State desk
Ranks 41st of 50 on the Liberty Index.
Where New Mexico stands on 12 policies, sourced from our 50-state trackers, with the latest headlines from 37 New Mexico outlets.
12 policies · each strip is all 50 states, grouped by rule · New Mexico in red. Free to cite with attribution.
A license is required; the state must issue a concealed-handgun license to qualified applicants who complete training.
New Mexico is 1 of 15 states with this rule
29 · Constitutional (Permitless) Carry6 · Restrictive: Permit Required
New Mexico taxes individual income at graduated rates rising to 5.90 percent across 6 brackets, ranking 16 of 41 among the states that tax income.
New Mexico is 1 of 26 states with this rule
8 · No Income Tax1 · Capital Gains Only15 · Single Flat Rate
New Mexico charges 18.88 cents per gallon in state tax, ranking 48 of 50, which is among the lowest in the country. With the federal 18.40 cents added, a driver pays 37.28 cents per gallon in tax. Diesel is taxed at 22.88 cents.
New Mexico is 1 of 17 states with this rule
17 · Among the Highest16 · Near the Middle
Abolished in 2009.
New Mexico is 1 of 23 states with this rule
23 · Retains the death penalty4 · Retains it, executions paused
Not a right-to-work state; union-security agreements are permitted.
New Mexico is 1 of 24 states with this rule
26 · Right-to-Work
State minimum wage is $12.00, above the federal $7.25 floor.
New Mexico is 1 of 30 states with this rule
12 · Matches the Federal Floor3 · Below Federal, So Federal Applies5 · No State Minimum Wage Law
No document is required; voters may state their name, address, and year of birth to confirm identity.
New Mexico is 1 of 14 states with this rule
10 · Strict Photo ID14 · Photo ID Requested4 · Strict Non-Photo ID8 · ID Requested (No Photo)
No ESA, voucher, or tax-credit scholarship program.
New Mexico is 1 of 17 states with this rule
17 · Universal / Near-Universal16 · Limited Program
New Mexico permits the use of deadly force in self-defense through judicial decisions or jury instructions rather than a stand-your-ground statute.
New Mexico is 1 of 7 states with this rule
31 · No Duty to Retreat12 · Not Listed by NCSL
Any registered voter may request an absentee ballot by mail without giving a reason.
New Mexico is 1 of 29 states with this rule
8 · All-Mail13 · Excuse Required
New Mexico's unemployment rate was 4.7% in September 2026, seasonally adjusted, unchanged from August. It ranks 42nd lowest of 51 (the 50 states and D.C.), down from 40th. A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 4.2%. The U.S. rate was 4.2%.
Data retrieved from the BLS public API on October 30, 2026. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.
Elected statewide to a four-year term.
New Mexico is 1 of 43 states with this rule
5 · Appointed by the governor1 · Chosen by the legislature1 · Appointed by the state supreme court