Pros and Cons of Living in Grants

Grants's core trade-off pairs a genuinely distinctive Route 66/I-40 location and diversified economy against a real, disclosed population decline and above-anchor property tax.

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Pro: a real, distinctive Route 66/I-40 corridor location

Grants sits directly on the historic Route 66 alignment and Interstate 40, roughly 70 miles west of Albuquerque, with real, direct access to El Malpais National Monument and Mount Taylor.

Pro: genuinely affordable housing and a diversified economy

Grants's housing runs well below New Mexico's own statewide median, and the city's economy has genuinely diversified into healthcare, education, and tourism beyond its historic uranium identity.

Con: a real, disclosed, ongoing population decline

Grants's population is declining at roughly -0.27% annually -- a real, disclosed, ongoing trend this record does not soften.

Con: an above-every-anchor property tax rate and unresolved price spread

Ownwell's cited 1.08% effective property tax rate runs above every NM statewide anchor this record reviewed, and Grants's own housing-price figures carry a real, unresolved three-way spread across sources.

Key takeaways

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-28. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.