May 2026

Released June 23, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In May, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 20, rose in 9, and remained unchanged in 22.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.1 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.1 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in May.

• In May, payroll jobs rose in 38 states and fell in 13. The largest payroll job percent increase was 1.4 percent in West Virginia. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.5 percent in Montana.

New Mexico

Employment snapshot

• In May, New Mexico lost 100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.9 percent. In the prior month, New Mexico added 6,900 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, New Mexico added 3,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.9 percentage points from 4 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 172,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. New Mexico is tied for 17th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In May, New Mexico’s private sector lost 100 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 3,200 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, New Mexico added 5,800 net private payroll jobs.

• In May, employment in New Mexico fell by 2,810, and over the past 12 months it fell by 17,220.

• New Mexico’s labor force participation rate fell to 57.1 percent in May from 57.2 percent and ranks 49th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.6 percentage points.

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New Mexico

Payroll employment

• New Mexico lost 100 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, New Mexico added 6,900 jobs. New Mexico nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 5 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 172,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. New Mexico is tied for 17th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• New Mexico lost 100 private sector jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, New Mexico added 5,800 jobs. New Mexico private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 120,000 jobs in May, or 0.1 percent. New Mexico ranks 20th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From April 2026 to May 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Mining and Logging (+600) and Leisure and Hospitality (+500).
• The worst performing sectors were Construction (-1,700) and Private Education and Health Services (-200).

From May 2025 to May 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+3,200) and State and Local Government (+2,800).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-2,100) and Construction (-1,700).

New Mexico

Labor force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in New Mexico fell to 57.1 percent in May from 57.2 percent in the prior month.

• New Mexico ranks 49th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in New Mexico was 58.3 percent occurring in May 2016, and the 10-year low was 54.1 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate remained steady at 61.8 percent in May.