Over 25% of the economy of Roosevelt County is based on education and government, including a major university, large school district, federal, state, and local government offices, contractors, and non-profit entities of all types. Downtown Portales is the Roosevelt County Seat and contains a growing number of public service, health, medical, restaurant, and retail businesses.  Eastern New Mexico University is the largest employer in Roosevelt County with over 700 faculty and staff serving over 4,800 students on the state-sponsored university payroll.  

Nearby Cannon Air Force Base, 12 miles from Portales, is the new home of the Air Force Special Operations Command, and will be adding thousands of new federal employees over the next five years.  Housing, professional and personal services of all kinds are in growing demand, and with the rapid expansion of Cannon Air Force Base, Portales offers a great location for military contracting and other professional services such as engineering, military housing, construction, educational and training services.