PHOENIX — For the fourth report in a row, the unemployment rate in Graham County has decreased.
That’s according to data released Tuesday by the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.
Graham County’s jobless rate in December was 3.7 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from November and the third lowest unemployment rate in the state behind Greenlee and Maricopa counties.
Greenlee County’s unemployment rate also dropped two-tenths of a point in December to 2.5 percent. Greenlee has had the lowest jobless rate in the state for four straight years.
The unemployment rate in Cochise County dropped four-tenths of a point in December, to 4.9 percent.
Arizona’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate remained flat at 4.3 percent, while the national unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a point to 4.4 percent.
Job gains were reported in eight economic sectors: Trade, transportation and utilities (up 5,900 jobs); health care and social assistance (up 2,900 jobs); leisure and hospitality (up 2,600 jobs); financial activities (up 2,000 jobs); construction (up 1,200 jobs); professional and business services (up 300 jobs); information (up 300 jobs); and natural resources and mining (up 200 jobs).
Reporting job losses were: government (down 7,000 jobs), manufacturing (down 1,400 jobs) and private educational services (down 900 jobs).
