Residential comparison · 13 facts
Carlsbad, NM vs Las Cruces, NM
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Carlsbad needs about $78,500 in Las Cruces to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Las Cruces, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $91,500 in Carlsbad.
A few differences
- Carlsbad is higher on median household income ($72,306 vs $55,422).
- Las Cruces is lower on cost of living index (82 vs 85).
- Las Cruces is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($964/mo vs $1,283/mo).
Carlsbad vs Las Cruces · facet by facet
| Facet | Carlsbad, NM | Las Cruces, NM |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $200,000 | $231,700 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,283/mo | $964/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| State & local income tax | 2.74% | 2.74% |
| Sales tax | 7.6% | 7.6% |
| Cost of living index | 85 | 82 |
| Groceries index | 98 | 98 |
| Utilities | $145/mo | $145/mo |
| Median household income | $72,306 | $55,422 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.9% |
| Crime index | 80/100 | 80/100 |
| School rating | 3.5/10 | 3.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 280 days | 280 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Carlsbad, NM · Las Cruces, NM
Questions & answers
- Is Carlsbad cheaper than Las Cruces?
- Las Cruces has the lower day-to-day cost index (82 vs 85 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Las Cruces equals $85,000 in Carlsbad?
- A household earning $85,000 in Carlsbad needs about $78,500 in Las Cruces to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Las Cruces lifestyle costs about $91,500 in Carlsbad.