December 2025 | Released January 27, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In December, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 8, rose in 21, and remained unchanged in 22.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.2 percent in Hawaii and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.4 percent.

• In December, payroll jobs rose in 23 states and fell in 27. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Delaware and Montana. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Kansas and Nebraska.

New Mexico

Employment snapshot

• In December, New Mexico lost 1,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent. In the prior month, New Mexico added 1,500 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, New Mexico added 8,600 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. New Mexico is tied for 11th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In December, New Mexico’s private sector lost 2,800 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 3,400 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, New Mexico added 700 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in New Mexico fell by 416, and over the past 12 months it rose by 4,595.

• New Mexico’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 57.6 percent in December and ranks 48th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.1 percentage points.

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New Mexico

Payroll employment

• New Mexico lost 1,400 net payroll jobs, or -0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, New Mexico added 1,500 jobs. New Mexico nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. New Mexico is tied for 11th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• New Mexico lost 2,800 private sector jobs, or -0.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, New Mexico added 700 jobs. New Mexico private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 37,000 jobs in December, or 0 percent. New Mexico is tied for 24th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From November 2025 to December 2025:

• The best performing sectors were State and Local Government (+1,500) and Construction (+500).
• The worst performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (-2,100) and Private Education and Health Services (-700).

From December 2024 to December 2025:

• The best performing sectors were State and Local Government (+8,000) and Private Education and Health Services (+7,100).
• The worst performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (-4,300) and Federal Government (-2,800).

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 57.6 percent in December.

• New Mexico ranks 48th 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 fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.4 percent in December.