4-18-2025 8:17pm

Otero County Unemployment Rate 3.8% Below State 4.4% Average

Chris Edwards Editor

The official unemployment rate in Otero County New Mexico is 3.8% up from 3.6% in March of 2024, but down from the revised 4.4% in February, 2025.

New Mexico’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in March was down from 4.4 percent in February and up from 3.9 percent in the previous year. The national unemployment rate in March was 4.2 percent, up from 4.1 percent in February and up from 3.9 percent in March 2024.

Total nonagricultural payroll employment grew by 15,500 jobs, or 1.7 percent, between March 2024 and March 2025. The majority of gains came from the private sector. The private sector was up 13,700 jobs, or 2.0 percent, while the public sector was up 1,800 jobs, or 0.9 percent. Within the private sector, the private service-providing industries were up 5,600 jobs, or 1.0 percent, while employment in the goods-producing industries was up 8,100 jobs, or 7.7 percent, from the level in March 2024.

Five of the nine private industries reported gains compared to employment levels in March 2024. Within the goods-producing industries, mining and construction employment increased by 7,300 jobs, or 9.5 percent. All job gains were in construction, which was up 7,300 jobs, or 13.9 percent, over the year. Manufacturing was up 800 jobs, or 2.8 percent. Within manufacturing, employment in each of durable goods manufacturing (up 2.5 percent) and non-durable goods manufacturing (up 3.2 percent) grew by 400 jobs.

Within the private service-providing industries, private education and health services posted a gain of 7,100 jobs, or 4.8 percent. Within the industry, all gains were in health care and social assistance, which was up 7,500 jobs, or 6.0 percent. Private educational services was down 400 jobs, or 1.8 percent. Financial activities was up 1,100 jobs, or 3.1 percent. Trade, transportation, and utilities employment was up 1,100 jobs, or 0.8 percent. Within this industry, transportation, warehousing, and utilities was up 500 jobs, or 1.7 percent; retail trade was up 400 jobs, or 0.4 percent; and wholesale trade was up 200 jobs, or 1.0 percent.

Information was down 2,400 jobs, or 19.4 percent. Miscellaneous other services was down 600 jobs, or 2.2 percent. Leisure and hospitality employment was down 600 jobs, or 0.6 percent. Professional and business services was down 100 jobs, or 0.1 percent.

Within the public sector, state government was up 1,900 jobs, or 3.3 percent. Within state government employment, state government excluding education added 1,400 jobs, representing an increase of 4.3 percent. State government education was up 500 jobs, or 2.0 percent. Employment in local government was up 900 jobs, or 0.9 percent. Within local government, the majority of gains were in local government education, which was up 700 jobs, or 1.3 percent. Local government excluding education was up 200 jobs, or 0.4 percent.

Federal government was down 1,000 jobs, or 3.3 percent, from its employment level in March 2024.