New Mexico's Affordable Desert Town Is Also The Gateway To White Sands National Park

This small-sized city — Alamogordo, population 29,000 — rests in the northernmost portion of the Chihuahuan Desert, which is home to the White Sands National Park. The Chihuahuan is North America's largest desert: It's 1,200 miles in length from Alamogordo to Mexico's San Luis Potosi and encompasses 175,000 square miles. In Alamogordo, steadily moderate temperatures range from 50 to 76 degrees, according to Livability, and the locale typically experiences little precipitation: 12 inches of rain and 4 inches of snow annually. Overall in the United States in 2025, precipitation averaged 31 inches, according to research firm IBISWorld. 

If Alamogordo's weather and ambiance sound appealing, there's more good news: This city is an affordable place to live. The cost of an average home there, BestPlaces recorded, is just $192,200 — 43.2% less expensive than the U.S. average of $338,100 and 28% less than New Mexico's average home value of $267,100. Rent-wise, the site lists an average of $910, which is 36.4% less than the national figure of $1,430 and 12.1% below New Mexico's average of $1,020. Thanks in part to the low cost of housing, BestPlaces gave Alamogordo a cost-of-living score of 75.2, which is 24.8% less than the national average and 14.9% less than the state's. Income needed to meet typical costs of living are listed as $2,667 monthly, or $32,000 annually for a single person. For a family, the figures are $3,060 monthly or $36,720 annually. Although New Mexico is one of the states with the lowest average income, the Alamogordo average of $53,331 may well be enough to enjoy life in this city.

Livability listed the average commute time for an Alamogordo resident as 16 minutes. That's less than the national average of 27.2 minutes, as cited by the U.S. Census Bureau. And while people in other states are experiencing high gas prices, in the Land of Enchantment, people have been enjoying comparatively lower ones. On November 19, 2025, while AAA Fuel Prices listed an average price of $3.094 per gallon, New Mexico's average came in at $2.774. When looking at prices in Albuquerque, the big city nearest Alamogordo, the average price was $2.653 per gallon. 

If you're thinking about moving to New Mexico from another state, and retirement either looms or has arrived, note that this state does not exempt Social Security income from taxation. That said, plenty of free and low-cost activities are available for retirees to enjoy, such as, horseback riding, year-round golfing, and hiking and biking through an extensive trail system. Retirees can enjoy the stunning beauty of this city on the desert's edge, with trails also laid out for people needing wheelchairs or those who have other impairments or disabilities. The Alameda Park Zoo features 90 species of wildlife, and the New Mexico Museum of Space History offers senior discounts, including free Wednesdays for New Mexico residents aged 60 and up.