PHOENIX — 2021 is proving to be a good year for Graham County thus far when it comes to people without a job.
Unemployment dropped for the fourth month in a row in Graham County, going from 5.4 percent in March to 5.2 percent in April, the lowest unemployment rate in the state.
That’s according to data released Thursday by the Arizona Commerce Authority, which also showed Greenlee County holding steady from March at 5.4 percent unemployment in April.
April marks the first time in better than a year that Graham County had a lower unemployment rate than Greenlee.
Yavapai County is right behind Greenlee, at 5.5 percent unemployment, while Cochise County increased one-tenth of a point to 6 percent unemployment in April.
Statewide, the seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate held steady in April at 6.7 percent, which is more than half the rate of April 2020, when unemployment statewide was 14.2 percent. The national rate increased 0.1 point to 6.1 percent.
Five economic sectors reported job gains in April: Leisure and hospitality (up 8,300 jobs); professional and business services (up 2,600 jobs); education and health services (up 1,100 jobs); financial activities (up 1,100 jobs); and construction (up 200 jobs).
Posting job losses were: trade, transportation and utilities (down 3,900 jobs); manufacturing (down 1,200 jobs); natural resources and mining (down 300 jobs); and information (down 100 jobs).
