Portales, NM

Portales is an easygoing town of around 12,000 people on the high plains of eastern New Mexico, situated about twenty minutes south of Clovis. Much of the community revolves around Eastern New Mexico University, which gives the city a lively college-town feel along with Greyhound athletic games, theatre productions, and local concerts. The overall pace is quiet and friendly, with wide residential streets, short commute times, and a welcoming neighborhood atmosphere that makes settling in straightforward.

Agriculture drives the regional economy, with the surrounding plains filled with dairy operations and fields of sweet Valencia peanuts, celebrated every autumn at the Roosevelt County fairgrounds. Cannon Air Force Base sits just up the highway, making Portales a common home for service members and civilian personnel who appreciate the lower housing costs and quieter setting. For outdoor getaways, Oasis State Park offers fishing, hiking, and camping right outside of town, while Clovis provides expanded retail and healthcare just a short drive away.