Quality of Life Score
50.49
State Comparison
California vs New Mexico
New Mexico is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in New Mexico, California has higher incomes, New Mexico has lower state income tax, and New Mexico gets more sunshine.
California
15
/ 30
metrics won
Score
VS
Tie
New Mexico
15
/ 30
metrics won
NM wins Housing
NM wins Quality of Life
CA wins Climate
CA wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
California
winner
vs
New Mexico
California scores higher on quality of life — 10.81 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 45.4 points cheaper overall
New Mexico has the lower cost-of-living index. New Mexico is at 93.1, while California is at 138.5.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $14.21 further in New Mexico
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $106.52 of local buying power in New Mexico, versus $92.31 in California.
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Income
California income is 46.8% higher
California has the higher median household income at $84,097, compared with $57,287 in New Mexico.
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Jobs
California minimum wage is $4.50 higher
California has the higher statewide minimum wage at $16.50/hr, compared with $12.00/hr in New Mexico.
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Housing
California homes cost about 3.0x more
New Mexico has the lower median home value at $233,200, versus $693,700 in California.
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Taxes
New Mexico has lower state income tax
New Mexico has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 5.90%, compared with 13.30% in California.
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What's Your Salary Really Worth?
Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
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California
- Gross salary
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- State income tax (top rate 13.3%)
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- After state tax
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- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
New Mexico
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 5.9%)
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- 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 (113.4 for California, 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.
California
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: California
- California shows higher median income.
- California has a lower violent crime rate.
- California health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- California health coverage access proxy is stronger.
- California education proxy is higher.
Cons
- California has a higher overall cost of living.
- California has a higher housing cost index.
- California has higher median home values.
- California job growth trend is weaker.
- California has fewer sunny days.
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 has more sunny days.
Cons
- New Mexico shows lower median income.
- New Mexico has a higher violent crime rate.
- New Mexico health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- New Mexico health coverage access proxy is weaker.
- New Mexico education proxy is lower.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
CA
|
NM
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Sacramento | Santa Fe |
|
State Color
|
Solid Blue | Solid Blue |
|
Population
|
39,538,223
|
2,117,522
|
|
Median Income
|
$84,097
|
$57,287
|
|
Cost of Living
|
138.5
|
93.1
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$693,700
|
$233,200
|
|
Property Tax
|
0.70%
|
0.70%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
13.30%
|
5.90%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$16.50/hr
|
$12.00/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$5.929/gal
|
$4.013/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
30.29 c/kWh
|
14.70 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
50.49
|
39.68
|
|
Average Temperature
|
59.4°F
|
53.4°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
146 days
|
167 days
|
|
Land Area
|
163,696 sq mi
|
121,590 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
241.5 per sq mi
|
17.4 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
September 9, 1850 (#31)
|
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
15
shown
Saving Money
New Mexico is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 93.1 vs 138.5 in California. 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 $5.929/gal in California. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
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Minimum Wage
California has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $16.50/hr in California 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 30.29 c/kWh in California. 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 8.25x in California. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
See full data
Renting
New Mexico is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 20.2% in New Mexico vs 26.5% in California. 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
California has a larger population than New Mexico by 37,420,701 people.
Population Density
California is more densely populated than New Mexico.
Bachelor's Degree
California has a higher college-educated share than New Mexico.
Advanced Degree
California has a higher advanced-degree share than New Mexico.
People Also Ask
California vs New Mexico - Common Questions
Q Is California 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 138.5 for California - a gap of 45.4 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - California 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 $92.31 in California.
Q Which state is bigger - California or New Mexico?
California is larger, covering 163,696 sq mi compared with 121,590 sq mi for New Mexico - roughly 1.3x the size.
Q Does California or New Mexico have more people?
California has the larger population at 39,538,223, compared with 2,117,522 in New Mexico.
Q Which state has higher household income - California or New Mexico?
California has the higher median household income at $84,097, versus $57,287 in New Mexico.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - California or New Mexico?
New Mexico has the lower state income tax top rate at 5.90%, compared with 13.30% in California.
Q Is housing cheaper in California or New Mexico?
Homes are cheaper in New Mexico, where the median home value is $233,200, versus $693,700 in California.
Q Which state is more densely populated - California or New Mexico?
California is more densely populated at 241.5 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.