Hey folks, I'm originally from Albuquerque and It's a a small town city with about 9,487 people. Public transit needs a lot of work honestly. It's a very car-dependent city, for better or worse. Am I overthinking this? It's changing fast -some good, some not so much. People here are genuinely friendly, not just surface-level.
7 upvotes
4 Replies
Jeremy K.
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 7 years ago from Dallas and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: Buying is tough right now, renting is more reasonable. We're paying /mo for a 3-bed in Maple Ridge. It's improving for what you get.
Jobs: The market is manageable right now, especially in engineering. If you're in healthcare you might struggle.
People: Generally average. It took about 9 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: better than expected. Tons of options if you like Mexican.
Would recommend to anyone considering it..
37 upvotes
Isla Wood
Great question. I'll try to be comprehensive here.
I'm a software engineer who relocated here from Austin about 7 years ago. The main reasons were a job opportunity and quality of life.
Pros I've experienced:
- Good schools in most areas
- Close to major attractions
- Good airport with direct flights
Cons that are real:
- Summers can be brutally hot
- Not a lot of cultural diversity
Financially, we've found it average compared to where we came from. Buying is tough right now, renting is more reasonable. Groceries are established, gas is excellent.
Socially, I genuinely enjoy living here. Feel free to reach out with questions..
36 upvotes
Jacob Gutierrez
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.
If you value healthcare, you'll love it. The nightlife is genuinely average and I've found it's exactly what I was looking for. My neighborhood (South) is developing and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from LA, be prepared for the culture shock. traffic is completely different here. And Can feel isolated.
My advice would be to visit for at least a week before committing. Rent first, don't buy. And explore multiple neighborhoods - they're all different.
29 upvotes
Oliver M.
As someone who grew up here, it's improved dramatically in recent years. A lot has changed in the past few years though. school system used to be much manageable but now it's improving.
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