Lower Rio Chama lies in the Rio Arriba County in New Mexico which has lower median household income than the United States of America as well as the state of New Mexico. The economy of Rio Arriba County, NM employs 14,615 people. The economy of Rio Arriba County, NM is specialized in Public Administration ; Arts, Entertainment, Recreation; and Utilities. The largest industries in Rio Arriba County, NM are Healthcare & Social Assistance, Public Administration, and Educational Services. The highest paying industries are Professional, Scientific, Tech Services ($59,464), Mining, Quarrying, Oil, Gas Extraction($50,179), and Transportation & Warehousing($50,026). Median household income in Rio Arriba County, NM is $33,972. Males in Rio Arriba County, NM have an average income that is 1.75 times higher than the average income of females, which is $39,113. The income inequality of Rio Arriba County, NM (measured using the Gini index) is 0.518 which is higher than the national average. (Source: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/rioarribacountynewmexico/BZA010216) According to 2012 census of Agriculture Data, the market value of products sold has increased to $18.9 million from $12.7 million from 2007 to 2012. However the farm land has decreased from 1.46 million acres to 1.43 million acres. During the same time period the government payment in the county has increased almost four times for $323 thousand to $1.27 million. (Source: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2012/Online_Resources/County_Profiles/New_Mexico/cp35039.pdf) According to The Economic Base of Rio Arriba County, NM prepared by The Office of Policy Analysis at Arrowhead Center, New Mexico State University in July 2017, the Agricultural sector, including Farm employment (1,917) and Forestry, fishing, and related industries (163), accounted for 2,080 total jobs, arts, entertainment, and recreation, accounted for 388 jobs, health care and social assistance, accounted for 1,824 jobs, state government employment, accounted for 737 jobs and federal civilian employment, accounted for 305 jobs. (Source: http://arrowheadcenter.nmsu.edu/university-center/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2017/09/Rio-Arriba-County-2017.pdf) The following employment charts were collected from the US census database on the Rio Arriba County, NM from 1995 to 2017.