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New Mexico Economy

Unemployment was 4.7% in Sep 2026, the 44th lowest of 51 states. Personal income averages $58,249 per person.

Unemployment rate
4.7%
+0.5 pts in a year
Labor force
968,399
-1.6% in a year
Income per person
$58,249
BEA, 2024
Average annual pay
$63,124
QCEW, 2025

Unemployment rate in New Mexico

Monthly, seasonally adjusted, compared with the U.S.

New MexicoUnited States
Show as a table
PeriodNew Mexico
Sep 20264.7%
Dec 20254.3%
Dec 20244.2%
Dec 20233.8%
Dec 20223.6%
Dec 20215.6%
Dec 20208.4%
Dec 20195.0%
Dec 20185.2%
Dec 20175.4%
Dec 20166.9%
Dec 20156.5%
Dec 20146.4%
Dec 20136.8%
Dec 20126.9%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics · Last updated 09/01/2026

Counties in New Mexico

Unemployment (Sep 2026, not seasonally adjusted), income per person (BEA) and average pay (QCEW). Largest labor force first.

Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.

#CountyUnemployment1 yearLabor forceIncome per personAverage pay
1Bernalillo County4.6%+0.8 pts335,017$62,836$65,813
2Doña Ana County5.1%+0.7 pts104,828$49,742$52,236
3Sandoval County4.8%+0.7 pts73,799$60,016$61,469
4Santa Fe County4.3%+0.7 pts71,445$82,474$64,379
5San Juan County5.1%+0.8 pts50,275$47,931$58,822
6Lea County4.1%+0.6 pts34,795$59,387$71,747
7Valencia County5.4%+1.1 pts32,732$48,865$51,401
8Eddy County3.6%+0.5 pts32,691$78,406$79,501
9Chaves County4.8%+0.8 pts27,784$54,036$49,083
10Otero County5.0%+0.6 pts24,008$44,665$51,656
11McKinley County6.6%+1.3 pts22,732$37,085$49,177
12Curry County4.2%+0.8 pts20,964$58,959$48,755
13Rio Arriba County4.8%+1.0 pts15,926$48,455$50,458
14Taos County5.3%+1.0 pts14,704$53,449$47,611
15Los Alamos County2.3%+0.5 pts13,528$98,378$118,036
16San Miguel County5.2%+1.1 pts10,599$50,234$45,257
17Grant County4.9%+1.0 pts10,407$54,768$57,483
18Luna County10.9%+1.1 pts9,730$40,780$51,983
19Cibola County6.0%+0.6 pts9,209$36,397$50,188
20Lincoln County4.8%+0.5 pts8,167$57,253$45,881
21Roosevelt County4.2%+0.6 pts8,076$54,570$47,224
22Torrance County6.1%+1.0 pts6,041$49,049$56,316
23Socorro County5.4%+0.9 pts5,831$47,298$53,770
24Colfax County5.0%+0.4 pts4,656$52,638$44,900
25Sierra County5.8%+0.4 pts4,187$52,569$45,691
All 33 counties, A to Z

Jobs and pay by industry in New Mexico

Private employers, annual average 2025 (Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages)

Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.

IndustryJobs1-year changeAverage pay
Health care and social assistance131,391+3.6%$55,143
Retail trade94,584+0.1%$38,394
Accommodation and food services88,578-0.8%$26,736
Professional and technical services68,575-1.5%$112,184
Construction55,405+2.8%$71,036
Administrative and support services46,933-0.4%$55,996
Manufacturing28,307-1.3%$72,725
Transportation and warehousing25,199+2.5%$60,857
Mining, oil and gas24,703+4.0%$103,589
Finance and insurance22,619+1.2%$86,759
Other services21,749+1.4%$50,354
Wholesale trade21,265+1.0%$77,373
Educational services11,935+3.7%$54,549
Arts, entertainment and recreation10,932-2.2%$34,512
Real estate and rental10,530-0.3%$58,129
Information9,731-9.7%$80,379
Agriculture, forestry and fishing8,887-2.7%$44,735
Management of companies5,018-7.2%$97,614
Utilities4,578+5.6%$106,543

Government employs 184,293 people (21.1% of all jobs): 28,435 federal, 51,460 state and 104,398 local.

Output and businesses in New Mexico

Bureau of Economic Analysis and Census Bureau

GDP
$147B
2024, current dollars
Real GDP growth
+4.4%
Adjusted for inflation
Employer businesses
44,861
658,702 employees
  • Retail trade6,38214.2%
  • Health care and social assistance5,56212.4%
  • Accommodation and food services4,73210.5%
  • Construction4,63810.3%
  • Professional and technical services4,52810.1%
  • Other services4,2779.5%
  • Real estate and rental2,4965.6%
  • Finance and insurance2,4415.4%
  • Administrative and support services2,0414.5%
  • Wholesale trade1,5993.6%

Source: BEA Regional Economic Accounts; Census County Business Patterns 2023

Frequently asked questions

What is the unemployment rate in New Mexico?
New Mexico's unemployment rate was 4.7% in Sep 2026, seasonally adjusted, compared with 4.2% for the U.S.
Which county in New Mexico has the highest unemployment?
Luna County has the highest rate at 10.9%, and Los Alamos County has the lowest at 2.3% (not seasonally adjusted).
What is the largest industry in New Mexico?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private employer with 131,391 jobs, followed by retail trade (94,584) and accommodation and food services (88,578).
What is the average salary in New Mexico?
The average annual pay for jobs covered by unemployment insurance in New Mexico was $63,124 in 2025, or $1,214 a week.
How big is New Mexico's economy?
New Mexico's GDP was $147B in 2024, about $69,046 per resident.