PHOENIX — For the second month in a row, the unemployment rate dropped in Greenlee County.
That’s according to data released Thursday by the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.
Greenlee County’s jobless rate decreased two-tenths of a percentage point in August, to 3.6 percent. Greenlee remains the only county in the state with a jobless rate under 4 percent, and one of only two under 5 percent.
August marks the 55th month in a row that Greenlee had the state’s lowest unemployment.
The unemployment rate in Graham County also dropped two-tenths of a point in August, to 5 percent. Graham is tied with Gila County for third lowest jobless rate in the state, behind Greenlee and Maricopa County at 4.8 percent.
The unemployment rate in Cochise County dropped one-tenth of a point in August, to 6.8 percent.
Arizona’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate increased remained flat in August, at 4.9 percent, while the national unemployment held 4.1 percent.
Job gains were reported in nine economic sectors: Government (up 24,500 jobs), private educational services (up 2,800 jobs), health care and social assistance (up 2,600 jobs), construction (up 2,200 jobs), professional and business services (up 2,100 jobs), manufacturing (up 900 jobs), leisure and hospitality (up 500 jobs), natural resources and mining (up 100 jobs), and information (up 100 jobs).
Reporting job losses were trade, transportation and utilities (down 700 jobs); and financial activities (down 400 jobs).
