PHOENIX — Graham and Greenlee counties finished 2021 with six straight months of declines in unemployment.
Jobless claims in both Graham and Greenlee counties were at 2.2 percent in December, according to data released Thursday by the Arizona Commerce Authority.
Graham County’s jobless rate fell three-tenths of a point from November, to match Greenlee County for the lowest unemployment in the state.
The jobless rate in Greenlee County fell four-tenths of a point from November.
Nearby Cochise County also dropped four-tenths of a point, to 2.8 percent unemployment in December.
Statewide, the seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate fell six-tenths of a point in December to 4.1 percent; remaining well below the same time last year, when Arizona’s unemployment rate was at 6.8 percent. The national rate fell four-tenths of a point in December to 2.8 percent.
Reporting job gains in December were: trade, transportation and utilities (up 5,600 jobs); professional and business services (up 4,400 jobs); education and health services (up 3,200 jobs); leisure and hospitality (up 2,500 jobs); construction (up 700 jobs); information (up 600 jobs); and manufacturing (up 400 jobs).
Reporting job losses in December were: natural resources and mining (down 100 jobs); financial activities (down 700 jobs); and government (down 2,800 jobs).