New Mexico’s unemployment rate rose from 7.7 percent in September to 7.9 percent in October, according to a monthly state labor report released Wednesday. The unemployment rate in the state a year ago was 4.5 percent; job growth over the past year was negative 3.3 percent.

In other words, the economy is still in the tank.

The report said that the state’s unemployment rate is the worst seen in modern times:

The recent decline in the number of jobs was the worst the state has seen in modern times. It may be true on paper that the losses were worse during the fourth quarter of 1943, but that followed some unusual activity in 1942 when events of the time caused a 20 percent temporary increase in employment. Those events make comparisons to today’s more diverse economy difficult. Back in the 1940s, New Mexico had a much smaller economy and such variability was more normal than it is today.

Only three industries have seen job growth in the past year: education and health care, government, and information. The government jobs are mostly local, but there is also a bump from Census 2010 jobs. The information jobs are probably due to the film industry, the report said.

One industry has remained unchanged—leisure and hospitality. All other industries in the state have seen job losses since October 2008.

Here’s what happened in New Mexico cities:

Albuquerque

The Albuquerque MSA seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 8.2 percent for October 2009, up from 8.0 percent in September. The unemployment rate was 4.8 percent in October 2008.  …

Las Cruces

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the Las Cruces MSA was 8.2 percent in October 2009, up from 7.7 percent last month. A year ago, the area’s unemployment rate was 4.9 percent. …

Santa Fe

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Santa Fe was 6.9 percent for October 2009, up from 6.7 percent in September. A year ago, the local area had an unemployment rate of 4.0 percent. …

Farmington

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Farmington was 9.6 percent in October 2009, up from 8.9 percent in September. A year ago, the unemployment rate was 4.0 percent. …

Bad news aside, the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions report says that the state may have reached a statistical low-point from which a “slow recovery can be staged.” It may take four years before job levels return to their pre-recession levels though, the report states.