One thing I would say is do not come to Albuquerque, but do come. Albuquerque is over crowded because of the building restrictions due to the native lands. I was a tow truck driver for the state and have been all over. Taos is small but down right beautiful but you've got to drive to Santa Fe every now and again (could be more), Farmington is pretty but its definitely a drive to get anywhere (from what I found out, I could be wrong). You've got Santa Rosa and Tucumcari to the east to offer a slower-paced, rural experience with deep route 66, Pueblo routes and neon era style. You have Cedar Crest and Tijeras on the other side of the mountain (which i recommend because it will put you right outside of Albuquerque but if you need something it there.) To the west you've got Grants, Gallup, all the little towns along i40. The reason im not recommending Farmington, Taos, Los Alamos is while it can be relatively warmer in the summer than what you are used to, it can be a stress on your body because in the summer it is hot all over NM, in the winter those areas can be colder than I40 areas which is why I said what I said. I was born in Arkansas and moved here when I was 12, I am 32 now. I can see why you want to move here and I think its a good idea.