The local history, much of which was spent under the Mexican flag, has greatly influenced the architecture in Las Cruces; western-style adobe, similar to what is found in Santa Fe, is the dominant housing style.  Homes in town tend to be older and smaller; new subdivision on the outskirts of the city generally have larger, newer homes.  The median three-bedroom home price here is $145,000 (compared to $375,000 in Santa Fe) and is the primary reason that the overall cost-of-living in Las Cruces is roughly 10% below the national average.  Nice, two-bedroom, two-bath town homes and condominiums in town are available starting for less than $100,000, and older, modest single-family homes with two bedrooms and one bath are for sale in the $100,000 range.  

The median home price of $145,000 will fetch a newer, attractive, 2,000 sq. ft., adobe-style dwelling with two stories, four bedrooms, two and a half baths and an attached 2-car garage.   Homes in the $150,000 to $200,000 range are quite plentiful.

Higher-end, custom homes have been overbuilt and as a result are not selling as well, so there may be deals to found in the $250,00+ range and above.   Residences at this price come with terracotta tile roofs, 2,500 to 4,000 sq. ft., three to four bedrooms, two to three baths, an outdoor kitchen, tile floors, 9-ft. ceilings, a great room, granite countertops, custom cabinets and much  more.  Las Cruces certainly has its share of beautiful homes, and since the city is in the Chihuahua Desert ecoregion, xeriscaping, using drought-resistant plants and vegetation that do not require supplemental irrigation, is the preferred landscaping method for most homes.  

This is an interactive map.  Click on the arrows in the upper left hand corner to move the map to the East, West, North or South, and click on the +/- signs to zoom in and out.

Las Cruces has a number of active adult communities.  Trails West is an attractive, gated, manufactured home development.  Fairway Village on the Picacho Hills Golf Course is a private, gated community with lots for sale from $39,500 and home/land packages starting at around $159,000.   The Boulders on the Sonoma Ranch Golf Course is a new, upscale development with homes starting in the mid-$200,000s.

The average apartment rent is $650 per month. 

Low property taxes are a reason many retirees come to Las Cruces.  Residential properties are taxed at a rate of $27.53 per $1,000 on 33.3% of appraised value.   There is a homestead exemption of $2,000 off the assessed value for all homeowners.  With certain restrictions, there is also a property tax rebate for residents age 65 or better.  The annual property taxes on a $180,000 home would be $1,595.   New Mexico taxpayers 65 and better may be exempt up to $8,000 (single filer) or $16,000 (married, filing jointly) from any income source if the income is under $28,500 (single filers) or $51,000 (filing jointly).  Anyone who is 100 years old or better pays no income tax whatsoever!  Las Cruces' sales tax is 7.1%   The city is feeling the effects of the recession just as most cities are, but Las Cruces' unemployment rate remains below the national average.

The American southwest is home to a certain mysticism, an intangible quality often cited by those that live here.  When awash in the warm glow of a New Mexico sunset, the land around Las Cruces, a combination of high desert, mountains and the green Mesilla Valley, mesmerizes.  Anglo, Spanish, Native American and Mexican cultures have all made their mark here; today, the city remains ethnically diverse.   Spanish is heard as often as English, and life proceeds at a leisurely pace.

Great Retirement Spots Newsletter is published four times a month by Webwerxx, Inc.  2770 S. Elmira St., #152, Denver, CO  80231. (303) 358-0512.  Copyright © 2006-2009.  All rights reserved.  No part of this electronic publication may be reproduced without the express written consent of Webwerxx, Inc.  All attempts were made to verify the accuracy of the information contained in this bulletin, but some information may have changed since publication. Webwerxx, Inc. cannot be held responsible for information that has changed since this publication appeared online.  Please contact us at staff@greatretirementspots.com if you have questions or comments.