New Mexico is one of America’s most mythologized states, a land from which countless legends of the Wild West and even the massively popular “Breaking Bad” franchise sprung. No place better captures New Mexico’s timeless charm and eternal sense of mystery than the city of Roswell. Known across the world for its association with extraterrestrial visitation, Roswell is a city both frozen in time and embracing the future. In the heart of the city, a Main Street lined with old storefronts hosts a thriving local economy embracing this city’s status as a ufologist pilgrimage site. This city also prides itself as the aviation hub of New Mexico, with manufacturing and aviation industries powering Roswell’s economy. For those looking for jobs in cutting-edge industries or simply looking to move to a cultural hub exuding midcentury American culture, Roswell has an appeal that may reach beyond the stars.
In the heart of the city, a Main Street lined with old storefronts hosts a thriving local economy embracing this city’s status as a ufologist pilgrimage site.
Known across the world for its association with extraterrestrial visitation, Roswell is a city both frozen in time and embracing the future.
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An "out-of-this-world" retail scene in downtown Roswell
The 1947 “Roswell incident,” which ufologists believe involved the crashing of an alien spacecraft near the city, has become deeply interwoven with its folk culture. Main Street’s midcentury, Pueblo-style storefronts host dozens of gift shops selling alien-themed merchandise from T-shirts to “Abducted Cow” beef jerky. Even some of the streetlights are alien themed. This unique, local retail industry, as well as pop culture venues like the International UFO Museum, provide the city with a strong, tourism-oriented economy. Restaurant options include around a dozen Mexican-Southwestern eateries, brand-name restaurants and fast-food outlets and steakhouses serving locally raised beef. Grocery and big box stores sit all along Main Street and Highway 285.
The 1947 “Roswell incident,” which ufologists believe involved the crashing of an alien spacecraft near the city, has become deeply interwoven with its folk culture.
Main Street’s midcentury, Pueblo-style storefronts host dozens of gift shops selling alien-themed merchandise from T-shirts to “Abducted Cow” beef jerky and alien stuffed characters.
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A rising (human) aerospace industry
In addition to a vibrant downtown retail sector, Roswell is a center of more grounded industries like glassmaking and ballistics manufacturing. Roswell also prides itself as the aviation hub of New Mexico, with the Roswell Air Center having experienced a major expansion. The air center’s industrial park was designated an opportunity zone to create tax benefits for relocating companies, while the addition of a new hangar has added 365 new jobs to this industry alone. Roswell is also surrounded by irrigated farmland, contributing to a strong agribusiness sector.
Roswell prides itself as the aviation hub of New Mexico, with the Roswell Air Center having experienced a major expansion.
Roswell is surrounded by irrigated farmland, contributing to a strong agribusiness sector.
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Midcentury ranch-styles mix with brand-new properties
Serving nearly 50,000 residents, Roswell’s housing market varies from midcentury ranch-style homes in the heart of the city to sprawling, 21st-century-built properties sitting on vast, grassy lots in the outskirts. Ranch-style houses built from the 1940s to 1980s have sold for between $30,000 to $580,000, with the north side of the city being more expensive than the south. Properties built from the 2000s to 2020s tend to ring the city or occupy newly developed zones within Roswell. These residences have sold for between $280,000 and $1.5 million, with homes in brand-new subdivisions fetching the highest prices.
Serving nearly 50,000 residents, Roswell’s housing market varies from brick and stone cottage homes, like the one pictured here, in the heart of the city to sprawling, 21st-century-built properties sitting on vast, grassy lots in the outskirts.
Ranch-style houses built from the 1940s to 1980s have sold for between $30,000 to $580,000, with the north side of the city being more expensive than the south
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Pieces of history and nature in every Roswell park
Roswell is full of venues for outdoor recreation, with each neighborhood having at least one pocket park and proximity to a larger one. Cahoon Park is known for its quaint stone bridge and its waterfall; the Spring River Parkway trail runs through this park and connects it with several other green spaces. One of these is the MIA-POW Park, which is the site of an engraved “Iron Cross” made by German World War II prisoners of war, as well as a piece of the Berlin Wall gifted to the United States by Germany decades later. The 34-acre Spring River Zoo in the northeast section of the city includes lemurs and buffalo, and is free to visit. The New Mexico Military Institute Golf Course is also open to the public, offering fast greens and wide fairways.
Roswell's unique history is retold through several museums and local institutions. “The UFO Museum is a really big museum that everybody loves to go see; you can see the history of the 1947 crash that happened outside of Roswell,” says Roswell’s Guest Services Lead Dorothy Ramirez. “The New Mexico Military Institute also has a lot of history, and they have a great museum that tells you about their story. The Historical Society tells you a different part of Roswell’s history, like how it started, the first homes and what people had to go through.”
Roswell is full of venues for outdoor recreation, with each neighborhood having at least one pocket park and proximity to a larger one like Cahoon Park which is known for its quaint stone bridge and its waterfall.
The 34-acre Spring River Zoo in the northeast section of the city includes lemurs and buffalo, and is free to visit.
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Strong athletics at Roswell High
Roswell’s students attend the Roswell Independent School District, which receives a B-minus rating from Niche. Roswell High School’s athletics program is ranked among the top ten in the state by Niche. Roswell is also home to the New Mexico Military Institute, a starting point for aspiring cadets of West Point and the other military academics, as well as a campus of Eastern New Mexico University.
Roswell High School’s athletics program is ranked among the top ten in the state by Niche.
Roswell is also home to the New Mexico Military Institute, a starting point for aspiring cadets of West Point and the other military academics.
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Public safety in Roswell
According to an October 2023 FBI report, Roswell's crime rate is slightly above the state average and well above the national mark. Roswell’s police department is incredibly active and visible in community efforts from neighborhood watch programs to local festivals.
Daily flights to DFW
Due to its location deep within the New Mexico desert, Roswell serves as an urban hub of its own; Albuquerque is a 200-mile and 3-hour drive up Highway 285. However, the Roswell Air Center offers two daily flights to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
Written By
Jacob Adelhoch
Photography Contributed By
Nate Myers
Video By
Emma Hadley
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