You’re (Not) Doing Fine, Oklahoma, Mmmmk?
But if you can forget the politics, it’s a cheap place to live.
The Situation
My rent increased by 21% in 2024 and will go up another 9% in 2025.
That’s a lot, living on a fixed income.
I don’t seriously think about moving, but where would I go if push were to come to shove?
Albuquerque is already an inexpensive place to live. You can’t beat the gas prices. The state has a budget surplus because of oil and gas production.
But given what people earn here, what they pay for rent is out of proportion.
We’re a bargain compared to our neighbors to the West (Arizona) and the East (Texas). But people aren’t moving here. In fact, according to the World Population Review, the state only had a net gain of 895 people between 2020 and 2024!
We’re not getting retirees because New Mexico is one of the few states that taxes Social Security. There are so many things wrong with that. And here I am, retired, in New Mexico. I think things out so well.
Where to?
I would have to be in a city. I’m just not the rural type. I need a big pool of prospective mates because I haven’t found one here. It would have to be no more than a day’s drive from the…
