BENSON, Arizona—Cochise County’s unadjusted unemployment rate in August 2024 was 4.3 percent, down from 5.0 percent in July this year and 4.9 percent in August a year ago, according to data from the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.
Arizona’s unadjusted unemployment rate in August was 4.0 percent at the state level, down from 4.4 percent in July and 4.5 percent in August a year prior.
In August, the U.S. unadjusted unemployment rate was 4.4 percent, down from 4.5 percent in July 2024 but up from 3.9 percent in August 2023.
- Cochise County city and town unemployment rates in August 2024 were:
- Benson, 5.0 percent, down from 5.7 percent in July 2024 and 5.6 percent in August 2023.
- Bisbee, 2.7 percent, down from 3.1 percent in July this year and 3.0 percent in August last year.
- Douglas, 7.7 percent, down from 8.9 percent in July and 8.7 percent in August a year ago.
- Huachuca City, 7.1 percent, down from 8.2 percent in July this year and 8.0 percent in August 2023.
- Sierra Vista, 4.0 percent, down from 4.6 percent in July and 4.5 percent in August a year prior.
- Tombstone, 1.8 percent, down from 2.0 percent in both July this year and August last year.
- Willcox, 11.0 percent, down from 12.6 percent in July 2024 and 12.4 percent in August 2023.
The number of nonfarm jobs in Cochise County was up by 300 (0.9 percent) in the 12 months ended August 2024. The private sector gained 100 jobs (0.4 percent), and government grew by 200 jobs (1.9 percent). Within government, federal jobs countywide were up by 100 (2.2 percent) while state and local governments added a combined 100 jobs (1.6 percent).
Within Cochise County’s private sector, goods-producing jobs were up by 200 (7.1 percent) over the year with 100 new jobs in construction and mining (5.0 percent) and 100 in manufacturing (12.5 percent).
Countywide private-sector, service-providing jobs were down by 100 (-0.5 percent) from August 2023 to August 2024. Within private-sector services, the gain of 100 trade, transportation, and utilities jobs (1.6 percent), 100 educational and health services jobs (2.1 percent), and 100 jobs in leisure and hospitality (2.5 percent) were more than offset by the loss of 300 professional and business services jobs (-7.7 percent) and 100 jobs in the information industry (-25.0 percent). Job numbers were unchanged in financial activities and other services in the 12 months ended August.
In month-to-month comparisons, Cochise County added 700 jobs from July to August 2024, in line with seasonal expectations. The gains were led by the addition of 600 state and local government jobs, which include public school districts, colleges, and universities, which tend to see job declines in June and July and gains in August each year.
The remaining job gains from July to August were in leisure and hospitality, which added 100 jobs over the month. All other private-sector industries (construction and mining; manufacturing; trade, transportation, and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services; educational and health services; and other services) and the federal government saw job numbers unchanged from July to August.
Average weekly earnings in Cochise County in August 2024 were $1,070.22 (up 28.7 percent from August 2023). Average weekly hours worked were 33.9 (up from 33.0 in August a year ago). Countywide average hourly earnings in August were $31.57 (up 25.3 percent from August 2023).
Labor market data are released monthly with revisions to the previous month’s data. Data are also revised annually. Job numbers are rounded to the nearest 100.
For more information on the Cochise County economy, including current and historical data, visit CochiseEconomy.com, a Southeast Arizona Economic Development Group project in partnership with Arizona G&T Cooperatives and community sponsors.