Employment rose in the two largest counties in New Mexico from December 2023 to December 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that Dona Ana County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 1.5 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in New Mexico, December 2024

County	Percent change, December 2024
Dona Ana	1.5
Bernalillo	0.1

Among the two largest counties in New Mexico, employment was highest in Bernalillo (347,500) in December 2024. Together, the two largest counties accounted for 49.0 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 369 largest counties comprise 73.3 percent of total covered employment in the United States. (Large counties and county equivalents are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2023.)

Both large New Mexico counties reported average weekly wage gains over the year. (See chart 2.) Bernalillo had the largest gain (+5.0 percent), followed by Dona Ana (+4.1 percent).

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in New Mexico, fourth quarter 2024

County	Percent change, fourth quarter 2024
Bernalillo	5.0
Dona Ana	4.1

Weekly wages in both large counties in New Mexico were below the national average of $1,507. Average weekly wages in Bernalillo and Dona Ana were $1,266 and $991, respectively.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 31 small counties in New Mexico, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2023. (See table 2.) Wage levels in 29 of the 31 smaller counties were below the national average. Los Alamos reported the highest average weekly wage ($2,341). Catron reported the lowest average weekly wage ($789) in the state.

Among all 33 New Mexico counties, 9 reported average weekly wages of $899 or lower, 9 registered wages from $900 to $974, 7 had wages from $975 to $1,049, and 8 had average weekly wages of $1,050 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)

QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3.

Nationwide coverage of the largest counties is published in the County Employment and Wages news release. Additional information about quarterly employment and wages data is available in the news release Technical Note and from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

The County Employment and Wages release for the first quarter 2025 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.