CEDSSummary Background Regional Economic Relationships
Our Economy in Motion
Follow the people, goods, and services that connect the five counties with neighboring regions.
- Regional Industries
- Cross-Border Links
- Shared Opportunity
Introduction
An Economy in Motion
Workers, suppliers, freight, and services move across county and state lines. The same connections that expand opportunity can also carry disruptions, so regional planning must see beyond one jurisdiction.
An Economy That Crosses Borders
Southeastern New Mexico is connected to West Texas and the rest of the state through workers, suppliers, freight, energy systems, and visitor travel. A county line rarely marks the edge of a labor market or supply chain.
A Shared Permian Economy
Lea and Eddy counties participate in the Permian Basin alongside West Texas. Operators, contractors, equipment, transportation, and specialized labor work across the state line. Regional business development therefore has to consider suppliers and workforce routes beyond a single county.
People and Places
Residents may work outside the county where they live. Housing, road safety, travel time, and training access shape whether people can participate in opportunities across the region. Commuting data can reveal those links without assuming every long trip has the same cause.
More Than Energy
Agriculture, tourism, defense, healthcare, and education also connect communities to outside markets and institutions. Their activity depends on many of the same roads, utilities, communications networks, and skilled workers.
Why This Matters for the Region
A regional view makes shared constraints visible. It can help partners coordinate transportation, supplier development, training, and housing where action in one place benefits people or businesses elsewhere.