NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – MovieMaker magazine announced three New Mexico cities on their annual list of “Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker for 2023.” This year Las Cruces was named on the list for the first time, ranking at No. 7. Santa Fe, claimed the top spot in the best small cities and towns to live in. Albuquerque also ranked for the fifth consecutive year as one of the top big cities.

“With three cities on the Moviemaker rankings list of best places to live and work in film, there is no doubt that New Mexico is the place to be for film and TV,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in a news release. “This shows unequivocally that the film and television industry is thriving in all corners of the state and that the families who depend on these jobs, from Santa Fe to Albuquerque, and now all the way to Las Cruces, are in demand and more economically secure than ever. This is how we diversify our economy and build a more resilient New Mexico.”

The list takes into account surveys, production spending and tax incentives among other categories.

Big Cities:

1.      Atlanta, Georgia

2.     Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

3.     New Orleans, Louisiana

4.     Toronto, Ontario, Canada

5.     Albuquerque, New Mexico

6.     Montreal, Quebec, Canada

7.     Chicago, Illinois

Small Cities and Towns:

1.      Santa Fe, New Mexico

2.     Wilmington, North Carolina

3.     Savannah, Georgia

4.     Fort Lauderdale, Florida

5.     Palm Springs, California

6.     Knoxville, Tennessee

7.     Las Cruces, New Mexico

According to a news release, in 2022 the state announced a record-shattering $855.4 million in production, with about $50 million attributed to productions spend outside of Santa Fe and Albuquerque.

For a complete list of “Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker” visit MovieMaker.com.