I currently live in central AZ but I see that there are quite a fee IT jobs listed in NM and Las Cruces.  I also see that the houses there are not nearly as crazy priced as around here.

Shooting
Culture
CCW
crime
commuting / traffic
utilities
cost of living

What is there to know. Should I even consider moving there or run away and forget about it.

Kali-lite these days.  Cruces is a mecca for retarded, er I mean retired Kalifornians.
60s-80s, it was a nice place to grow up.

I am already dealing with the Cali retirees here in AZ.

Silver City and Las Cruces are the worst, as far as Kalifornication of this state.

We're leaving Albuquerque for 40 acres in Eastern AZ to get away from the bullshit.  I know, you can only TRY to stay one step ahead, but NM is circling the drain at an elevated rate.  

Enjoy the Land of Entrapment.  Come on vacation, leave on probation.  The Midget Toad in the roundhouse will love taxing you to death.

Im from AZ and will vouch, New Mexico is one state id be ok with giving back to Mexico. The lawlessness is absurd here, drugs and homeless are out of control, theft and homicide are among the highest in the country. This is also the land of the laziest people ive ever come across, with near impossibility of getting any labor work done, decent customer service, quick service, or for anyone to really go out of their way. Unemployment is out of control, but jobs are everywhere (EVERY place has a help wanted sign and decent starting wages), however most choose to just suck off the gov dime and let tax payers support them.

People ask what the upsides are and the only thing I can think of is the low taxes and cost of living, however with Biden cutting our main export (oil), I foresee skyrocketing taxes to pay for the Governors pet projects and social services since much of the spending is dependent on that oil. My house has gone up almost $60,000 in value in 2 years, so im sure our cost of living will soon raise up to that of other areas with all the people from California and Colorado coming here for the same shitty liberal policies, but 1/4 the cost of living. Average time on the market is less than 24 hours, and selling for 110% of value with cash buyers. Unfortunately Arizona has become so expensive and large that while I considered moving back, I dont want to triple my mortgage and go back to 90 minutes of commuting each way when my commute now is 15 min with minimal traffic. New Mexico is also still heavily locked down for Covid, with restaurants just recently opening up to 25% capacity indoors, while ALL bars that dont serve food are still closed, downtown is a shuttered wasteland of businesses that went under, and most retails stores have lines to get in due to their 25%/75 person max capacity (whichever is less)

Thought id add, im in Albuquerque. If you want to experience it before moving here, go spend some time in Maryvale, or go down to South Tucson... mirror image.

Headed back to ABQ. Next week.  Used to live in Tijeras.  Sold the home in NC, prices were just too good.  This time we are just renting a small place so that if we don’t like it, we are going to exit swiftly over to TX.  For the time being, looking forward to lazy ABQ lifestyle at the foot of the Sandias....and staying strapped everywhere we go.