Quality of Life Score
51.01
State Comparison
Arizona vs New Mexico
New Mexico is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in New Mexico, Arizona has higher incomes, Arizona has lower state income tax, and Arizona gets more sunshine.
Arizona
17
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
New Mexico
14
/ 31
metrics won
NM wins Housing
NM wins Quality of Life
AZ wins Climate
AZ wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Arizona
winner
vs
New Mexico
Arizona scores higher on quality of life — 11.33 points difference.
Overview
Key differences overview
These cards keep the comparison factual first, so the biggest tradeoffs in affordability, housing, taxes, politics, climate, and day-to-day living are easy to scan.
Overall Affordability
New Mexico is 10.0 points cheaper overall
New Mexico has the lower cost-of-living index. New Mexico is at 93.1, while Arizona is at 103.1.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $2.55 further in New Mexico
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $106.52 of local buying power in New Mexico, versus $103.97 in Arizona.
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Income
Arizona income is 26.7% higher
Arizona has the higher median household income at $72,581, compared with $57,287 in New Mexico.
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Jobs
Arizona minimum wage is $2.35 higher
Arizona has the higher statewide minimum wage at $14.35/hr, compared with $12.00/hr in New Mexico.
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Housing
Arizona homes cost about 1.4x more
New Mexico has the lower median home value at $233,200, versus $327,400 in Arizona.
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Taxes
Arizona has lower state income tax
Arizona has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 2.50%, compared with 5.90% in New Mexico.
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Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
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Arizona
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 2.5%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
New Mexico
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 5.9%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
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Cost-of-Living Equivalent
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* "After state tax" uses the top marginal rate — actual effective rate is lower for most incomes. Real buying power uses BEA Regional Price Parity (99.2 for Arizona, 92.0 for New Mexico). COL equivalent uses the MERIC/C2ER composite index.
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
A fast scan of the biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
Arizona
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Arizona
- Arizona shows higher median income.
- Arizona has lower property tax rates on average.
- Arizona has a lower violent crime rate.
- Arizona health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- Arizona education proxy is higher.
- Arizona has more sunny days.
Cons
- Arizona has a higher overall cost of living.
- Arizona has a higher housing cost index.
- Arizona has higher median home values.
- Arizona job growth trend is weaker.
- Arizona health coverage access proxy is weaker.
New Mexico
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: New Mexico
- New Mexico has a lower overall cost of living.
- New Mexico has a lower housing cost index.
- New Mexico has lower median home values.
- New Mexico job growth trend is stronger.
- New Mexico health coverage access proxy is stronger.
Cons
- New Mexico shows lower median income.
- New Mexico has higher property tax rates on average.
- New Mexico has a higher violent crime rate.
- New Mexico health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- New Mexico education proxy is lower.
- New Mexico has fewer sunny days.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
AZ
|
NM
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Phoenix | Santa Fe |
|
State Color
|
Swing State | Solid Blue |
|
Population
|
7,151,502
|
2,117,522
|
|
Median Income
|
$72,581
|
$57,287
|
|
Cost of Living
|
103.1
|
93.1
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$327,400
|
$233,200
|
|
Property Tax
|
0.48%
|
0.70%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
2.50%
|
5.90%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$14.35/hr
|
$12.00/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$4.742/gal
|
$4.013/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
15.61 c/kWh
|
14.70 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
51.01
|
39.68
|
|
Average Temperature
|
60.3°F
|
53.4°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
193 days
|
167 days
|
|
Land Area
|
113,990 sq mi
|
121,590 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
62.7 per sq mi
|
17.4 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
February 14, 1912 (#48)
|
January 6, 1912 (#47)
|
Intent-Oriented
Which state fits your priorities better?
Use these cards as decision shortcuts for common goals like saving money, buying a home, finding better weather, or optimizing for work and family life.
6
of
18
shown
Saving Money
New Mexico is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 93.1 vs 103.1 in Arizona. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
See full data
Gas Price
New Mexico is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $4.013/gal in New Mexico vs $4.742/gal in Arizona. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
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Minimum Wage
Arizona has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $14.35/hr in Arizona vs $12.00/hr in New Mexico. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
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Electricity Rates
New Mexico has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 14.70 c/kWh in New Mexico vs 15.61 c/kWh in Arizona. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
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Buying a Home
New Mexico is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 4.07x in New Mexico vs 4.51x in Arizona. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
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Renting
New Mexico is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 20.2% in New Mexico vs 21.7% in Arizona. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
See full dataExplore by Category
Dive Deeper
Each link opens a full one-on-one breakdown for that metric — national rankings, charts, and context.
Population
Arizona has a larger population than New Mexico by 5,033,980 people.
Population Density
Arizona is more densely populated than New Mexico.
Bachelor's Degree
Arizona has a higher college-educated share than New Mexico.
Advanced Degree
New Mexico has a higher advanced-degree share than Arizona.
People Also Ask
Arizona vs New Mexico - Common Questions
Q Is Arizona cheaper to live in than New Mexico?
New Mexico has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), New Mexico scores 93.1 versus 103.1 for Arizona - a gap of 10.0 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Arizona or New Mexico?
$100 goes further in New Mexico. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $106.52 in New Mexico, compared with $103.97 in Arizona.
Q Which state is bigger - Arizona or New Mexico?
New Mexico is larger, covering 121,590 sq mi compared with 113,990 sq mi for Arizona - roughly 1.1x the size.
Q Does Arizona or New Mexico have more people?
Arizona has the larger population at 7,151,502, compared with 2,117,522 in New Mexico.
Q Which state has higher household income - Arizona or New Mexico?
Arizona has the higher median household income at $72,581, versus $57,287 in New Mexico.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - Arizona or New Mexico?
Arizona has the lower state income tax top rate at 2.50%, compared with 5.90% in New Mexico.
Q Is housing cheaper in Arizona or New Mexico?
Homes are cheaper in New Mexico, where the median home value is $233,200, versus $327,400 in Arizona.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Arizona or New Mexico?
Arizona is more densely populated at 62.7 per sq mi people per sq mi. New Mexico is more spread out at 17.4 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related Comparisons
Methodology
All figures are sourced from U.S. government datasets and updated annually. Page last updated: April 2026.
Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and statehood dates from the National Archives. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker. See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.