PHOENIX, AZ - Arizona’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped two-tenths of a percentage point from 6.0% in November to 5.8% in December. The US seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.0% in December. A year ago, the Arizona seasonally adjusted rate was 6.6% and the U.S. rate was 5.6%.
Over the Month
Arizona gained 7,400 Nonfarm jobs (0.3%) in December. This was more than the post-recessionary (’10-’14) average gain of 7,100 jobs. The Private Sector gained 13,300 jobs (0.6%), more than the post-recessionary (’10-’14) average gain of 11,300 jobs. Increases in Professional and Business Services (5,200 jobs) were due primarily to hiring in Employment Services (5,400 jobs). Gains were recorded in five of the eleven sectors, while six sectors posted losses. The largest gain was recorded in Trade, Transportation and Utilities (5,700 jobs), followed by Professional and Business Services (5,200 jobs), Financial Activities (3,100 jobs), Education and Health Services (1,400 jobs), Information (1,000 jobs). Other Services (-100 jobs), Manufacturing (-100 jobs), Natural Resources and Mining (-100 jobs), Leisure and Hospitality (-700 jobs), Construction (-2,100 jobs), and Government (-5,900 jobs) recorded job losses.
Over the Year
Arizona Nonfarm employment grew by 2.5% (65,700 jobs) over the year in December. The Private Sector accounted for a majority of the December gains, adding 65,800 jobs (3.0%). Government employment declined by 100 jobs in December. Nine of the eleven sectors reported job gains while two sectors reported losses. The sectors with the largest gains included Professional and Business Services (18,100 jobs), Education and Health Services (11,700 jobs) and Leisure and Hospitality (9,400 jobs). Other employment gains were reported in Financial Activities (8,000 jobs), Trade, Transportation and Utilities (7,300 jobs), Construction (6,300 jobs), Other Services (3,200 jobs), Information (2,300 jobs), and Manufacturing (600 jobs). Job losses were reported in Government (-100 jobs) and Natural Resources and Mining (-1,100 jobs).
The employment report can also be downloaded from https://laborstats.az.gov/.