Moving to Kirtland: Pros, Cons & What to Know
Moving to Kirtland means moving to a small San Juan County town near Farmington -- a wholly different place from Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque -- with genuinely low property taxes weighed against a real, documented post-coal economic transition.
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Learn moreNot to be confused with Kirtland Air Force Base
This Kirtland is a San Juan County town in New Mexico's northwestern 'Four Corners' region, hundreds of miles from Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque -- the two share only a name (base record).
A real economic transition away from coal
The San Juan Generating Station coal plant and adjacent mine near Kirtland closed by October 2022 after roughly 50 years, producing a real, documented loss of hundreds of jobs and tax revenue (base record).
Genuinely low taxes and affordable housing
Kirtland's own 0.73% effective property tax rate is the lowest in San Juan County, and its ~$266,400 median home value runs below New Mexico's statewide figures (base record).
San Juan College and renewable-energy investment
San Juan College's West campus and School of Energy operate in Kirtland, and the San Juan Solar project supplies replacement clean energy -- a real, partial economic offset to the coal-plant closure (base record).
Key takeaways
- This Kirtland, NM is a distinct San Juan County town, not Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque.
- The 2022 San Juan Generating Station and mine closure produced real, documented local economic disruption.
- Kirtland's own 0.73% property tax rate is the lowest in San Juan County, and housing runs affordable relative to the state.
- San Juan College and the San Juan Solar renewable project provide a real, partial economic anchor.
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