The Safest and Most Dangerous Places in New Mexico: Crime Maps and Statistics

Overall Crime Grade™

Violent Crime Grade	F
Property Crime Grade	D-
Other Crime Grade	F

Which crimes are included?

$1.8 billion

Cost of Crime™ for New Mexico

In 2025, crime will cost $2,212 per household.

More cost data

Crime Grade's crime map highlights the safest areas in New Mexico in green, the most dangerous in red, and moderately safe areas in yellow. Crime rates on the map are weighted based on both the type and severity of the crime. For more information on how to interpret our crime maps, see the Interpreting the Crime Maps section below.

Is New Mexico Safe?

The F grade indicates that the rate of crime is much higher than that of the average US state. New Mexico ranks in the 6th percentile for safety, meaning it is safer than 6% of states but less safe than 94%. This analysis applies only to New Mexico's official city boundaries. See the table below for nearby states.

The crime rate in New Mexico is 50.59 per 1,000 residents in the typical year. New Mexico Residents generally consider the southeast part of the state to be the safest. Your chance of being a victim of crime in New Mexico varies by city - ranging from 1 in 14 in the northeast cities to 1 in 29 in the southeast.

When looking at total crime counts (rather than per capita rates), the central parts of New Mexico see the most incidents - about 46,495 per year. In contrast, the east part of the state has the fewest, with approximately 3,697 crimes annually.

The Cost of Crime™ in New Mexico

The total projected cost of crime in New Mexico for 2025 is $1,835,606,503. This translates to approximately $835 per resident and $2,212 per household. On average, crime-related costs account for 2.4% of the median household income in New Mexico. These figures reflect only tangible costs, which include the following:

Criminal justice system costs (law enforcement, courts, and imprisonment): 53.2%
Direct costs to victims (damaged property, medical expenses, and lost wages): 35.0%
Lost economic contribution from offenders (time in prison or repeat offenses): 11.8%

How Much Does Crime Cost in New Mexico Compared to Other States?

New Mexico:	$835
Arkansas:	$729
New Jersey:	$240
USA:	$464

The Cost of Crime per resident in New Mexico is $835 per year, which is $371 more than the national average. Below we compare states similar to New Mexico:

In Arkansas, crime costs $729 per person, which is $106 less than in New Mexico.
In New Jersey, crime costs $240 per person, which is $595 less than in New Mexico

2025 Projected Cost by Type of Crime

The table below shows the total cost of crime to the residents of New Mexico for the year 2025 along with the projected cost per resident.

Crime	Cost to New Mexico	Cost per New Mexico Resident
Murder	$515.4 million	$234
Rape/Sexual Assault	$122.2 million	$56
Robbery	$68.4 million	$31
Assault	$347.9 million	$158
Kidnapping	$61.4 million	$28
Vehicle Theft	$170.6 million	$78
Burglary	$105.8 million	$48
Theft	$189.4 million	$86
Arson	$8.50 million	$4
Vandalism	$179.7 million	$82
Animal Cruelty	$894,314	$0
Drug Crimes	$50.2 million	$23
Identity Theft	$15.3 million	$7
Total Cost of Crime	$1,835,606,503	$835

The Intangible Cost of Crime in New Mexico

CrimeGrade primarily focuses on tangible costs, but the true impact of crime extends beyond economic. Pain and suffering for victims and their families are difficult to quantify, but research-based methodologies help estimate these effects. Using these methodologies, we calculate that the intangible cost of crime in New Mexico totals $4,122,121,964 ($1,875 per resident). When added to the tangible costs, this brings the total estimated cost of crime to $5,957,728,467 ($2,710 per resident). All Cost of Crime facts are based on scholarly research done on the cost of crime. Read more about our methodology here.

Interpreting the Crime Maps

When interpreting the New Mexico crime map, keep in mind that crime rates are measured per resident. Areas with high visitor traffic, such as shopping districts, may appear to have higher crime rates simply because more crimes occur where people gather - even if few residents live there. For example, the central part of the state has more retail establishments, which can artificially inflate crime rates in that area. Red areas on the map do not necessarily mean a neighborhood is unsafe for residents.

More issues arise with places like airports, parks, and schools. Major airports, of which New Mexico has 1, always look like high-crime locations due to the large number of people and the low population nearby. Parks and designated recreational areas, of which New Mexico has 765, have the same problem. Of New Mexico’s 2,198,518 residents, few live near recreational areas. Because many people visit, crime rates may appear higher even for safe parks. Crime occurs where people gather, whether they live there or not. Before assuming an area is unsafe, consider both per-capita crime rates and total crime counts, as well as the types of destinations nearby.

To better understand and navigate these intricate crime maps, a high-speed internet connection can be crucial. Fast and seamless online connectivity ensures that map details load efficiently, providing users with clearer, uninterrupted insights. If you're considering enhancing your online experience, check out high speed internet in New Mexico at ISP Reports.

New Mexico Crime Breakdown

The tables below show which crimes are used to calculate the Crime Grades above. All crime rates are shown as the number of crimes per 1,000 New Mexico residents in a standard year.

Violent Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Assault	5.511
Robbery	0.9895
Rape	0.9168
Murder	0.1247
Total Violent Crime	7.542 (F)

Property Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Theft	16.63
Vehicle Theft	5.010
Burglary	5.306
Arson	0.1601
Total Property Crime	27.11 (D-)

Other Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Kidnapping	0.4603
Drug Crimes	3.086
Vandalism	11.44
Identity Theft	0.8971
Animal Cruelty	0.0550
Total "Other" Rate	15.94 (F)

Individual New Mexico Crime Maps & Stats

Crime Maps and Rates for Nearby States

Compared to surrounding states, the rate of crime in New Mexico is higher. The table below shows Crime Grades for states close to New Mexico.

Nearby State	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade
Arizona	B-	C	C+
Colorado	F	D-	F
Utah	C-	B	C
Oklahoma	D+	D+	D
Texas	D+	D+	D+
Kansas	D+	C-	C
Wyoming	B+	A	A
Nebraska	C+	B+	C+
Nevada	D	D	D-
California	C	D	D+

Crime Maps and Rates for State with Similar Populations

New Mexico is higher versus other states of the same size for crime. The table below compares crime in states with comparable overall population in the state‘s boundaries.

Similar State	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade
Delaware	D	C-	C-
District of Columbia	F	F	F
Florida	A+	A-	A-
Georgia	B-	C+	C+
Connecticut	B+	A+	A+
New Hampshire	A	A+	A+
Montana	C-	D+	D+
New Jersey	A+	A	A
New York	A-	C	C
North Carolina	C-	C-	C-

Considering only the crime rate, New Mexico is as safe as the national average.

Safety and school performance are separate topics, but both shape moving decisions. Using SchoolGrade data, schools in New Mexico average SchoolGrade of C+, with 39% actual proficiency versus 30% projected; overall, schools greatly exceed expectations. See New Mexico schools on SchoolGrade

About the Data

CrimeGrade.org provides highly detailed and accurate crime data, used by insurance companies, home security firms, and other industries. Our data is available for licensing—learn more about our USA crime data and licensing.

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All maps and statistics above are projections, not certainties, and provided without guarantee free of charge. Verify all info before making any decisions based on the data.