NAICS 72

Accommodation and Food Services in Las Cruces, NM

Metro Market Score 60.8 (Difficult), ranked #198 of 298 metros. 324 establishments, 8,364 jobs.

Metro Market Score 60.8

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national accommodation and food services average.

⚡Rising Wages

Market conditions for accommodation and food services in Las Cruces are tougher than average. The 60.8 market score reflects a combination of moderate wages, slowing employment, and an already crowded field. Rank: #198 of 298 metros.

Industry Concentration

71.8

LQ: 1.16

Rank #214 of 298 metros

Wage Competitiveness

35.9

$23,010 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 38.6

Employment growth index

Rank #184 of 298 metros

Wage Pressure

77.1

YoY wage change index

324 Accommodation and Food Services Firms in Las Cruces

324

Establishments

+0.3% YoY

8,364

Total Employment

-0.3% YoY

$23,010

Average Annual Wage

+5.2% YoY

1.16

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within New Mexico

#1 of 3

accommodation and food services metros in state

New Mexico state rank

#3 of 51

for accommodation and food services entry risk

vs State Median

-2.4

better than median (63.2)

Las Cruces vs New Mexico Statewide

How this metro's accommodation and food services market compares to New Mexico overall. The state ranks #3/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Las Cruces	NM Statewide
Overall Score	60.8 Difficult	24.5 Low
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#198 of 298 metros	#3 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Las Cruces

Retail Trade 26.0 Construction 28.3 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 32.4 Other Services 33.5 Finance and Insurance 34.7 Information 40.7 Healthcare and Social Assistance 41.0 Administrative and Support Services 44.7 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 55.8

Accommodation and Food Services in Other New Mexico Metros

Farmington 63.2 #215/298 Santa Fe 66.3 #236/298

Accommodation and Food Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Las Cruces's 60.8 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA 60.6 #197/298 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 60.6 #196/298 Portland-South Portland, ME 60.9 #199/298 Hinesville, GA 60.6 #195/298 Punta Gorda, FL 60.6 #194/298 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 60.6 #193/298 Sherman-Denison, TX 60.5 #192/298 Burlington-South Burlington, VT 60.5 #191/298 Corvallis, OR 61.1 #200/298 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA 61.1 #201/298

Accommodation and Food Services in States Bordering New Mexico

State-level entry risk for accommodation and food services in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Oklahoma 35.0 #20/51 Utah 36.5 #22/51 Texas 46.0 #38/51 Arizona 46.9 #40/51 Colorado 46.9 #41/51

Browse Accommodation and Food Services in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for accommodation and food services across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Las Cruces's accommodation and food services sector, the employment growth component (61.4) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Las Cruces, NM MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment