Las Cruces Real Estate Search & Las Cruces Homes For Sale

Las Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 74,267 as of the 2000 Census, and was estimated at 93,570 as of July 1, 2009, making it the second largest city in the state.

Las Cruces is the economic and geographic center of the fertile Mesilla Valley, which is the agricultural region on the flood plain of the Rio Grande which extends from Hatch, New Mexico to the west side of El Paso, Texas. Las Cruces is also the home of New Mexico State University (NMSU), New Mexico's only land grant university. The city's major employer is the federal government on nearby White Sands Test Facility and White Sands Missile Range. Recently the city has been home to many of the retired from across the country. The majestic Organ Mountains, ten miles to the east, are dominant in the city's landscape, along with the Doña Ana Mountains, Robledo Mountains, and Picacho Peak.

Las Cruces Arts and Culture
Annual events Most of Las Cruces's cultural events occur late in the year.

The Border Book Festival occurs the last weekend in April. It features a trade show, readings, workshops, panels, lucha libre, and family storytelling. The festival was founded in 1994 by authors Denise Chávez and Susan Tweit, and Chávez is the Executive Director of the festival.

The Whole Enchilada Fiesta, held the last weekend in September, is southern New Mexico's most popular festival, with about 50,000 people attending each year. The centerpiece is the making of a large flat enchilada. The fiesta started in 1980 with a 6-foot diameter enchilada, and it has grown over the years. In 2000 the fiesta's 101⁄2-foot-diameter enchilada was certified by Guinness World Records as the world's largest. After the enchilada is assembled it is cut into many pieces and served to the fiesta attendees. The enchilada is the brainchild of local restaurant owner Roberto V. Estrada, who directs its preparation each year. The celebration also features a parade, live music, art and crafts, athletic events, a carnival, and a car and motorcycle show.

The Southern New Mexico State Fair, usually held the first week in October at the fairgrounds west of Las Cruces, promotes traditional agriculture. Boasting one of the largest Junior Livestock Shows in the state, the fair invites youth from six counties in New Mexico and Texas to participate.

The local Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos), originated in Mexico, and is a celebration of the lives of those now dead. It is held November 1–2. Activity is held at the plaza in Mesilla, and the Branigan Cultural Center in downtown Las Cruces.

The Renaissance ArtsFaire, founded in 1971, includes a juried art show and is put on the by the Doña Ana Arts Council each year in November.

Venues
Museums The New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum is state-operated and shows the history of farming and ranching in New Mexico. It is located just east of New Mexico State University.

The University Museum at New Mexico State University focuses on archeological and ethnographic collections and also has some history and natural science collections.

There are four city-owned museums. The Branigan Cultural Center examines local history through photographs, sculpture, paintings, and poetry. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Las Cruces Museum of Art offers art exhibits and classes. Las Cruces Museum of Natural History makes science and natural history more accessible to the general public and has an emphasis on local animals and plants. Las Cruces Railroad Museum is in the historic Santa Fe Railroad depot. It exhibits the impact of the railroads on the local area.

The New Mexico Veterans Museum, a new state-owned museum, was announced in August 2008 and is planned to be constructed in Las Cruces.

Symphony The Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra is an 80-member orchestra, conducted by Dr. Lonnie Klein The orchestra consists of 47% students, 17% NMSU faculty, 20% other local musicians, and 16% professionals from outside Las Cruces. The venue of the orchestra is the NMSU Music Center Recital Hall. The orchestra received some notoriety with the world premiere of Bill McGlaughlin's Remembering Icarus, a tribute to local radio pioneer Ralph Willis Goddard, was performed by the LCSO on October 1, 2005. The performance was taped and broadcast nationally on NPR's Performance Today on December 9, 2005 and on July 4, 2007 on Performance Today and on Sirius Satellite Radio.

Other points of interest Several water tanks in Las Cruces have been painted with murals by Tony Pennock, including one at the intersection of Triviz Drive and Griggs Avenue. Also multimedia artist group Keep Adding have a large mural on Picacho Ave at the Lion's Park titled, Wave Nest.

Las Cruces Education
Public schools Public schools are in the Las Cruces Public School District. The District covers the city of Las Cruces as well as White Sands Missile Range, the settlement of Doña Ana, and the town of Mesilla. The system has 24 elementary schools, seven middle schools, and five high schools. Of the high schools, San Andres High School is an alternative high school, and Mesilla Valley Training Center is a vocational high school.

There are also three charter schools within the Las Cruces Public Schools. Alma d'arte is a high school with a focus on an integrated arts curriculum. Las Montañas is new charter high school that opened in Fall 2007 and caters to at-risk students. La Academia Dolores Huerta Middle School is the only recognized dual language program in the state.

Private schools There are three private Christian schools. College Heights Kindergarten is a private Christian kindergarten, founded in 1954. Las Cruces Catholic School and Mesilla Valley Christian School are the other two Christian schools in the area. Also, a small independent Baptist Christian school called the Cornerstone Christian Academy located at the Cornerstone Baptist Church was established in 2005.

A secular non-profit private school, Las Cruces Academy, aimed at gifted and academically advanced students, is offering grades K-5 with plans to eventually enroll grades K–12.

Colleges and universities
Four-year New Mexico State University, or NMSU, is a land-grant university that has a campus in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The school was founded in 1888 as Las Cruces College, an agricultural college, and in 1889 the school became New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. It received its present name, New Mexico State University in 1960. The NMSU Las Cruces campus had approximately 16,000 students enrolled as of Fall 2008, and had a faculty-to-student ratio of about 1 to 19. NMSU offers a wide range of programs and awards associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees through its main campus and four community colleges. For 10 consecutive years, NMSU has been rated as one of America's 100 Best College Buys for offering "the very highest quality education at the lowest cost" by Institutional Research & Evaluation Inc., an independent research and consulting organization for higher education. NMSU is one of only two land-grant institutions classified as Hispanic-serving by the federal government. The university is home to New Mexico's NASA Space Grant Program and is one of 52 institutions in the United States to be designated a Space Grant College. During its most recent review by NASA, NMSU was one of only 12 space grant programs in the country to receive an excellent rating.

Two Year Dona Ana Community College is a branch of New Mexico State University. When it opened its doors 28 years ago, it served 200 students through six programs. Today, over 4,000 students are enrolled in the 25 programs offered in Business and Information Technology, Health and Public Services and Technical Studies. General education courses are also provided.

In addition, ten thousand residents are served in noncredit classes through the Academy for Learning in Retirement, Community Education and Customized Training.

Along with DACC's main location, satellite locations serve outlying areas of the county at White Sands Missile Range, Sunland Park, Anthony and Las Cruces' East Mesa.

Las Cruces NM Area Information

Las Cruces NM Community Characteristics and Facts

Total Crime Risk: 130.0 (100 = National Average)
Population: 82,716
Population Growth Since 2000: 11.38%
Annual Max Avg. Temperature: 76 F
Annual Min Avg. Temperature: 46 F
Male Median Age: 32.4 years
Female Median Age: 35.4 years
Median Household Income: $45,186
Highest Education Level Attained: High School 23.92%, Bachelors 17.39%, Grad School 13.12%

Community Demographics

Las Cruces NM Demographics Summary

Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Demographic Information FAQ

Las Cruces NM Crime Rate Indexes

Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Demographic Information FAQ

2010 Population Growth and Population Statistics	Las Cruces, NM		New Mexico
Total Population	82,716		2,021,517
Square Miles	374.40		121,355.53
Population Density	220.90		16.70
Population Change Since 1990	38.05%		33.41%
Population Change Since 2000	11.38%		11.13%
Forecasted Population Change by 2014	8.61%		5.84%
Population Male	40,671	49.17%	1,001,074	49.52%
Population Female	42,045	50.83%	1,020,443	50.48%
Median Age	33.90		34.10

Las Cruces NM Population Growth and Population Statistics

Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Demographic Information FAQ

2010 Weather Summary	Las Cruces, NM	New Mexico
Weather Index	166	156
Annual Maximum Avg. Temperature	76.0 °F	72.0 °F
Annual Minimum Avg. Temperature	46.0 °F	43.0 °F
Annual Avg. Temperature	60.8 °F	57.7 °F
Annual Heating Degree Days (Tot Degrees < 65)	3,267	4,053
Annual Cooling Degree Days (Tot Degrees > 65)	1,776	1,415
Percent of Possible Sunshine	74	75
Mean Sky Cover (Sunrise to Sunset - Out of 10)	4	4
Mean Number of Days Clear (Out of 365 Days)	168	168
Mean Number of Days Rain (Out of 365 Days)	56	59
Mean Number of Days Snow (Out of 365 Days)	4	4
Avg. Annual Precipitation (Total Inches)	13.00"	10.00"
Avg. Annual Snowfall (Total Inches)	11.00"	11.00"