Lea County, New Mexico Employment Sector Statistics (2024)
Workforce distribution by employment sector for Lea County, New Mexico
Employment Indicators for Lea County, New Mexico (2024)
Total Employed
31,081
Civilian 16+
Private For-Profit
72.2 %
Largest Sector
Self-Employed
6.9%
Entrepreneurship
Government
15.7%
Public Sector
Lea County, New Mexico Workforce by Sector & Gender

Lea County, New Mexico Employment Sector Breakdown
| Sector | Total Workers | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 22,432 | 72.2% |
| Government | 4,887 | 15.7% |
| Self-Employed | 2,131 | 6.9% |
| Private Non-Profit | 1,531 | 4.9% |
Lea County, New Mexico Gender Ratio Analysis by Employment Sector (2024)
| Sector | Male:Female Ratio |
|---|---|
| Private For-Profit | 1.80:1 |
| Government | 0.51:1 |
| Self-Employed | 2.82:1 |
Lea County, New Mexico Employment Trends (2010–2024)

Lea County, New Mexico Historical Employment Sector Trends
| Year | Private | Gov | Self-Emp | Non-Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 72.2% | 15.7% | 6.9% | 4.9% |
| 2023 | 72.0% | 15.6% | 6.4% | 5.7% |
| 2022 | 73.8% | 15.5% | 6.1% | 4.3% |
| 2021 | 73.4% | 16.7% | 5.7% | 4.0% |
| 2020 | 73.5% | 17.1% | 5.1% | 4.2% |
| 2019 | 74.5% | 15.7% | 4.9% | 4.8% |
| 2018 | 75.0% | 15.4% | 4.8% | 4.7% |
| 2017 | 74.3% | 15.4% | 5.4% | 4.9% |
| 2016 | 75.9% | 13.7% | 5.6% | 4.7% |
| 2015 | 75.9% | 13.6% | 5.5% | 4.9% |
| 2014 | 74.9% | 14.0% | 6.1% | 4.9% |
| 2013 | 73.1% | 14.8% | 6.8% | 5.1% |
| 2012 | 71.1% | 15.5% | 7.3% | 5.7% |
| 2011 | 69.6% | 15.9% | 8.1% | 5.7% |
| 2010 | 68.9% | 16.7% | 7.9% | 5.7% |
Employment Sector FAQs for Lea County, New Mexico
The largest employment sector in Lea County, New Mexico is Private For-Profit, which employs 72.2% of the local workforce.
There are approximately 31,081 civilian workers aged 16 and over currently employed in Lea County, New Mexico.
In the private for-profit sector, the male-to-female ratio is 1.80:1. This metric helps highlight gender participation across the most prominent industry classes.
Since 2010, the total number of workers in Lea County, New Mexico has shown an increase, moving from 25,204 to 31,081 according to Census Bureau records.