Santa Fe, sophisticated and laid back all at once, exudes an ambiance not found in many other towns in the United States.   Anglo, Mexican and Indian cultures, mixed together with Catholicism and rich pagan traditions, create a mystical feeling in this very chic, yet rustic, Southwestern setting.    Pink and tan adobe houses are nestled behind old garden walls.  Bunches of brilliant red chili peppers hang for sale along roadsides.  Brightly painted wooden doors bedeck century-old dwellings.  Elegant art galleries beckon from nearly every street.  Colorful flower pots adorn window wells.   Five-star, open-air restaurants with well-worn floors and tiled porticos offer everything from delectable northern Italian cuisine to some of the spiciest food found anywhere.  The lifestyle here is understated, casual and affluent.    The cost of living is 22% above the national average, and the citizenry is diverse and politically left-leaning.

Santa Fe's median home price is $270,000, nearly 8% less than a year ago, and the majority of homes, even new ones, are adobe or adobe-style (Spanish Pueblo) with tile roofs and charming courtyards.  These building codes first began in the 1920s and were codified in the 1950s to preserve the city's unique architectural texture.  There are numerous gated enclaves, some established and some new, and most residences sit behind some kind of wall.  Las Campanas (homes from the $500,000s) and Aldea de Santa Fe (homes from the high-$400,000s) are both lovely communities and popular with retirees, as is the historic district on the east side of town.

 This is an interactive map.  Click on the arrows in the upper left hand corner to move the map to the East, West, North or South, and click on the +/- signs to zoom in and out.

Annual real estate taxes are roughly .006 of a property's market value (the taxes on a $270,000 home inside city limits would be approximately $1,765).    There is a property tax rebate for residents age 65 and above.  When it come to retirement income, taxpayers age 65 and better may be exempt up to $8,000 (single) and $16,000 (joint) from any income source if their income is less than $28,500 (individual filers) or $51,000 (married filing jointly).  Regarding income tax, taxpayers age 65 or better receive up to a $10,900 deduction.  An additional tax exemption of up to $2,500 is allowed for low-income and middle-income residents.   

Santa Fe, New Mexico, Continued...