New Mexico Labor Market Review (April 2026)

The Las Cruces metropolitan area recorded modest job growth of 1,000 positions over the year, although unemployment increased to 5.4 percent.

Source: Workforce Solutions

The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions’ April 2026 Labor Market Review paints a mixed picture of the state’s economy. While total employment continued to edge upward and several industries—including health care, construction, and trade—added jobs over the past year, unemployment also increased. New Mexico’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 4.9 percent in April, above the national rate of 4.3 percent and among the highest in the country. The report highlights significant differences across regions, with Luna County posting the state’s highest unemployment rate at 14.7 percent, while Los Alamos County remained among the lowest at 2.0 percent. Locally, the Las Cruces metropolitan area recorded modest job growth of 1,000 positions over the year, although unemployment increased to 5.4 percent.

Subscribe to the Daily Las Cruces Digest

* indicates required

Email Address *

First Name *How would you like to be addressed in personalized emails?

/* real people should not fill this in and expect good things – do not remove this or risk form bot signups */

Beyond monthly employment figures, the review provides a broader look at New Mexico’s workforce. The report examines conditions in tribal communities, where unemployment remains substantially higher than the statewide average, and details recent business expansions, new hiring initiatives, and announced layoffs. It also includes workplace safety data showing a decline in work-related fatalities in 2024, alongside statistics on occupational injuries and illnesses across major industries. Together, the data offer a detailed snapshot of the opportunities and challenges shaping New Mexico’s labor market as the state moves through 2026.