Employment rose in the two largest counties in New Mexico from March 2024 to March 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that Doña Ana County had the larger over-the-year increase in employment at 3.0 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, March 2025

County	Percent change, March 2025
Dona Aña	3.0
Bernalillo	0.2

Among the two largest counties in New Mexico, employment was highest in Bernalillo (345,000) in March 2025. Together, the two largest counties accounted for 49.0 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 372 largest counties comprise 73.4 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 2024.)

Both large New Mexico counties reported average weekly wage gains over the year. (See chart 2.) Bernalillo had the largest gain (+4.4 percent), followed by Doña Ana (+4.2 percent).

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in New Mexico, first quarter 2025

County	Percent change, first quarter 2025
Bernalillo	4.4
Dona Aña	4.2

Weekly wages in both large counties in New Mexico were below the national average of $1,589. Average weekly wages in Bernalillo and Doña Ana were $1,273 and $986, 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 2024. (See table 2.) Among the 31 smaller counties in New Mexico, Los Alamos ($2,232) reported the only average weekly wage above the national average. Catron reported the lowest average weekly wage ($760) in the state.

When all 33 New Mexico counties were considered, 3 reported average weekly wages of $799 or lower, 9 registered wages from $800 to $899, 9 had wages from $900 to $999, 4 had wages from $1,000 to $1,099, and 8 had average weekly wages of $1,100 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 second quarter 2025 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.