It’s kind of an obvious answer but the art scene here is world-class. In particular the local, both Spanish and Native American are available in galleries year-round and via major market events that the city holds every year in the summer/fall in the center of downtown for artists to show and sell their art. This persistent and major event art culture creates a vibe that makes Santa Fe different from any other city in the U.S.

**Here's a transplant's point of view on living in Santa Fe:**
*We moved to Santa Fe 5+ years ago from New England. We love it here but we are older but still working. SF definitely skews older but seems to be a decent brewery & music scene for its size. The weather is awesome, 4 seasons none of them harsh. Lots of museums & galleries both cheesy & not. Someone is bound to reply that it sucks here and you should go to a real, cool, big city, but while cost of living is higher here than most of the state but still cheap compared to either coast.*

For more reviews of what living in Santa Fe is like from locals check out: [**The Buzz**](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/santa-fe?page=buzz)

Come On, Of Course It's The Art

The Best Thing About Santa Fe?

Transplants to Santa Fe note the oddity of the social interplay there. For starters there are three dominant cultures that tend to stick to themselves. 
1) The Spanish culture, which considers itself the original community and founders of Santa Fe.
2) The Native American culture, primarily the ancestral Pueblo, who mostly live north of the city in the Pueblos.
3) The transplanters who tend to hang out together and act much as expats do in foreign countries. 

This feeling like an outsider many transplanters say is what they find most disconcerting about living here: like they never quite fit in. 


Feeling Like A Newbie

The Worst Thing About Santa Fe?

In addition to the art culture which offers tons of galleries and museums, Santa Fe also has a growing brewery and music scene. Not exactly Nashville but decent for a city its size. The weather is excellent, four seasons and none of them too harsh, which means outdoor activities can be enjoyed close to year round. Santa Fe is at more than 7,000 feet and right in the southern Rocky Mountains so hiking is at your doorstep and is as good as anywhere in the country. The city experiences 320+ days of sunshine a year and so in addition to hiking there are hundreds of bike trails, also river rafting, golfing and when winter comes, plenty of snow and amazing skiing.

Check out the Santa Fe calendar of events to see what goes on here: https://www.santafe.org/visiting-santa-fe/calendar/


Lifestyle of Santa Fe

The job market is tough in Santa Fe. It is largely an art and tourism-based economy with plenty of people making money off of the services provided to visitors but not much local business beyond. It gets a lot of newcomers from empty nesters and retirees who don’t need to visit an office and growth during the pandemic indicates this trend will continue. 


Worklife of Santa Fe

If you’re an artist, working from home, or retiring then Santa Fe can work for you. It is truly a beautiful place and while it can feel slow to outsiders from bigger cities if you’re ready for a casual pace, great outdoor experiences, and a culture of living in the moment you’ll enjoy it here.


Artist Community

Why You Should Move Here Now?

Downtown (or as near to downtown as you can get) is where you should start your search in Santa Fe if you’re a new young professional or couple looking to be in the midst of some action. This is where the bars, restaurants and culture is in Santa Fe. If you want to walk out at night to enjoy your social life this is where you’ll want to live. 

Also check out Casa Solano if you want just a bit of distance from the heart of downtown. You can still walk to the center of downtown but it also has a great dog park, and tons of great open space and trails for hiking. You get a strong feeling of having one foot in town and one foot out which for many is just the right mix. 
- Downtown


Young Professionals/DINKs/SINKs

Downtown

The Northeast/Historic Eastside of Santa Fe is much beloved by families. You’re not far from downtown but you also get quieter streets and more bucolic settings. The homes are often classic adobes mixed with newer celebrated modern architecture. The area has two newer premier housing developments: the Summit and Sierra del Norte, and the beautiful Hyde Park Estates, which has wonderful older homes and incredible views. 

More interesting is how much you’re surrounded in Northeast by the history of Santa Fe. This includes the Palace of the Governors, which is the longest continuously occupied public building in the United States (built in 1610 as a fort). 
- Historic Eastside
- Northeast

Families

Historic Eastside

Santa Fe

**Considering a move to Santa Fe - what is it really like?**

We moved to Santa Fe 5+ years ago from New England. We love it here but we are older but still working. SF definitely skews older but seems to be a decent brewery & music scene for its size. The weather is awesome, 4 seasons none of them harsh. Lots of museums & galleries both cheesy & not. Someone is bound to reply that it sucks here and you should go to a real, cool, big city, but while cost of living is higher here than most of the state but still cheap compared to either coast. No real traffic in SF either except during the big markets and such. Before 2020 there was enough going on to keep us entertained.

**Considering a move to Santa Fe - what is it really like?**

Born and raised in Santa Fe. Compared to large cities it is much slower pace. For the most part the people are usually rather friendly. (Recently this hasn't been the case due to recent political climate). Otherwise though there are lots of places to hike in and around town. If you are into art, especially local art, they have Spanish market and Indian market that the city holds every year in the summer/fall in the center of downtown for people to show off and sell their stuff. There was recently a surge of new bars and restaurants as well if you are into those kinds of things.

**24f thinking about moving to Santa Fe, need input please**

I (f) moved here from Florida when I was 21 and I'm 26 now. I would say it is harder to meet people here - just because it isn't a college town and the cost of living/housing is prohibitively expensive. The average age here is 55. With that being said, I was making below average until recently and I found it easy to do lots of fun things outdoors at a low cost. There are also some great local spots for coffee and drinks where I think younger people congregate. I would suggest joining clubs and volunteering for things that are of interest to you - you'll be able to meet people (young and old) with similar interests.

**24f thinking about moving to Santa Fe, need input please
**
I (f) moved here from Florida when I was 21 and I'm 26 now. I would say it is harder to meet people here - just because it isn't a college town and the cost of living/housing is prohibitively expensive. The average age here is 55. With that being said, I was making below average until recently and I found it easy to do lots of fun things outdoors at a low cost. There are also some great local spots for coffee and drinks where I think younger people congregate. I would suggest joining clubs and volunteering for things that are of interest to you - you'll be able to meet people (young and old) with similar interests.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

The City Different

Looklyloo Score: 76

Reviews

What's it like to live in Santa Fe?