"The Most Livable Places at 50+", from dead tree AARP Bulletin for this month

[SheilaT]

15. I live in Santa Fe, about 45 minutes south of Los Alamos.

Los Alamos is, for all practical purposes, a company town. The company being the federal government in the guise of Los Alamos National Labs, LANL.

It's a beautiful location, location, in the middle of the Jemez Mountains. Norther New Mexico is gorgeous. Clear skies, meaning you cam REALLY see the stars at night. I love this desert. Los Alamos itself is in a heavily wooded area; in 2000 the Cerro Grande Fire, and in 2011 the Las Conchas Fire both threatened Los Alamos. The first one destroyed about 400 homes, and the second one didn't quite reach Los Alamos, although at least part of the city was evacuated.

Because of the Labs, Los Alamos is populated mostly by very highly educated people. It has by far the best public schools in the state because of that.

There's plenty of hiking if you like that sort of thing. Skiing in the winter. Your within easy driving distance of Taos, Santa Fe, and Albuquerque. Bandalier National Monument is nearby. It's the site of an old, long abandoned Pueblo.

Do check it out.