Is Farmington Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

Surrounded by the picturesque Four Corners region of the American Southwest, Farmington, New Mexico, offers visitors a gateway to adventure.

Originally inhabited by Ancestral Puebloans over 1,000 years ago, early Navajo settlers later called this area home.

A strong culture still stands on this land today, in spirit and in the cultural activities you can enjoy.

In the late 1800s, Farmington sprang up along the banks of the Animas River as a trading post for traders, trappers, and Navajos.

While maintaining its Wild West spirit, the city has developed into a diverse community with strong Native American roots.

Beyond its rich history, Farmington entices travelers with its proximity to incredible landscapes.

Just minutes from downtown, you can explore the crimson-red rocks and soaring sandstone cliffs of the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness.

Feeling adventurous?

Check out the supernatural stories surrounding the allegedly haunted Animas River or search for petrified wood and fossilized dinosaur tracks.

From hiking and biking to museums and cultural sites, Farmington lets you immerse yourself in the magic of the Four Corners region.

What are the Four Corners?

It’s where Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico meet.

You can stand in all four states at one time.

That’s just an hour from Farmington and opens the door to the adventures of neighboring states as well.

Warnings & Dangers in Farmington

OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM

There's a medium risk in Farmington, with crime rates that are up to 260% higher than the national average. While there are some safety concerns to discuss, there are also a lot of great places to explore in this community that aren't in dangerous areas.

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

Red Apple Transit is a small, regional system that goes between Farmington and surrounding towns. You can also get a taxi or rideshare easily here, but having a rental car gives you the most flexibility to explore the region for the best price.

PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM

With an average of 22 pickpockets per year, there's a medium risk here. Use extra caution when you're at festivals or events with large crowds and don't carry more than the bare essentials with you.

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM

This is another medium risk with impactful weather throughout the year. Wildfires and flooding are the biggest risks, while severe thunderstorms and winter storms can impact travel and outdoor activities. You need to stay weather aware while you're here.

MUGGING RISK: LOW

The robbery rate is at the national average, but only a small percentage are muggings. Most happen in private homes or local businesses. Stay in well-lit areas at night and don't walk around by yourself.

TERRORISM RISK: LOW

This is a low risk as this is just such a remote area in all directions. You can still stay on top of nationwide or regional terrorism concerns by signing up for the Terrorism Advisory Bulletin released by Homeland Security every few months.

SCAMS RISK: LOW

Utility scams and scammers posing at the police chief are the most recent issues, but those are targeting residents. You should just avoid any situation where something is too good to be true. Never give personal information to someone who calls you. You can check the police department's social media sites to see the latest scams closer to your visit.

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: MEDIUM

Statistically, women are slightly less likely to be a victim of a violent crime in Farmington. However, you should still treat it as a medium risk because of the high theft and crime rates. It will help to know some desert wilderness survival skills and always let someone know where you are going and when you plan to be back.

TAP WATER RISK: LOW

The 2022 Water Quality Report shows no violations and full compliance in Farmington. More pressing issues could arise during your trip from frozen pipes, water main breaks, flooding, or other issues that impact water quality and pressure. Those would be reported through social media channels of the city and county. For water quality in the lakes and rivers, check with the New Mexico Environment Department.

Safest Places to Visit in Farmington

Farmington does have its own tourist site, but it’s a name close to the city’s website.

• City website: www.fmtn.org
• Tourism website: www.farmingtonnm.org

You can download the Digital Vacation Guide from the tourism website without having to give personal information.

Also, check the Vacation Deals section to see if there’s a way to save money on your trip.

The travel guide also covers things to do in Aztec, New Mexico, which is 15 miles away.

Downtown is the “Heart of Farmington.”

Here you’ll find an array of shops and restaurants with sculptures along the way as part of the “Art in the Heart” project.

Summer brings the Friday night concert series, and art walks are held monthly.

Thursday nights bring a Maker’s Market weekly from June through October.

Farmington has several museums to visit as well.

• Bolack Electromechanical Museum: Learn how agriculture, power, and communications evolved in this remote region.
• Bolack Museum of Fish and Wildlife: This museum features a diverse collection of over 280 mounted North American birds and mammals, educational exhibits about regional wildlife and conservation, displays on the history of hunting and fishing, Native American artifacts, and scenic nature trails on the grounds.
• E3 Children’s Museum & Science Center: The kids (and adults, too!) will love this hands-on and interactive museum with programs scheduled throughout the year to make each visit unique.
• Farmington Museum: This isn’t your average history museum, as you will see when a dinosaur greets you on the way in. Culture, art, and artifacts celebrate the history of the land.
• Museum of Navajo Art & Culture: Learn more about Navajo art, history, and cultural traditions through weavings, pottery, jewelry, contemporary art, interactive exhibits, oral histories, and interpretive programs that provide an enriching understanding of the Navajo Nation.

You can explore the great outdoors in Farmington by walking more than eight miles along the Animas River Trail system.

A trail guide can be downloaded on the city’s website.

If water trails are more your thing, head to the Animas River White Water Park.

Kayaks and tubes are seasonally available to rent.

Look for the different adventure companies on the tourism website so you can have a safe trip guided by an expert.

Everything from jeep tours to horseback riding to ATV trail exploration are available.

Lake Farmington is a wonderful spot to cool off on a hot summer day or go fishing any time of year.

Night fishing is also available.

Just make sure you have a New Mexico Fishing License, which you can purchase online through the New Mexico Department of Fish & Game.

Campsites are also available.

The lake has a beach with water rides for rent.

The small lake is great for stand-up paddleboarding.

The Four Corners monument, where New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah meet, is 60 miles away.

It’s worth the drive to Aztec to check out the Aztec Ruins National Monument.

This ancient pueblo dates back more than 900 years.

Several self-guided tours are available through the National Park Service.

Places to Avoid in Farmington

The central and southeast parts of Farmington have the highest property and violent crime rates, but there’s only one sliver of the northwest residential side of town that seems to be safe on both accounts.

That said, a mass shooting in 2023 happened in a neighborhood that wasn’t in that part of town.

The west side of town, where a hotel was condemned, was also known for high crime rates.

This is definitely a city where you should stay in the areas designed for tourists and in the entertainment districts.

Use major highways and surface streets to get around.

Don’t cut through neighborhoods.

Looking at overall crime maps, the area north of 20th Street and west of Dustin Avenue seems the safest.

When you’re driving in rural areas, take note of these things to avoid ending up in an emergency situation.

• Check the NM Roads website before you leave to look for closures, accidents, and hazards.
• Check the weather forecast along the route you’ll be traveling.
• Fill up with gas at every opportunity.
• Bring an emergency supply kit, including a gallon of water per person, and seasonal needs like a blanket in the winter. You should have jumper cables and a spare tire that is inflated too.
• Don’t drive through a dust storm. Pull over on the side of the road and wait it out.
• Always know the last mile marker you passed when driving.
• Don’t rely on mobile service when you are in remote areas.

Safety Tips for Traveling to Farmington

So... How Safe Is Farmington Really?

Farmington is unsafe for many reasons, and it goes far beyond the crime rates.

A New York Times article in 2020 quoted a neighbor who said the city was in a “Death Spiral.”

The mining and coal industries that kept this city alive for decades are now tapering off, leaving many people without jobs that were once turnkey opportunities right out of high school.

Add to that all the challenges of the COVID lockdowns and Farmington being the fastest-shrinking city in the nation for the past decade or so.

Then there’s the fact that one in five people in the town lives in poverty, and even being middle class here is seen as the wealthier side of town.

Things went from bad to worse in 2023 when an 18-year-old mass shooter walked down the street, shooting randomly at people, killing three elderly women and wounding six more before being shot and killed by police.

The police chief said the shooting was “honestly one of the most horrific and difficult days that Farmington has ever had as a community.”

Farmington Deputy Chief Kyle Dowdy added, “The amount of violence and brutality that these innocent people faced is something that is unconscionable to me.

And I don’t care what age you are.

I don’t care what else is going on in your life.

To kill three innocent elderly women that were just absolutely in no position to defend themselves is always going to be a tragedy.”

Police also faced backlash a month earlier when they responded to a domestic violence incident and went to the wrong home.

The homeowner who answered the door ended up being shot and killed by police, and that man had nothing to do with the original call for help.

While mass shootings and officer-involved shootings can happen in any American city, Farmington is just getting a lot of challenges piled on while it’s simply trying to survive for the next generation.

“When I first moved here, Farmington was a very peaceful, quiet, kind of like an isolated, hidden place.

We’re getting just as bad, and it’s scary,” a neighbor said in 2023.

For a visitor to Farmington, there are those safe places to visit we discussed.

We’d be having a different conversation if you were thinking of moving here.

It might be helpful to know that more than 80% of violent crimes are among people who know each other, and 44% happen in private homes.

High theft rates are catapulted by 47% of all thefts being shoplifting.

Nearly 25% of those thefts are related to car break-ins, which can easily be avoided by locking your car doors and leaving nothing personal or valuable inside.

At the same time, the city is taking safety steps of its own.

For example, a hotel that was in a high-crime area and known to be a habitual spot for crime and problems on the property was closed and will be torn down.

Visiting Farmington isn’t like walking through the southside of Chicago by any means, but you do need to stay aware at all times and use a heaping dose of common sense.

How Does Farmington Compare?

Useful Information

Visas

International visitors need a visa or visa waiver to get into the country, whether that's at the airport or crossing the Mexican border. A valid passport that isn't within six months of expiring is needed as well.

Currency

Only the U.S. Dollar can be used here. Take care of currency exchange at home or in a larger city before you get to Farmington. Use credit cards as much as possible for the best fraud protection.

Weather

Farmington gets wide swings in temperatures throughout the year and sometimes in one day. The arid climate means it can be chilly in the morning, scorching in the summer evening, and then cold again at night. Winter nights get below freezing. It's a casual town where you don't need to pack fancy shoes or attire. Be sure you have hiking boots and outdoor gear for the wilderness areas. Sunscreen is important too!

Airports

Albuquerque International Sunport is the closest major airport, and that's about three hours southwest of Farmington. A smaller airport in Durango, Colorado, is 40 miles north with service from American Airlines and United. Four Corners Regional Airport in Farmington doesn't have commercial flights as of this publication, but there are plans to bring back that service eventually. Check the city's website before you plan a trip to see if that has changed.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is a wise investment to protect against unforeseen circumstances or accidents along the way. Make sure you have travel health insurance if your personal plan doesn't cover emergency care in New Mexico.

Farmington Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Average High/Low Temperature

New Mexico - Safety by City