New Mexico ranks low for quality of life in national report on the state of the states (49/50, LA #50)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | June 15, 2026 | Joshua Bowling, Source New mexico

[CedarDave]

A new report from the nonpartisan State of the Nation Project lists New Mexico near the bottom of national rankings for education, shootings, youth depression and a number of other factors that impact life satisfaction.

The organization produced the State of the States report, which gives in-depth scorecards to each of the 50 states and Washington D.C. ... A board of academics and advisers to the last five presidents created a list of 31 measures — ranging from youth depression, air quality and income inequality to social isolation, life expectancy and young adults employed or in school — and quantified those categories in each state.

Among the team’s takeaways: Only a small handful of states show improvement on any measure of self-reported well-being; states are becoming more alike in many ways but diverging on issues that can drive feelings of division; ...

For total scores across the project’s categories, only Louisiana fared worse than New Mexico.

In particular, New Mexico ranked 50th in the nation for hourly earnings growth; 49th for murder rate and academic test scores; 48th for children living with a single parent; 47th for shootings and suicide rate; 45th for youth depression and 44th for young adults employed or in school.

Its highest score — for child mortality — was 20th in the nation.

State leaders have recently focused on the exceedingly high number of young New Mexicans who neither work or go to school. A recent Legislative Finance Committee report found that 32,000 young New Mexicans do neither, costing the state some $623 million annually.

Douglas N. Harris, a Tulane University professor leading the State of the Nation Project’s effort, told Source NM. “What’s different about New Mexico is that its levels are worse — you’re starting off at a low point, but also getting worse.”

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Education; Health/Medicine; Society
KEYWORDS: democrats; grift; newmexico; qualityoflife; theft

[CedarDave]

New Mexico is #2 in the nation in oil and gas production, and billions of dollars flow into state coffers yearly. But the left-wing progressive radicals in Santa Fe that control all state government spend it on give-away programs that don't inspire individual achievement or require work. When government pays all your expenses, and you have no incentive to improve your life or condition, depression and all its consequences follows. Satisfaction and happiness comes from striving for a goal and achieving a result, not spending social time on your phone or computer. Without inspiration from elected leaders (who seem more intent on ending life with unrestricted abortion) and non-left wing educators, our population's situation will continue to spiral downward with increasing social problems as described in the article.

[CedarDave]

Sorry to have posted such a downer this evening.

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[AZJeep]

I believe, NM is the #1 state benefiting from federal government spending.
Obviously, federal money is useless or even toxic.

[Tijeras_Slim]

A lot of the Federal money goes to the two national labs and several air force bases. But there’s a lot pissed away on the usual grift.

[chajin]

Albuquerque’s only song was written by Weird Al. There may be an insight hiding there.

[LegendHasIt]

Nothing really new here. Such statistics have been similar for a long time.

Although I must say that MY quality of life for the many decades that I have lived in New Mexico has been pretty darn good. When I was away, I was always relieved to return.

(However for the last 15 years or so I have had to deny to myself that Santa Fe and Albuquerque even exist.)

[pkajj]

What has happened to New Mexico is sad. They used to have a good Senator in Pete Dominici and a good Governor in Susana Martinez. They have since replaced them with typical left wingers and then successfully gerrymandered out their only GOP member of the House. The powers that be seem to relish the thought of being the abortion capital of the Southwest.

I know Trump thought he had a shot at carrying New Mexico in 2024 and even held a rally there at the end of the campaign. I’m not sure if the GOP can ever regain a foothold in what has become a left wing wasteland.

[Az Joe]

We moved to AZ in 1963. AZ was just a little more developed than NM at the time. AZ stayed solid conservative for almost all of that time. NM went Liberal.

AZ
1960 population
1,302,161

2020 population
7,151,502

+5,849,341

NM
1960 population
951,023

2020 population
2,117,522

+1,166,499

[LegendHasIt]

I actually knew Pete Domenici personally; He was a friend of my father’s from even before he was the Chairman of Albuquerque City Commission. He even gave me a $5.00 High School Graduation gift. :-)

[Delta 21]

The only reason Louisiana lost to New Mexico is ‘They just wont give up the swamp.’

[4Runner]

Taos, NM has always been noted for incredible scenery and atmospheric light effects. And the location of a vibrant visual arts community. Of course in its own inimitable way the left co-opted the visual arts and turned them into therapy for the unhinged. The left ruins everything it touches.

[TheThirdRuffian]

It’s mainly because most workers in NM are gubmint employees, either federal or state. Some amount more than 1/2.

Adult underemployment is staggering.

Basically everyone is on welfare of some kind.

[TheThirdRuffian]

You may know my mom. She dated Pete in college for several years.

UNM

Maiden name Taylor from Lea county. Ranchers. Her mom was a Chisum.

[redinIllinois]

.

[rktman]

Stay strong Cedar Dave.

[rktman]

Hi Tijeras Slim. Hope you’re well.

[Pelham]

What would “Mick from the high mountains of New Mexico” have to say about this...

[Tijeras_Slim]

Doing nicely… holed up in the mountains and only have to go into town weekly or less.

[AZJeep]

most workers in NM are gubmint employees
______________

Yes, of course.
My point is that the people on the left are talking like gubmint money is the way to prosperity.
More gubmint spending equals better life, better just about everything people need.
MN is a shining example of the fallacy of this argument!

[LegendHasIt]

PM sent