PHOENIX — Both Greenlee and Graham counties saw a decline in jobless claims in December, the second month in a row that unemployment in the region has dipped.
That’s according to data released Thursday by the Arizona Commerce Authority.
The jobless rate in Greenlee County decreased one-tenth of a point in December, to 2.4 percent. It’s the fourth month in a row unemployment has been under 3 percent in Greenlee, and the 25th consecutive month Greenlee has had the lowest unemployment in the state.
Graham County’s jobless rate dropped two-tenths of a percentage point, to 3.4 percent in December. Graham has the fourth-lowest rate in the state, behind Greenlee, and Yavapai and Maricopa both at 3.3 percent.
The unemployment rate in nearby Cochise County decreased three-tenths of a point in December, to 4.3 percent.
Statewide, the seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate remained flat in November, at 4.3 percent, which is three-tenths of point higher than the same time last year. The national rate also remained flat, at 3.7 percent.
Job gains were reported in four economic sectors: Financial activities (up 3,800 jobs); trade, transportation and utilities (up 3,300 jobs); private education and health services (up 2,500 jobs); and manufacturing (up 100 jobs).
Reporting job losses were: Government (down 2,100 jobs), construction (down 600 jobs) and information (down 100 jobs).
The economic sectors of professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and natural resources and mining reported neither job gains or losses.
