Tennessee to New Mexico Moving Guide
Updated June 14, 2025

Planning a 1,160 mile interstate move from Tennessee to New Mexico? This moving guide will help you compare living in Tennessee vs New Mexico across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like humidity and allergies vs dry climate), food & health (like Barbecue Ribs vs Green Chile), real estate & housing (colonial, craftsman vs pueblo, territorial), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in New Mexico), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Barbecue Ribs and Hot Chicken, but get your taste buds ready for Green Chile & Carne Adovada
- New Mexico housing costs are 5% less expensive than they are in Tennessee
- Rent in New Mexico is 18.97% more affordable than in Tennessee
- Moving from Tennessee to New Mexico will cost on average between $2,000 - $6,500
- Our top recommended Tennessee to New Mexico movers is Alpha Moving & Storage LLC
Tennessee to New Mexico Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Tennessee to New Mexico
- Humidity and allergies
- Limited job market
- Traffic congestion
- Expensive healthcare
- Dry climate
- Expanding industries
- Less crowded roads
- Affordable healthcare
- Fewer music venues
- Less greenery
- Higher housing costs
- Colder winters
- Rich music culture
- Plentiful green parks
- Lower cost of living
- Mild winters
Pros of moving from Tennessee to New Mexico
- Say goodbye to humidity and allergies and hello to dry climate
- Look forward to moving away from limited job market and moving to New Mexico with expanding industries
- Swap the traffic congestion of Tennessee for less crowded roads in New Mexico
- Get ready for affordable healthcare in New Mexico
Cons of moving from Tennessee to New Mexico
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from rich music culture in Tennessee to live with fewer music venues in New Mexico
- You'll lose out on the pro of plentiful green parks and have to settle for the con of less greenery
- Time to bid farewell to lower cost of living and get used to higher housing costs in New Mexico
- Swap mild winters for colder winters
Tennessee vs. New Mexico: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Tennessee | New Mexico |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Barbecue Ribs | Green Chile |
Most popular meat dish | Hot Chicken | Carne Adovada |
Most popular street food item | Pulled Pork Sandwich | Breakfast Burrito |
Most popular vegan food | BBQ Jackfruit | Calabacitas |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Tennessee to New Mexico, you will be trading the iconic Barbecue Ribs of Tennessee for the equally delicious Green Chile of New Mexico. And while the locals in Tennessee rave about their flavorful Hot Chicken and sumptuous Pulled Pork Sandwich, New Mexico residents know they have tasty Carne Adovada and Breakfast Burrito to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the BBQ Jackfruit they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Calabacitas of New Mexico. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Tennessee eateries like Jack's Bar-B-Que, Prince's Hot Chicken Shack, and Rodeo Goat. After the boxes are unpacked in New Mexico, don't wait too long before making your way to New Mexico's acclaimed eateries like Sadie's of New Mexico, Frontier Restaurant, and El Modelo Mexican Foods.
When comparing lifestyles, New Mexico shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Tennessee. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in New Mexico compared to what you are used to in Tennessee. Also, the overall foodie scene is similarly bustling in New Mexico.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Tennessee and New Mexico
Comparison | Tennessee | New Mexico |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Colonial, Craftsman | Pueblo, Territorial |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Hardwood floors, Large yards | Vigas, Kiva fireplaces |
- The Colonial and Craftsman architecture that Tennessee is known for will be replaced with the Pueblo and Territorial architecture typical of New Mexico.
- Compared to Tennessee's real estate listings that commonly reference hardwood floors and large yards, New Mexico real estate listings often highlight features like vigas and kiva fireplaces.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes. New Mexico is more walkable than Tennessee.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike. New Mexico is more bike-friendly than Tennessee.
- New Mexico has more of an urban feel than Tennessee.
- New Mexico housing costs are 5% less expensive than they are in Tennessee, with a median home price of $300,227 compared to Tennesseeβs $317,482.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in New Mexico have increased by 56% compared to a 63% increase in Tennessee.
- Rent in New Mexico is 18.97% more affordable than in Tennessee.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Tennessee and New Mexico
Comparison | Tennessee | New Mexico |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Tornadoes, Floods | Droughts, Wildfires |
Air Quality | Good to Moderate | Good |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 89Β°F / 68Β°F | 92Β°F / 64Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 49Β°F / 30Β°F | 54Β°F / 23Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 54 | 14 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 5 | 22 |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from Tennessee to New Mexico. New Mexico gets 35% more sunshine days than Tennessee.
- New Mexico has lower humidity and a higher average UV index compared to Tennessee.
- Say goodbye to the possible tornadoes and floods in Tennessee, but be on the lookout for potential droughts and wildfires in New Mexico.
- The average summer high temperature in New Mexico is 3 degrees warmer than Tennessee.
- The average winter lows in New Mexico are 7 degrees colder than they are in Tennessee.
- Your umbrella might be neglected in New Mexico. New Mexico receives 40 fewer inches of rain compared to Tennessee.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Tennessee and New Mexico
Comparison | Tennessee | New Mexico |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $65,254 | $59,726 |
Cost of Living Index | 88.9 | 96.45 |
State Income Tax | 0% | 1.7% - 4.9% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.64% | 0.78% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 9.55% | 7.82% |
Top 3 Industries | Healthcare, Manufacturing, Agriculture | Oil & Gas, Tourism, Film & Media |
Affluence | Moderate | Mixed |
Poverty | Moderate | High |
Homelessness | Low | Moderate |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in New Mexico tend to earn about 8% less than those in Tennessee
- The COLI in New Mexico will be 8% higher than what you are used to living in Tennessee
- Bummer... By moving from TN to NM, you'll now have a state income tax of 1.7% - 4.9%
- The affluence in New Mexico is mixed compared to moderate affluence in Tennessee
- The poverty level is high in New Mexico compared to moderate poverty in Tennessee
- In terms of homelessness, it is low in Tennessee and moderate in New Mexico
Political and Religious Climate in Tennessee vs. New Mexico
Comparison | Tennessee | New Mexico |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Traditionally Conservative | Leans Liberal |
Local Politics | Republican Dominance in State Legislature | Democratic Control of State Legislature |
Religion | Protestant Majority | Catholic Majority |
- Tennessee tends to lean traditionally Conservative in its political climate
- New Mexico, on the other hand, is often described as leaning Liberal
- New Mexico's religious environment can be described as a Catholic majority
- Tennessee's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as a Protestant majority
Education Guide When Moving from Tennessee to New Mexico
Comparison | Tennessee | New Mexico |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Tennessee Vanderbilt University Tennessee State University | University of New Mexico New Mexico State University New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Lakewood Elementary - White Lake Walton Ferry Elementary - Hendersonville A. Z. Kelley Elementary - Nashville | Double Eagle Elementary - Albuquerque Wood Gormley Elementary - Santa Fe Georgia OβKeeffe Elementary - Albuquerque |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Brentwood Middle School - Brentwood Meigs Academic Magnet Middle - Nashville Houston Middle - Germantown | Desert Ridge Middle - Albuquerque Sydney Gutierrez Middle - Roswell Lincoln Middle - Rio Rancho |
Top 3 High School Schools | Central Magnet School - Murfreesboro Hume-Fogg Academic High - Nashville Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet School - Nashville | Albuquerque Institute of Math & Science - Albuquerque La Cueva High - Albuquerque Early College Academy - Albuquerque |
Top 3 private high schools | Baylor School - Chattanooga McCallie School - Chattanooga University School of Nashville - Nashville | Albuquerque Academy - Albuquerque Santa Fe Preparatory School - Santa Fe Sandia Preparatory School - Albuquerque |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | The Webb School - Bell Buckle Franklin Road Academy - Nashville The Baylor School - Chattanooga | Albuquerque Academy - Albuquerque Santa Fe Waldorf School - Santa Fe Bosque School - Albuquerque |
Top 3 School Districts | Williamson County Schools Maryville City Schools Oak Ridge City Schools | Los Alamos Public Schools Rio Rancho Public Schools Albuquerque Public Schools |
How Much Do Tennessee to New Mexico Movers Cost?
Moving 1,160 miles from Tennessee to New Mexico will typically cost between $3,000 and $6,500 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $3,000 - $6,500
- Expected Time To Complete: 2-3 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: JP Moving
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,860 | 300 ft3 | $6.20 |
1 Bedroom | $2,768 | 450 ft3 | $6.15 |
2 Bedrooms | $4,575 | 750 ft3 | $6.10 |
3 Bedrooms | $6,655 | 1100 ft3 | $6.05 |
4 Bedrooms | $9,601 | 1600 ft3 | $6.00 |
5+ Bedrooms | $10,711 | 1800 ft3 | $5.95 |
Top Tennessee to New Mexico Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Tennessee to New Mexico movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.

Alpha Moving & Storage LLC
Best moving company overall for Tennessee to New Mexico