Hi all,

What is the general impression of Las Cruces re: crime, poverty, opportunity, work? I've done internet digging & have found some stuff re: gangs & Mexican drug issues, as well as illegal immigrants, but when I speak to folks living in the area, they down play it.

Am considering a job & move, but am curious as to what y'all think.

Thank you,

Sorry for the late reply.
It's not too terrible. It's growing (we passed 100K residents recently) so there are troubles that come along with that. There are a few street gangs, and also reports of cartel members in town but their infighting has subsided in the few years. There is the usual property crime that comes with a town this size.
The city is expanding quite well out to the east, called the east Mesa and is considered the much better place to live. We have 3 24hr walmarts which are really nice to shop in at 2am. In out and done. Lol
We are in the final phases of building a second police station on the east side of town which should spur some more growth.
We have an awesome public range just outside town to the west including multiple genre purpose bays, 1000yd KD range, 600yd shillouet range and a few shorter ranges. For the GP bays you have to bring your own target stands.
There idpa, uspsa, 3 gun and cowboy shoots at least once a month.

All in all not a bad town to live in, and if you crave the "bigger city" stuff hell paso is only 45-60 min away. Oh and the hell paso airport is very easy to travel from. Hardly any lines ever.

Hell Paso huh????  What happened to us being sister cities?

you got Juarez for your sister city, at least that's what most of the people in EP say

When Texas needs an enema, they stick the hose in hEll Paso.

I grew up in Cruces.  After my time in the army, I moved back.  Took two weeks to figure that NMSU wasn't worth spending my money or time.  The job market went to hell because of all the budget cuts at WSMR.  I moved to Albuquerque and never looked back.  Funny thing is my first job after graduating college was working on an experimental radar system at North Oscuro Peak.  Clinton axed that program and I went into the Micro electronic industry.  

Now that I'm retired, I still wouldn't move back down there.  Too hot and too little to do.

If we ever meet at a get together remind me to tell you a story that happened out near NOP in the late 70's.
I spent a couple years as an MP on WSMR, I agree about the being too hot in Las Cruces and Alamogordo, I don't handle the heat well.

Man you guys hurt my feelings