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Albuquerque Community Overview

Located in Bernalillo County, Albuquerque is one of the most livable cities in the U.S., with an average of 304 days of sunshine a year, and rare to non-existent natural disasters. The metro area averages 8.9 inches of rain a year and only 4.2 days of snow a year. Average humidity ranges from 30 percent in the summer to 56 percent in the winter. The city rests at the foot of the Sandia Mountains, which tower 10,678 feet above sea level and provide breathtaking views. The Rio Grande runs north to south.

Albuquerque has been named one of the ten fastest growing cities in the nation. Between 1990 and 2000, the metro area population increased 22 percent. By 2020, the metro area population is expected to exceed more than 1 million.

For more regional information on Albuquerque, visit here.

Housing

Housing in Albuquerque is new, affordable and diverse. Residents can choose from tree-lined neighborhoods along the Rio Grande to high-desert homes to planned communities and urban lofts.

  • The median sales price for a single-family home in 2009 was $180,000.
  • The area has a large supply of affordable rental housing including some 75,000 apartment units.

Quality of Life

Albuquerque's scenic beauty of mountains and high desert is unparalleled. There are some 200 parks throughout the city and more than 80 miles of running and biking trails. Skiing and snowboarding are less than an hour from the city and golf is a year-round activity on the more than 15 courses in the city. For those who prefer more remote adventures, New Mexico boasts millions of acres of public lands and rivers for fishing and hunting; white-water rafting, mountain climbing and biking; hang gliding, horseback riding, backpacking and camping.

Sports fans enjoy collegiate and professional games. The University of New Mexico Lobos have popular major college football, baseball, basketball and soccer games. The area's Triple A baseball team, the Albuquerque Isotopes, entertain fans in a multimillion dollar state-of-the-art stadium. The Albuquerque Thunderbirds, part of the NBA Development League, is Albuquerque's newest sports team.

The Southwest culture in Albuquerque is unique and renowned. The city boasts more than 40 art galleries and 20 museums, numerous arts and crafts fairs, more than 30 performing arts centers and groups, an historic Old Town with old world charm, 500-plus places of worship, and two library systems.

For more information, visit these links: Albuquerque Arts and Culture or Albuquerque Recreational Opportunities.

Albuquerque Community Resources