, i miss the snow and the fall, and in Farmington the snow comes and goes but ti doesn't stay like in wis, its green with pine and trees, and it has 4 seasons and water!!!!!!!
any info on Farmington will help me, so please feel free to email me with more info, on renting houses or apts there. I know theres alot of job offered there as well. And have great hosp there, that i need since i have a daughter with cancer.
thanks for all your help and i hope to get feedback and info here
kalli
I wouldnt live in Farmington if someone offered me $30 dollars an hour to move there, I lived there 2 years and I'm so so happy to be out of that town.The housing is outrageous in Farmington,I dont know why, its a dirty little town with lots of wannabe gangsters and rednecks from the oil line of work, lots of drugs,more than a normal town.I had my apartment broken into twice and my car once.The town is crowded with everyone comming in from the rez and surrounding towns.I had a 1 bedroom apartment (nothing fancy )and I paid 550 a month, and also I seen someone get beat to a pulp outside,another guy got shot in the face and I had a kid follow me home and throw rocks at my apartment door, for no reason.The new Wal-Mart one the westside of town is closing at midnight now because of too much violence,first day it opened someone was stabbed, and another stabbing a couple months later, at the other Wal-Mart another stabbing when I worked there, and a cop killed a guy beating up his girlfriend in daylight in the parking lot, I seen the swat team surrounding my parents home after someone was shooting at the cops, drunks pass out in parking lots and side of the roads.Oh yeah the people are rude and the sales tax is more than Albuquerque.Farmington does have lots of porn shops and a strip joint, its a small town but with city living.You are better off moving to Rio Rancho or Las Cruces.
I guess I have a different view of Farmington. I lived for 13 years in Albuquerque and left because of the high crime in Albuquerque. I have a friend who lived in Tijeras near Albuquerque who was raped, another friend who lived near UNM and was car jacked and yet another in the safer north area near Sandia whose house was broke into. Once my car was hit and run and the news on TV there, with all the crime, is enough to make you freak out! There are many gang members in Albuquerque. Albuquerque does have good shopping and I love the mountains but the crime is way worse than Farmington. I wouldnt live on the west side of Farmington. I like Farmington though, it has adequate shopping, nice weather and you at least see people out walking around or biking with their families, I didnt see that very much in Albuquerque, just too dangerous.
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Last edited by Yac; 01-08-2008 at 07:05 AM..
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Farmington????
The down side for us, was the cost of living. Although property taxes are much, much lower that what I pay in WI, the problem is the housing is over priced. We were told it was because there is little competition for builders, so they set their own rates; and with the gas / water employees coming and going, prices have increased.
greetings more info on farmington NM
