ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - New Mexico reported a 8.4 percent unemployment rate in May - down from the 8.7 percent of the previous month but well above the 6.8 percent jobless rate of May 2009.
The national unemployment rate last month was 9.7 percent.
New Mexico's labor department, the Department of Workforce Solutions, says the state lost 12,300 jobs between May 2009 and May 2010.
Government added more jobs than private industry did.
The largest increase was attributed to the federal government hiring thousands of temporary workers to help with the 2010 Census.
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