Las Cruces has been named one of MovieMaker’s Best Small Cities and Towns to Live and Work as a Moviemaker for 2026, moving up two spots from last year as film production activity in the city continues to accelerate. The ranking reflects a combination of strong incentives, versatile locations, and steady on-the-ground production that few small cities can match.
The 2026 list places Las Cruces alongside Santa Fe and Albuquerque, making New Mexico one of the few states with three cities represented and underscoring how film production in the state now spans multiple regions.
Published annually by MovieMaker, the rankings focus on places where filmmakers can realistically build careers, weighing incentives, crew access, infrastructure, and day-to-day livability.
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MovieMaker’s 2026 List at a Glance
Best Smaller Cities and Towns
- Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Providence, Rhode Island
- Kamloops, Canada
- Santa Clarita, California
- Las Cruces, New Mexico
- Savannah, Georgia
- Knoxville, Tennessee
- St. Petersburg, Florida
- Ashland, Oregon
Best Big Cities
- Toronto, Canada
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Chicago, Illinois
- Calgary, Canada
- Austin, Texas
- Vancouver, Canada
- Dallas, Texas
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Houston, Texas
Why MovieMaker Keeps the Spotlight on Las Cruces
MovieMaker’s 2026 ranking frames Las Cruces as a city where incentives, infrastructure, and on-the-ground production activity have aligned at the right moment.
In its 2026 list, MovieMaker writes that “New Mexico’s second-largest city offers some of the best incentives you’ll find anywhere,” noting that filmmakers shooting outside Albuquerque and Santa Fe can combine multiple uplifts for credits of up to 40 percent. The article also highlights a planned $21 million studio and soundstage facility at Arrowhead Park and cites recent projects filmed in the area, including Protector, Dead Letters, and Night Driver.
The magazine also points to Las Cruces’ range as a filming destination, calling out film locations like the historic Rio Grande Theatre, nearby White Sands National Park, and access to the Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument, a combination that lets productions shift between urban, desert, and mountain environments with ease.
How Las Cruces’ Location Gives Filmmakers More to Work With
Las Cruces gives filmmakers access to multiple distinct environments and regional resources within a compact geographic footprint, making it easier to plan efficient shoots without sacrificing visual range.
Within a short driving radius, productions can move between downtown streets, agricultural land, open desert, and mountain terrain without losing shooting time to long relocations. That density allows directors and producers to capture varied settings within a single schedule, an advantage for projects working under tight timelines.
Proximity to El Paso adds practical value. Crews, vendors, and post-production resources regularly move between the two cities, expanding the available workforce and technical support while preserving the financial and permitting benefits of filming in New Mexico.
What Film Incentives Make Las Cruces So Competitive?
Las Cruces stands out because its incentive structure rewards productions for choosing southern New Mexico and staying there. The framework is straightforward, substantial, and built to support ongoing production activity rather than one-off shoots.
New Mexico’s Base Film Production Tax Credit
New Mexico offers a refundable film production tax credit with a base rate of 25 percent. Productions earn the credit by spending qualifying dollars in the state and receive the refund after completion, allowing producers to plan budgets and financing with clarity.
Regional Incentives Available in Las Cruces
Productions that film outside Albuquerque and Santa Fe qualify for an additional 10 percent uplift. When combined with other eligible bonuses, projects based in Las Cruces can reach credits of up to 40 percent, placing the city among the strongest incentive markets in the country.
Why Incentives Translate Into Real Production Decisions
Higher effective credits allow producers to direct more resources toward cast, crew, and on-screen production value. In Las Cruces, incentives shape where projects are based, how long they stay, and how deeply they invest in the local economy.
Taken together, Las Cruces’ incentive structure explains why productions are not just choosing the city, but planning to stay and scale work there.
How is Las Cruces Expanding Film Infrastructure and Crew Capacity?
Las Cruces is actively building the physical spaces and local workforce needed to support sustained film production. The city has paired new facilities with hands-on training to ensure productions can find both stages and skilled crews in one place.
Near New Mexico State University, Arrowhead Park is slated to host a new studio and soundstage complex designed for year-round filming. The development aims to give productions dedicated indoor space while anchoring film activity in southern New Mexico.
At the same time, Doña Ana Community College continues expanding practical film training programs that prepare residents for crew positions across departments. These programs help productions hire locally and scale teams without relying entirely on out-of-area labor.
Statewide efforts like the New Mexico Media Academy connect Las Cruces to industry standards and career pathways across the state, helping local growth translate into long-term film jobs.
Make Your Move to Las Cruces: Why 2026 is the Moment
The 2026 ranking signals that Las Cruces has reached a level of consistency and capacity that places it firmly among the country’s established small-city production centers.
Las Cruces now shows the full package that filmmakers look for when choosing where to base a project: strong incentives, proven locations, active productions, and infrastructure that supports repeat work.
The recognition reflects conditions already in place on the ground, where crews encounter a city equipped to host professional production without unnecessary friction. Las Cruces is no longer emerging. It is established, active, and fully in the frame.
For a broader view of how Las Cruces compares nationally, MovieMaker’s complete 2026 rankings offer a deeper look at the cities shaping today’s film economy.
As Las Cruces’ film momentum surges, local real estate experts at Enchanted Sun Realty help newcomers navigate buying and selling in the city, pairing extensive market knowledge with an insider’s understanding of local neighborhoods to help buyers find the right fit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Filmmaking in Las Cruces
Why is Las Cruces considered one of the best small cities for moviemakers?
Las Cruces earns national recognition because it combines generous film incentives, active production volume, and diverse filming locations into a city where filmmakers can work consistently and base projects long-term. The 2026 MovieMaker ranking reflects real industry activity rather than future promises.
Productions film in Las Cruces because the city supports both logistics and creativity. Housing and operating costs remain manageable, while access to experienced crew continues to grow through regional hiring and workforce training programs. The city’s proximity to El Paso expands labor and vendor options, and its permitting process supports efficient production timelines. These factors make Las Cruces viable for independent filmmakers, mid-budget features, and studio-backed projects.
How do film tax incentives work in Las Cruces?
Film productions in Las Cruces qualify for New Mexico’s refundable film production tax credit, which begins at a base rate of 25 percent. Because Las Cruces is outside Albuquerque and Santa Fe, productions also receive a 10 percent regional uplift.
When combined with other eligible bonuses, total credits can reach up to 40 percent. The incentive applies to qualifying in-state expenditures such as wages, lodging, and production services, and is issued as a refundable credit after production requirements are met. This structure gives producers predictable returns and often shifts filming decisions toward southern New Mexico.
What types of movies and productions film in Las Cruces?
Las Cruces has hosted a range of productions, from independent features to nationally distributed films. Recent projects include Protector, Dead Letters, and Night Driver, all of which filmed locally and relied on regional crew and locations.
These projects demonstrate that Las Cruces can support professional-scale production with complex schedules. The city’s expanding studio plans and training pipelines signal continued growth, positioning Las Cruces to attract longer shoots and repeat productions rather than one-time location visits.
What filming locations make Las Cruces attractive to producers?
Las Cruces offers a dense concentration of usable locations within short driving distances. Productions can film in historic downtown settings like the Rio Grande Theatre, then move quickly to desert, farmland, or mountainous terrain without major relocations.
Nearby natural landmarks, including White Sands National Park and the Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument, provide visually distinct settings that can stand in for multiple regions. This location efficiency reduces travel costs and shooting days, making Las Cruces especially appealing for productions working within tight budgets and schedules.
How long has Las Cruces appeared on MovieMaker’s list?
Las Cruces has appeared on MovieMaker’s list of the Best Small Cities and Towns to Live and Work as a Moviemaker for four consecutive years, including the 2026 ranking. Its placement has steadily improved over that period, reflecting sustained growth rather than a single breakout year.
By 2025, Las Cruces had already earned three consecutive appearances on the list. In 2026, the city moved up two spots, signaling increased production activity, expanded infrastructure planning, and continued competitiveness within New Mexico’s film economy. This consistency is important for filmmakers evaluating where to base work long term, since repeat rankings point to stability, policy follow-through, and an environment that continues to support active production year after year.
How does Las Cruces compare to Santa Fe and Albuquerque for filmmakers?
Las Cruces complements Santa Fe and Albuquerque by offering a southern New Mexico production base with similar incentives and fewer geographic constraints. While Albuquerque hosts large studio operations and Santa Fe leads the small cities category, Las Cruces provides a flexible, cost-efficient alternative with growing capacity.
All three cities benefit from New Mexico’s statewide incentive program, but productions filming in Las Cruces qualify for additional regional uplifts. The city also offers proximity to El Paso’s workforce and resources, distinct desert and mountain locations, and planned studio expansion at Arrowhead Park. Together, the three cities allow filmmakers to work across the state while keeping productions rooted in New Mexico.
Posted by LasCruces.com
