
Preliminary figures from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions show Luna County with a March unemployment rate of 19.3%, up from the revised February rate of 18.8%, but down from the March 2013 rate of 19.9%.
Luna County once again had the highest unemployment percentage in the state, followed by Mora with 15.4%. Those were the only two New Mexico counties with double-digit unemployment.
Other counties with high unemployment rates in the state in March were McKinley at 9.9%, Taos at 9.1% and Rio Arriba at 8.9%.
In our area, Grant County had 7.7% unemployment in March, Hidalgo County had 6.7% and the Las Cruces area had 8.2%.
The counties with the least unemployment were Harding and Lea with 4.4% each.
Unemployment statewide was 7% in March.
The New Mexico labor force estimates show Luna County with a labor force of 12,244 – with 9,875 employed and 2,369 unemployed.