A recent swing through Southern New Mexico for a speaking engagement and Mothers' Day visit gave the impression of bustling activity. Silver City , which recently received more bad news of mine closings, looks much more prosperous than when I lived there in the 1950s. It is the result of a combination of the community's effort to diversify its economy and the fact that the area has been discovered. This time it isn't the discovery of silver that brings the rush to Silver City, it is the discovery that the area has some of the best weather anywhere, combined with very affordable living.
Grant County has the studies to prove that it has the most temperate climate in the state.
Other communities, such as Santa Fe and Ruidoso , which promote their cool summers and mild winters, can't brag about their cost of living. The great weather and low price tags have attracted many retirees with healthy pensions. Despite recent layoffs of over 500 mine workers, home construction in the county is booming. And it's not just retirees moving in. Telecommuters seeking a better quality of life have found they can continue their jobs and businesses, even from the edge of the Gila Wilderness .