Publication: Rio Rancho Observer
Author: Kevin Hendricks. Staff Writer
Published: September 20, 2023
Livability.com rated Rio Rancho in June as one of the top 100 places to live in America. Last week, the national site ranked the City of Vision as the 10th best place to live in the Southwest.
According to Livability.com, “The Southwest portion of the United States is a captivating and diverse region known for its stunning landscapes, rich cultural heritage and unique blend of traditions; this vast region offers a wide range of experiences. Culturally, the Southwest is influenced by Native American and Hispanic traditions. The region’s cuisine, art and architecture reflect this, with dishes like New Mexican green chile stew and adobe-style buildings standing as testament to its unique heritage.”
The rating was based on Rio Rancho seeing nearly 300 days of sunshine each year and easy access to Route 66 and Bandelier National Monument.
“Rio Rancho neighborhoods are near parks and trails. The Willow Creek Bosque offers walking trails, dog-friendly areas and wildlife habitat viewing locations, making it the perfect place to spend an afternoon outdoors,” according to the report. “Albuquerque and all of its bigger-city amenities are close by. Still, there’s plenty close to home in Rio Rancho, too, and residents can get their fill of pozole and green chile at Hot Tamales. In addition, the city offers residents a relatively low cost of living, ample job opportunities, and quality public and private schools, making it an excellent place for young families and young professionals to settle down.”
Mayor Gregg Hull posted a link to the article on social media with the following comment:
“I am so very proud of our community and that we are being recognized more and more as the best community to live. Just a few months ago, Rio Rancho was named as a top 100 place to live in the United States; now we have reached the tenth best in the Southwest.”
Flower Mound, Texas, was ranked No. 1, one of 11 Texas cities on the list. Santa Fe (21st) and Las Cruces (24th) were the only other New Mexico cities in the top 25.