July 2025

Released August 19, 2025

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In July, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 6, rose in 15, and remained unchanged in 30.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent.

• In July, payroll jobs rose in 31 states and fell in 20. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.5 percent in Wyoming.

New Mexico

Employment snapshot

• In July, New Mexico added 2,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.2 percent. In the prior month, New Mexico added 3,000 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, New Mexico added 23,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point from 4.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 73,000 in July, or 0 percent. New Mexico ranks 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In July, New Mexico’s private sector added 1,600 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 18,500 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, New Mexico added 2,300 net private payroll jobs.

• In July, employment in New Mexico rose by 254, and over the past 12 months it rose by 7,680.

• New Mexico’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 57.8 percent in July and is tied for 47th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.1 percentage points.

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New Mexico

Payroll employment

• New Mexico added 2,200 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, New Mexico added 3,000 jobs. New Mexico nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 73,000 in July, or 0 percent. New Mexico ranks 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• New Mexico added 1,600 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during July. In the prior month, New Mexico added 2,300 jobs. New Mexico private sector payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 83,000 jobs in July, or 0.1 percent. New Mexico ranks 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From June 2025 to July 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+1,500) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+1,200).
• The worst performing sectors were Other Services (-600) and Financial Activities (-400).

From July 2024 to July 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+8,100) and Construction (+7,700).
• The worst performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (-1,900) and Federal Government (-1,500).

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 remained unchanged at 57.8 percent in July.

• New Mexico is tied for 47th in the nation.

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

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.2 percent in July.