NMDWS News:
New Mexico’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in December, up from 4.2 percent in November and unchanged from the previous year’s rate. The national unemployment rate in December was 4.4 percent, down from 4.5 percent in November and up from 4.1 percent in December 2024.
Total nonagricultural payroll employment grew by 8,800 jobs, or 1.0 percent, between December 2024 and December 2025. The majority of gains came from the public sector. The private sector was up 3,000 jobs, or 0.4 percent, while the public sector was up 5,800 jobs, or 3.0 percent. Within the private sector, the private service-providing industries were down 800 jobs, or 0.1 percent, while employment in the goods-producing industries was up 3,800 jobs, or 3.5 percent, from the level in December 2024.
Three of the nine private industries reported gains compared to employment levels in December 2024. Within the goods-producing industries, mining and construction employment increased by 4,000 jobs, or 5.0 percent. The majority of job gains were in construction, which was up 3,500 jobs, or 6.3 percent, over the year. Employment in the mining industry increased by 500 jobs, or 2.1 percent. Manufacturing was down 200 jobs, or 0.7 percent. Within manufacturing, durable goods manufacturing was down 300 jobs, or 1.8 percent, and non-durable manufacturing was up 100 jobs, or 0.8 percent.
Within the private service-providing industries, private education and health services experienced a gain of 7,200 jobs, or 4.7 percent. Within the industry, most gains were in health care and social assistance, which was up 6,600 jobs, or 5.1 percent. Private educational services was up 600 jobs, or 2.7 percent. Financial activities was up 1,400 jobs, or 3.9 percent.
Professional and business services was down 4,600 jobs, or 3.8 percent. Leisure and hospitality employment was down 1,800 jobs, or 1.8 percent. Trade, transportation, and utilities employment was down 1,400 jobs, or 0.9 percent. Within this industry, transportation, warehousing, and utilities was down 2,000 jobs, or 6.2 percent; retail trade was up 500 jobs, or 0.5 percent; and wholesale trade was up 100 jobs, or 0.5 percent from the previous year’s level. Information was down 1,100 jobs, or 11.0 percent. Miscellaneous other services was down 500 jobs, or 1.8 percent.
Within the public sector, local government was up 6,700 jobs, or 6.4 percent. Within local government employment, local government education added 4,100 jobs, representing an increase of 7.4 percent. Local government excluding education was up 2,600 jobs, or 5.2 percent. Employment in state government was up 1,900 jobs, or 3.2 percent. Within state government, the majority of gains were in state government excluding education, which was up 1,300 jobs, or 3.9 percent. State government education was up 600 jobs, or 2.3 percent. Federal government was down 2,800 jobs, or 9.5 percent, from its employment level in December 2024.
Further analysis will be provided in the Labor Market Review scheduled for release Feb. 4.
Data can be found online at the following locations: https://www.dws.state.nm.us/en-us/Researchers/Data/Employment-Snapshot and www.jobs.state.nm.us/analyzer/