Carlsbad vs Las Cruces
Carlsbad, New Mexico versus Las Cruces, New Mexico: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Carlsbad and Las Cruces score about the same overall (47 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Carlsbad | Las Cruces |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $77k | $51k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $45k |
| Home Value | $173k | $197k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $907 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.54% | 0.75% |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 7.62% | 7.62% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.62% | 11.31% |
| Unemployment | 3.0% | 7.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 44°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 82°F | 81°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.6 in | 10.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7 in | 1.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 299 days | 332 days |
| Summer Humidity | 57°F | 50°F |
| Comfortable Days | 61 days | 40 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 89.7 | 69.8 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 29 AQI |
| School Quality | 54.4 | 41.1 |
| Violent Crime | 1779/100k | 2555/100k |
| Property Crime | 2842/100k | 5350/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 31,755 | 111,273 |
| Median Age | 35.0 | 31.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.51 | 0.56 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.02 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | R+53 | D+19 |
| White (%) | 37.6% | 31.4% |
| Black (%) | 1.9% | 2.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 56.9% | 61.7% |
| Asian (%) | 1.0% | 1.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.6% | 2.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 8.9/20 | 8.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 133 mi | 45 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 82.4% | 85.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 25.19 | 16.18 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Carlsbad or Las Cruces more affordable?
- Las Cruces has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Carlsbad's $47k and Las Cruces's $45k. Median rent is $1k in Carlsbad versus $907 in Las Cruces.
- Is Carlsbad or Las Cruces safer?
- Carlsbad has the lower violent crime rate. Carlsbad reports 1779/100k and Las Cruces reports 2555/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Carlsbad or Las Cruces?
- The median home value is $173k in Carlsbad and $197k in Las Cruces, so homes are more affordable in Carlsbad.