January 2026 | Released April 08, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

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

• 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 4.3 percent.

• In January, payroll jobs rose in 45 states and fell in 6. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in California and North Dakota. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.7 percent in District of Columbia.

New Mexico

Employment snapshot

• In January, New Mexico added 900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage point to 4.5 percent. In the prior month, New Mexico lost 2,700 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, New Mexico lost 4,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.4 percentage points from 4.1 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. New Mexico is tied for 38th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In January, New Mexico’s private sector added 200 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it lost 2,800 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, New Mexico lost 3,100 net private payroll jobs.

• In January, employment in New Mexico fell by 1,866, and over the past 12 months it fell by 5,396.

• New Mexico’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 57.6 percent in January and is tied for 47th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.3 percentage points.

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New Mexico

Payroll employment

• New Mexico added 900 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, New Mexico lost 2,700 jobs. New Mexico nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 5 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. New Mexico is tied for 38th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• New Mexico added 200 private sector jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, New Mexico lost 3,100 jobs. New Mexico private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 186,000 jobs in March, or 0.1 percent. New Mexico is tied for 43rd in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From December 2025 to January 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (+1,500) and State and Local Government (+800).
• The worst performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (-1,900) and Financial Activities (-600).

From January 2025 to January 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+2,700) and State and Local Government (+1,700).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-2,900) and Leisure and Hospitality (-2,400).

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 remained unchanged at 57.6 percent in January.

• 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 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 61.9 percent in March.