September 2025 | Released December 11, 2025

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In September, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 10, rose in 21, and remained unchanged in 20.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.2 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.4 percent.

• In September, payroll jobs rose in 30 states and fell in 20. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Alaska, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

New Mexico

Employment snapshot

• In September, New Mexico remained unchanged with 0 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1 percent. In the prior month, New Mexico lost 3,400 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, New Mexico added 16,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.2 percentage points from 4.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 119,000 in September, or 0.1 percent. New Mexico ranks 3rd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In September, New Mexico’s private sector lost 400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 11,000 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, New Mexico lost 4,300 net private payroll jobs.

• In September, employment in New Mexico fell by 447, and over the past 12 months it rose by 6,636.

• New Mexico’s labor force participation rate fell to 57.6 percent in September from 57.7 percent and is tied for 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 remained unchanged with 0 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, New Mexico lost 3,400 jobs. New Mexico nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 119,000 in September, or 0.1 percent. New Mexico ranks 3rd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• New Mexico lost 400 private sector jobs, or -0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, New Mexico lost 4,300 jobs. New Mexico private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 97,000 jobs in September, or 0.1 percent. New Mexico is tied for 8th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From August 2025 to September 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+1,400) and Other Services (+500).
• The worst performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (-1,200) and Leisure and Hospitality (-500).

From September 2024 to September 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+7,800) and State and Local Government (+6,700).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-1,600) and Leisure and Hospitality (-1,400).

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 57.6 percent in September from 57.7 percent in the prior month.

• New Mexico is tied for 48th 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 rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.4 percent in September.