NAICS 23

Construction in Las Cruces, NM

Metro Market Score 28.3 (Favorable), ranked #30 of 342 metros. 534 establishments, 4,363 jobs.

Metro Market Score 28.3

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

📈Rapid Growth✓Favorable Market

Employment in Las Cruces's construction sector grew faster than most metros last year, pushing its growth trend index to 87.7. Combined with a 28.3 market score, this metro sits in the top 10% for overall conditions.

Industry Concentration

60.5

LQ: 1.05

Rank #207 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

3.5

$55,376 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 87.7

Employment growth index

Rank #43 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

43.0

YoY wage change index

534 Construction Firms in Las Cruces

534

Establishments

+5.3% YoY

4,363

Total Employment

+8.2% YoY

$55,376

Average Annual Wage

+8.2% YoY

1.05

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within New Mexico

#1 of 4

construction metros in state

New Mexico state rank

#31 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

-16.9

better than median (45.2)

Las Cruces vs New Mexico Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to New Mexico overall. The state ranks #31/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Las Cruces	NM Statewide
Overall Score	28.3 Favorable	47.4 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#30 of 342 metros	#31 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 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 60.8

Construction in Other New Mexico Metros

Santa Fe 44.1 #138/342 Farmington 45.2 #147/342 Albuquerque 56.1 #257/342

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Las Cruces's 28.3 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Springfield, OH 28.4 #31/342 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA 28.1 #29/342 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ 27.9 #28/342 Montgomery, AL 28.7 #32/342 Joplin, MO 29.0 #33/342 Tallahassee, FL 27.6 #27/342 Dothan, AL 27.3 #26/342 Lawrence, KS 29.3 #34/342 Hattiesburg, MS 29.3 #35/342 Kankakee, IL 27.1 #25/342

Construction in States Bordering New Mexico

State-level entry risk for construction in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Arizona 38.6 #16/51 Utah 40.1 #22/51 Texas 46.3 #29/51 Oklahoma 52.2 #39/51 Colorado 53.2 #40/51

Browse Construction in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for construction 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 construction sector, the industry concentration component (60.5) 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