Communities

• The Northeast section contains many large residential areas. A diversity of housing can be found in the NE Heights ranging from large, custom homes to tract neighborhoods, to smaller, older communities. Homes for almost every taste and lifestyle can probably be located in this area. Also found here are many of the city's large shopping areas, businesses, and entertainment centers.
   
• The Northwest section has two main areas: the North Valley and the West Mesa (or West Side). The Valley includes a unique mix of Albuquerque's exclusive housing communities, farms, and some of the city's oldest communities, all close to the banks of the Rio Grande River. Albuquerque's Old Town is in this area of town. The West side is the city's fastest growing area. Residential housing has increased dramatically in the past few years causing a huge increase in business growth as well.
   
• The Southwest section also runs along the Rio Grande and includes many farms. This area is a diverse blend of old and new, large and small. Several commercial and industrial parks are also found here.
   
• The Southeast section includes Kirtland Air Force Base and Sandia National Laboratories, two of the city's largest employers. Residential areas range from older exclusive neighborhoods to middle and lower cost housing.

Facts About the Area

• Albuquerque's elevation of 5,300 feet makes it the highest metropolitan city in America
   
• Albuquerque is equidistant from Los Angeles to Kansas City, from New Orleans to San Francisco, from Phoenix to Denver, from Salt Lake City to Dallas
   
• U.S. News and World Report (April 11, 1994) chose Albuquerque as one of "America's New Boomtowns"
   
• Entrepreneur Magazine (October, 1993) rated Albuquerque as one of the top 20 U.S. business locations
   
• Trend Letter, published by Megatrends author John Naisbitt, identified Albuquerque as one of the ten cities at the cutting edge of growth over the next ten years
   
• Newsweek chose Albuquerque as one of the ten "hot spots" in the U.S.
   
• According to the 1990 Census, Albuquerque is the 38th largest city in the United States; Albuquerque's average citizen is about 30 years old
   
• Seventeen Albuquerque public schools have been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education's Effective School Recognition Program as centers of excellence - more schools than any other district in the U.S.
   
• Kirtland Air Force Base, the 6th largest Air Force installation in the United States, is located in Albuquerque
   
• America's first Astronauts were determined to have the "right stuff" by physical tests administered at Albuquerque's renowned Lovelace Medical Center

Some of Albuquerque's scientific "firsts" include:

• the original personal computer
• first radioactive isotope to identify cancerous tumors
• first implantable insulin pump for the management and control of diabetes
• first laminar-flow "clean room"

Environment

Temperatures in Albuquerque are those characteristic of high altitude, dry, continental climates. The average daily range of temperature is considerable but extremes are infrequent. Over a period of 43 years, only 13 brought temperatures over 100 degrees and only eight of the years have seen readings below zero degrees.

Albuquerque Area

East Mountain

The area called East Mountain is located on the east side of the 10,000-foot high Sandia Mountains and Manzano Mountains. It encompasses more than 500 sq. miles in Bernalillo, Santa Fe, and Torrance counties, just east of Albuquerque. The area is bisected by Interstate 40, the primary east-west connection to the city.

This East Mountain area has developed around three mountain ranges controlled by the National Forest Service- the Sandia, Manzanita and Manzano mountains. These mountains provide diverse recreational opportunities and wildlife habitat areas. Because of unique weather patterns, it boasts being the "green side" of the southern Rocky Mountain range.

The population in this area has shown dramatic growth through the last two decades, with a much higher growth rate than most parts of the state. In Bernalillo County, which includes Albuquerque, more than a third of the building permits issued occur within the East Mountain Area. The overall population in this area is estimated to be about 25,000 - with more than half living in Bernalillo County.

The average altitude of the East Mountain Area is between 6,500 and 7,000 feet above sea level. (For comparison, Albuquerque's average altitude is 5,300 feet; Santa Fe is 7,000 feet.)

Cedar Crest, Sandia Park and Sandia Knolls

Cedar Crest, Sandia Park, and Sandia Knolls are small communities on the east side of the Sandia Mountains. All are bedroom communities for Albuquerque and are inhabited by those seeking a more rural environment and who prefer living in the pines found on the east slope.

Placitas
Conveniently located between Santa Fe (36 miles) and Albuquerque (15 miles), Placitas was formed by the San Antonio de las Huertas land grant of 1745. The name means "little plazas," cultural centers of the Spanish villages. Sandia Mountain looms nearby, and other features include the Jemez range, the Rio Grande, juniper and pinon-covered hillsides and always, the sky.

Placitas is ideally suited for many of New Mexico's favorite outdoor activities: hiking, biking, horseback riding, picnicking, golfing, skiing, and sightseeing. Far from the crime and other problems of big-city life, Placitas is simply a great place to live. Expansive homes dot the high desert rolling hills, yet thanks to large minimum lot sizes, density is not a factor.

Each year the Placita's Artists Series presents a program of concerts by the Helios String Quartet. Community art shows, the traditional posada at Christmas, the 4th of July parade and homeowner gatherings provide additional social opportunities. Of course, the vibrant cultural lives of Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and even Taos are within easy driving range.

Rio Rancho
In the 1960's the AMREP corporation of New York began selling in the southern tip of Sandoval County. Soon many left harsh winters behind and moved to New Mexico. In 1980, the city incorporated and it now boasts shopping centers, tourist facilities, a library, churches, schools, an industrial park and a country club. By the mid 90's the population exceeded 40,000 and because of its affordable housing and wonderful views of the city and the mountains, the area continues to grow.

Rio Rancho is a delightful study in contrasts - a fast growing community that retains and cherishes its small-town atmosphere. A city with good, clean light manufacturing and service jobs amid well-planned, quiet neighborhoods.

Called "The City of Vision," Rio Rancho is a town that works. Rio Rancho's determination and drive received national and international recognition when Intel Corp. announced plans for a 1.8 billion dollar expansion (the largest single industrial construction project in this decade in the U.S.) at its computer microprocessor manufacturing plant in Rio Rancho.

Rio Rancho won the Intel expansion over six other states and several foreign countries that had tried vigorously to win the prize.

Taylor Ranch
Established less than 20 years ago, the Taylor Ranch area was originally designed to be a bedroom community of only 1000 homes. As time has gone by, the area has proven to be so popular with families and young professionals, that it has grown to nearly 5000 homes.

Taylor Ranch has long been considered one of Albuquerque's most desirable west side communities, with a variety of some of the best home builders in New Mexico, and many of the amenities sought after by most homeowners including quiet streets, and abundance of large park areas for soccer, baseball, and other activities. It's easy to ride your bicycle or walk from your home to any of these parks along the many city-maintained bike/walking trails that meander through the area.

Since Taylor Ranch is within the city limits of Albuquerque, it is served by city police, fire protection, water and sewer systems. Excellent primary schools and a new middle school make quality living a reality for the growing family. Add to that, easy access to shopping and transportation systems, and you have a community that is truly complete.

Corrales
Corrales is a community located along a six-mile stretch of Corrales Road #(NM46). Once part of the Alameda Land Grant, one still can find productive farms and orchards. Today the area is a mixture of the old and new. Spanish homesteads are side by side with solar adobe homes. The residents enjoy the atmosphere and consequently side roads are unpaved and gardens and animals abound. Many professionals who live in Corrales chose to do so because of its old-world Spanish Adobe charm and the privacy of country living within a close proximity to the city. Volunteers keep the community functioning...the village even built their own adobe library. Excellent restaurants, art galleries, small shopping centers, and the famed Adobe Theater draw visitors from throughout the area.

Surrounding Communities

East Mountain

The area called East Mountain is located on the east side of the 10,000-foot high Sandia Mountains and Manzano Mountains. It encompasses more than 500 sq. miles in Bernalillo, Santa Fe, and Torrance counties, just east of Albuquerque. The area is bisected by Interstate 40, the primary east-west connection to the city.

This East Mountain area has developed around three mountain ranges controlled by the National Forest Service- the Sandia, Manzanita and Manzano mountains. These mountains provide diverse recreational opportunities and wildlife habitat areas. Because of unique weather patterns, it boasts being the "green side" of the southern Rocky Mountain range.

The population in this area has shown dramatic growth through the last two decades, with a much higher growth rate than most parts of the state. In Bernalillo County, which includes Albuquerque, more than a third of the building permits issued occur within the East Mountain Area. The overall population in this area is estimated to be about 25,000 - with more than half living in Bernalillo County.

The average altitude of the East Mountain Area is between 6,500 and 7,000 feet above sea level. (For comparison, Albuquerque's average altitude is 5,300 feet; Santa Fe is 7,000 feet.)

Cedar Crest, Sandia Park and Sandia Knolls

Cedar Crest, Sandia Park, and Sandia Knolls are small communities on the east side of the Sandia Mountains. All are bedroom communities for Albuquerque and are inhabited by those seeking a more rural environment and who prefer living in the pines found on the east slope.

Placitas
Conveniently located between Santa Fe (36 miles) and Albuquerque (15 miles), Placitas was formed by the San Antonio de las Huertas land grant of 1745. The name means "little plazas," cultural centers of the Spanish villages. Sandia Mountain looms nearby, and other features include the Jemez range, the Rio Grande, juniper and pinon-covered hillsides and always, the sky.

Placitas is ideally suited for many of New Mexico's favorite outdoor activities: hiking, biking, horseback riding, picnicking, golfing, skiing, and sightseeing. Far from the crime and other problems of big-city life, Placitas is simply a great place to live. Expansive homes dot the high desert rolling hills, yet thanks to large minimum lot sizes, density is not a factor.

Each year the Placita's Artists Series presents a program of concerts by the Helios String Quartet. Community art shows, the traditional posada at Christmas, the 4th of July parade and homeowner gatherings provide additional social opportunities. Of course, the vibrant cultural lives of Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and even Taos are within easy driving range.

Rio Rancho
In the 1960's the AMREP corporation of New York began selling in the southern tip of Sandoval County. Soon many left harsh winters behind and moved to New Mexico. In 1980, the city incorporated and it now boasts shopping centers, tourist facilities, a library, churches, schools, an industrial park and a country club. By the mid 90's the population exceeded 40,000 and because of its affordable housing and wonderful views of the city and the mountains, the area continues to grow.

Rio Rancho is a delightful study in contrasts - a fast growing community that retains and cherishes its small-town atmosphere. A city with good, clean light manufacturing and service jobs amid well-planned, quiet neighborhoods.

Called "The City of Vision," Rio Rancho is a town that works. Rio Rancho's determination and drive received national and international recognition when Intel Corp. announced plans for a 1.8 billion dollar expansion (the largest single industrial construction project in this decade in the U.S.) at its computer microprocessor manufacturing plant in Rio Rancho.

Rio Rancho won the Intel expansion over six other states and several foreign countries that had tried vigorously to win the prize.

Taylor Ranch
Established less than 20 years ago, the Taylor Ranch area was originally designed to be a bedroom community of only 1000 homes. As time has gone by, the area has proven to be so popular with families and young professionals, that it has grown to nearly 5000 homes.

Taylor Ranch has long been considered one of Albuquerque's most desirable west side communities, with a variety of some of the best home builders in New Mexico, and many of the amenities sought after by most homeowners including quiet streets, and abundance of large park areas for soccer, baseball, and other activities. It's easy to ride your bicycle or walk from your home to any of these parks along the many city-maintained bike/walking trails that meander through the area.

Since Taylor Ranch is within the city limits of Albuquerque, it is served by city police, fire protection, water and sewer systems. Excellent primary schools and a new middle school make quality living a reality for the growing family. Add to that, easy access to shopping and transportation systems, and you have a community that is truly complete.

Corrales
Corrales is a community located along a six-mile stretch of Corrales Road #(NM46). Once part of the Alameda Land Grant, one still can find productive farms and orchards. Today the area is a mixture of the old and new. Spanish homesteads are side by side with solar adobe homes. The residents enjoy the atmosphere and consequently side roads are unpaved and gardens and animals abound. Many professionals who live in Corrales chose to do so because of its old-world Spanish Adobe charm and the privacy of country living within a close proximity to the city. Volunteers keep the community functioning...the village even built their own adobe library. Excellent restaurants, art galleries, small shopping centers, and the famed Adobe Theater draw visitors from throughout the area.

Sandia Heights
Sandia Heights is located on the west face of the Sandia Mountains in the Foothills, the very far NE corner of Albuquerque. The style and landscaping is similar to the homes in Placitas; Southwestern contemporary being the norm. North America's longest Tram starts in the Sandia Heights and traverses the west face of the Sandia Mountains to an altitude of 10,800 feet at the crest.

Los Ranchos De Albuquerque
Los Ranchos de Albuquerque is an incorporated village which is surrounded by the city in the North Valley. The town contains excellent examples of ancient and modern adobe buildings. In 1980, residents digging a swimming pool discovered a significant archaeological site which confirms that Indians settled in the Albuquerque thousands of years ago.

Santa Fe
The charming city of Santa Fe, only 50 miles north of Albuquerque, claims the distinction of having the oldest capitol building in the United States, the Palace of the Governors, built in 1610. This internationally famous city, which is also the capital of New Mexico, is perhaps best known as a cultural and culinary mecca, with over 200 restaurants and countless galleries. Santa Fe is known as the third largest art center in the United States, behind New York and Los Angeles.

Santa Fe was recently recognized as one of the top three destinations for vacation and resort travelers. It is also the primary or secondary home for many of Hollywood and California's elite. With its uniqueness and desirability, Santa Fe demands the highest average sale price per home in the state of New Mexico, approaching $200,000.

Areas To the South
Three small communities, Los Lunas, Belen and Bosque Farms, also serve many people working in the Albuquerque area. Located 15-25 miles south of Albuquerque, these communities offer a more rural environment.

Pueblos Of the Rio Grande
There are approximately 15 different pueblos located within 50 or 60 miles of Albuquerque, each with its own culture and uniqueness. If you want to learn more about the Native American communities in the area, this is absolutely the best place to start. Albuquerque's Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is owned and operated by the pueblos of New Mexico. On exhibit at the center are samplings of arts and crafts from pueblos from all over the state. Also available are materials and guides to help you decide which pueblo to visit. Visiting these pueblos is always a pleasure. They each have their own distinction.

Points of Interest