New Mexico continues to lag region in economic freedom index

The latest Economic Freedom Index of North America report is out from the free market Canadian think tank Fraser Institute.

Overall, New Mexico ranks 42nd nationally in the Index which ranks US states on various measures including: “government spending,” taxes, regulations, and legal system/property rights. All of New Mexico’s neighbors are among the most economically-free states in the nation.

As can be seen in the chart below that, while people in the most economically-free half of jurisdictions have higher incomes than others, it is the least economically-free jurisdictions like New Mexico that really lag behind dramatically. It is not surprising that New Mexico is among the most impoverished states in the nation.