Santa Fe, New Mexico: What They Don't Tell You (Albuquerque: lawyers, home)

[cynanthus]

Count me among the group that thinks that older couple you talked to must have been jerks. I'm one of the "educated whites" who have moved here, and have encountered nothing but nice people, be they white, Hispanic, Native, or whatever.

I will say that the "local" people here are less apt to bow down to monied transplants than most other places I've been. People who's families have been here 400 years just aren't that impressed that someone from Texas has moved in and bought that million dollar home down the street. They're not hostile at all... they just don't care.

[bongo]

On one of the state's data I think I hovered over "American alone" & somehow got the indication that was the category of "Native American."

Originally Posted by Poncho_NM

Since it has been brought up, mentioned etc, here is the racial breakdown on the data from City-Data (You are on City-Data right now...) this page

• Hispanic - 35,020 (47.6%)
• White alone - 34,728 (47.2%)
• Asian alone - 1,175 (1.6%)
• American alone - 1,123 (1.5%)
• Black alone - 690 (0.9%)
• Two or more races - 459 (0.6%)
• Other race alone - 263 (0.4%)
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone - 20 (0.03%)

Ironically they do not list "Native Americans" which frequent the Plaza selling their goods. You can read more info on Santa Fe here: https://www.city-data.com/city/Santa-...#ixzz1do6zbIIw





Rich

[Poncho_NM]

OK, on this separate page https://www.city-data.com/races/races...ew-Mexico.html I get:

Races in Santa Fe, NM (2009):

• Hispanic - 35,020 (47.6%)
• White alone - 34,728 (47.2%)
• Asian alone - 1,175 (1.6%)
• American Indian alone - 1,123 (1.5%)
• Black alone - 690 (0.9%)
• Two or more races - 459 (0.6%)
• Other race alone - 263 (0.4%)
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone - 20 (0.03%)

and also (while I am here):


Races in New Mexico (2009)

• Hispanic - 915,737 (45.6%)
• White alone - 823,796 (41.0%)
• American Indian alone - 172,888 (8.6%)
• Black alone - 38,698 (1.9%)
• Two or more races - 27,532 (1.4%)
• Asian alone - 25,899 (1.3%)
• Other race alone - 3,890 (0.2%)
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone - 1,228 (0.06%)

Rich

[aries63]

I fail to see what this racial and ethnic breakdown has to do with people being hostile to newcomers. Please fill us in.

[mvintar]

I agree with the other posters, that this complaining person very likely created their own reality by their own behavior. It's very much like people who ask (forgive me), what is the "dating scene" like. I don't understand those kind of questions. There are people to love everywhere you go (assuming you're not isolating yourself in your apartment or house). I don't know what "dating scene" means, or "social scene," either. It's the person who creates their own "scene," not some integral aspect of the community.

Just my .02

[XmadisonX]

from what i am told Hispanics dominate NMex and thus may be the reason why Waspy white well to do'ers do not get treated the same. They were not brought up in a elite lifestyle / blue blood like the wasps and most are not wealthy. I suggest you find a more white state there are a lot of nice palces for the affluent in N. Nevada in Lake Tahoe. in areas like Incline village and stateline where its many white since most latinos can not afford $$$ homes.

[livinslv]

Originally Posted by cynanthus

I will say that the "local" people here are less apt to bow down to monied transplants than most other places I've been. People who's families have been here 400 years just aren't that impressed that someone from Texas has moved in and bought that million dollar home down the street. They're not hostile at all... they just don't care.

I would have to say there aren't that many Texans in Santa Fe. Most of the newbies I've seen are from the North East or the West Coast. I see more cars with those old inspection stickers on the windshield from New York and New Jersey than those ugly Texas inspection ones. Most of the people I deal with down there have that nasaly East Coast accent when I'm on the phone. For some reason, there's a lot of transplants that work for the state down there as opposed to mostly locals working for the government up here. I would say it's less political down there.

Up here in Taos, there are Texas transplants but they seem to be natives that have returned home (to Taos) or have deep family ties to the area.

But to the original poster, I believe Santa Fe is a cosmopolitan city. More so than it is a Southwestern city. Yes, the people are friendly for the most part but I would have to say that is changing as well. My friend's neighbors are about 20%native on his block, there rest are from the East Coast or California and a lone Arizonan who resents Californians. Speaking of resentment, I wonder if it is the natives that resented the OP's encounter with the old folks or was it another group or everyone. I am betting on the latter.

[mdmagana]

Originally Posted by mswagner

Hi Everyone - My husband and I have been visiting Santa Fe for many years and are considering a relocation to Santa Fe in the next year. We have always found folks here friendly - which is a big part of the draw for us. We're looking for a sense of community and opportunities to get involved and feel a part of things. We met an older couple on our way here that had lived in Santa Fe for 10 years and currently live in Portland and were very surprised by their account of living in Santa Fe. They said that "educated white people" (sorry - direct quote) were treated poorly by locals and long-time residents and that it was a hostile enviornment to move to. They described an environment with Mexican gangs, feeling unsafe and high crime. We'd love to hear thoughts on their comments - it just didnt' fit for what we've experienced here over the last 15 years of visiting. Thanks!

I generally disagree, but might be able to see where they're coming from. First of all, as much as I do not like Santa Fe, I cannot deny that people here are very friendly.

I have heard of some animosity towards whites in the schools. Several young people who have worked for me left high school early to get their GEDs because they were sick and tired of getting beaten-up, teased, etc. All three cases white kids saying they were harassed by hispanics.

As for crime, is just depends on where you live. Generally speaking though, I find this place to be perfectly safe. I have noticed a lot of the kids walking around the mall or WalMart or wherever that look like little gang-bangers, but they're not. I'm pretty sure if they met a real gangster they'd wet themselves.

On your last point, this really isn't a very big town... at least in my opinion. Keeping that in mind, there are also a lot of families that have been here for a VERY long time (hundreds of years) and know a lot of people or are related to a lot of people, etc. It's very easy to feel left out of the loop here if you don't know anyone or if you don't get out and socialize.

After nearly seven years, two cents on Santa Fe as it relates to what you heard from that other couple is this... I find this place to be lacking a middle class. There are plenty of political and economic reasons for that, but that's an entirely different discussion. Most people here seem to be well-off or just scrapping by. New Mexico is interesting in that it has the most Phd's per capita of any state... at the sometime however, half of the adult population cannot read at a sixth grade level. With a large class differences like that, I'm thinking it just depends what circle you run in as to what kind of experience your going to have.

[GreatSantaFe]

I generally agree with mdmagana's take on things. Aside from the fact that I love Santa Fe, my main point of disagreement is that I think there is definitely a middle-class; and a large one at that. Most of the people I know, regardless of ethnicity, are squarely in the middle-class category. Yes, there are poor and rich in this town, but I'd bet the vast majority are in the middle.

[Gearhound]

I do NOT think this area is hostile to educated newcomers.
I DO think that SOME newcomers come here with ATTITUDE problems.
You CAN have money WITHOUT shoving it down other peoples throats or looking down on your neighbors.

Of course, it takes a degree of CLASS to that pull........................................

Steve