In the upcoming April issue of Fortune's Small Business Magazine, Rio Rancho ranked 83rd in the magazine's "100 best places to live and launch."
The top spot on the list was rewarded to Bellevue, Wash.
Georgetown, Texas; Burford, Ga.; Marina del Rey, Calif.; and Bethesda, Md., round out the top five. Santa Fe also made the cut, coming in at 17.
In the magazine, Rio Rancho is acclaimed for its rapid business growth, scenic mountain trails and warm weather.
Paul Barabe, the vice president of member services at the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce, said Rio Rancho has a lot to offer.
"We're seeing people move in to Rio Rancho for three main reasons: the cost of living, the schools and the lower crime rate," he said. "Those are the three factors that we from the Chamber of Commerce see as far as people relocating and wanting to do business here."
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According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2006, the city's population was 62,000, and it continues to grow.
Kim Vesely, spokeswoman for Rio Rancho Public Schools, said the school district has eight elementary schools, three middle schools, one mid-high school and a high school.
"We actually have two more elementary schools opening next fall, and the city's second high school is scheduled to open fall of 2009," she said. "Our growth rate this year was 5.5 percent, and that's down from about 1,200 students or 8.5 percent last year."
UNM and CNM will be expanding to Rio Rancho in the near future.
Voters approved the Higher Education Initiative on March 4 authorizing a 0.025 percent hike on gross receipts tax in Rio Rancho to fund the expansion.
Andrew Sisneros, Rio Rancho resident and UNM student, is looking forward to a nearby campus.
"It gives the people that live here the opportunity to study here, and it will bring more jobs to Rio Rancho," he said.
Sisneros said he enjoys living in Rio Rancho because it's a clean and attractive.
"The city seems to take more pride in itself," he said. "They're always fixing the roads, building new schools, and that makes it look more presentable, and that's what makes more people come. People can see where there tax money goes, and it makes them feel more comfortable."
Tom Trujillo, director of the Sandoval County Small Business Development Center, said the national ranking will benefit the city.
"I think it's great not only for Rio Rancho, but the whole state," he said. "It's definitely going to attract people's attention."
