Eddy County is second in the state in private sector average weekly wages, according to the quarterly census of employment and wages for the first quarter of 2022. The report lists Eddy County’s wages at $1,324, while Los Alamos is at $1,896. Grant and Lea County are listed third and fourth. As has been stated many times, this is certainly good news overall for our area, but also means there are a number of major challenges in terms of finding a workforce. 

The most recent report from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions lists unemployment in Eddy County at 3.9 percent. The state average is 4.5 percent, and data ranges from 10.1 percent in Luna County to 2.5 percent in Los Alamos County. Eddy County’s unemployment was reported at 7.4 percent at this time last year. Unemployment in Lea County is still listed at 6.0 percent and it is reported at 5.3 percent in Chaves County. 

The New Mexico Labor Market Review is a great source for economic summaries of the area. We’re happy to see a good report for Eddy County.

From the Office of Mayor Dale Janway