Albuquerque, New Mexico’s largest city, sits in the high desert along the Rio Grande with a rich multicultural heritage shaped by Native American, Spanish, and Anglo influences.
Bernalillo, the county seat of Sandoval County, sits along the Rio Grande in central New Mexico as part of the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Founded in 1695, this small town of roughly 9,000 residents offers easy access to high-desert landscapes, historic sites, and nearby Pueblo communities amid the striking Sandia Mountains.
Cedar Crest sits at the eastern base of the Sandia Mountains along the Turquoise Trail, a quiet high-desert community of 933 residents at 6,779 feet elevation that serves as a gateway to hiking, scenic drives, and mountain recreation near Albuquerque.
Corrales is a small village in southern Sandoval County along the Rio Grande, offering a rural oasis amid the Albuquerque metro area with historic ties to Tiguex Pueblo farming and Spanish settlement.
Jemez Springs is a small village nestled in the Jemez Mountains within the Santa Fe National Forest.
Los Alamos sits on the Pajarito Plateau in northern New Mexico at about 7,300 feet elevation with a population of roughly 13,000. It is renowned as the birthplace of the atomic bomb during the Manhattan Project and serves as a gateway to Bandelier National Monument and Valles Caldera National Preserve.
Los Lunas sits in the Rio Abajo along the Middle Rio Grande Valley in central New Mexico, serving as the county seat of Valencia County with a 2020 population of 17,242 at an elevation of 4,860 feet.
Los Ranchos de Albuquerque is a small incorporated village in Bernalillo County along the east bank of the Rio Grande in New Mexico's central region. With a 2020 population of 5,874 and elevation of 4,984 feet, it preserves a rural agricultural character amid the Albuquerque metro area, featuring historic plazas, acequias, and easy access to the Sandia Mountains and bosque trails.
Mountainair sits at 6,513 feet in central New Mexico’s high desert, a small town of 884 residents founded in 1902 that serves as gateway to the Manzano Mountains and Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument.
Placitas is a small high-desert community in Sandoval County, New Mexico, known for its scenic location at the base of the Sandia Mountains and its artistic vibe.
Rio Rancho, New Mexico's third-largest city, sits in the high desert just north of Albuquerque in the Albuquerque metro area. Founded in 1961 as a planned community on former ranchland, it has grown rapidly to over 100,000 residents and offers easy access to Sandia Mountains trails, Route 66 sights, and nearby Pueblos.
Tijeras is a small village in Bernalillo County in the Sandia Mountains foothills east of Albuquerque, offering access to mountain trails, historic sites, and Route 66 attractions amid high-desert landscapes.