NMDWS News:
New Mexico’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in April, up from 4.8 percent in March and up from 4.1 percent in the previous year. The national unemployment rate in April was 4.3 percent, unchanged from the rate in March and up from 4.2 percent in April 2025.
Total nonagricultural payroll employment grew by 400 jobs, or less than 0.1 percent, between April 2025 and April 2026. The private sector was up 2,200 jobs, or 0.3 percent, while the public sector was down 1,800 jobs, or 0.9 percent. Within the private sector, the private service-providing industries were up 1,600 jobs, or 0.3 percent, while employment in the goods-producing industries was up 600 jobs, or 0.6 percent. Three of the nine private industries reported gains compared to employment levels in April 2025.
Within the goods-producing industries, mining and construction was up 700 jobs, or 0.9 percent. Within mining and construction, mining was up 600 jobs, or 2.4 percent, while construction was up 100 jobs, or 0.2 percent. Manufacturing employment was down 100 jobs, or 0.4 percent. Within manufacturing, durable goods manufacturing was down 300 jobs, or 1.9 percent, and non-durable manufacturing was up 200 jobs, or 1.6 percent.
Within the private service-providing industries, trade, transportation, and utilities employment was up 2,900 jobs, or 2.0 percent. Within this industry, retail trade was up 2,700 jobs, or 2.9 percent; wholesale trade was up 400 jobs, or 1.9 percent; and transportation, warehousing, and utilities was down 200 jobs, or 0.6 percent. Private education and health services experienced a gain of 2,500 jobs, or 1.6 percent. Within the industry, most gains were in health care and social assistance, which was up 1,800 jobs, or 1.4 percent. Private educational services was up 700 jobs, or 3.0 percent. Professional and business services was down 1,400 jobs, or 1.2 percent. Financial activities was down 1,000 jobs, or 2.8 percent. Miscellaneous other service was down 700 jobs, or 2.5 percent. Information was down 400 jobs, or 4.3 percent. Leisure and hospitality employment was down 300 jobs, or 0.3 percent.
Within the public sector, state government was up 1,100 jobs, or 1.8 percent. Within state government employment, state government excluding education added 1,000 jobs, representing an increase of 3.0 percent. State government education was up 100 jobs, or 0.4 percent. Employment in local government was down 400 jobs, or 0.4 percent. Within local government, all gains were in local government excluding education, which was up 1,300 jobs, or 2.5 percent. Local government education was down 1,700 jobs, or 3.1 percent.
Federal government was down 2,500 jobs, or 8.6 percent, from its employment level in April 2025.
Further analysis will be provided in the Labor Market Review scheduled for release on June 2.
Data can be found online at the following locations: https://www.dws.state.nm.us/Researchers/Data/Employment-Snapshot and www.jobs.state.nm.us/analyzer/