By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
Following months of losses, the Arizona Construction sector added 2,900 jobs in August, according to the latest report published by the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.
The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 4.1%.
The national unemployment rate rose to 4.3%, up from 4.2% in July. In August 2024, Arizona had a seasonally adjusted rate of 3.7%. The national rate was 4.2%.
Arizona had a not-seasonally adjusted increase of 42,100 nonfarm employment jobs month-over-month. “Prior to the pandemic (2010-2019), private sector employment averaged a gain of 18,400 jobs in August,” the report states.
Year-over-year results showed a seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increase of 38,500 people, or 1.2%.
The private sector gained 18,400 jobs, led by Health Care and Social Assistance, up 5,300 jobs, and Professional & Business Services, which gained 4,700. Government led gaining sectors, adding 23,400, mostly in Local Government Education. Government’s gain is still significantly smaller than the pre-pandemic average of 35,600.
Of the 12 sectors tracked, nine reported increases. Construction’s addition of 2,900 placed it fourth among gaining sectors overall and third in the private employment category.
The two sectors showing losses were Information and Leisure & Hospitality, which lost 100 each. The Other Services sector was unchanged.
Year-over-year, eight of the 12 sectors reported gains, led by an addition of 23,500 in Health Care and Social Assistance. Construction was third with 4,800.
The sectors with losses were led by Government’s dropping 5,200.
Construction Employment
Statewide construction employment totals 228,700 jobs. In August 2024, the sector reported 223,900.
The Arizona Construction sector features three major segments: Buildings, Heavy, and Specialty Trades. There are currently 55,100 jobs in Buildings, which is up 1,500 from July and up 5,800 from August 2024. Heavy Construction gained 200 for the month at 26,100 and was up 100 for the year. Specialty Trades added 1,200 over the month for a total of 147,500, and the segment lost 1,100 year-over-year.
Construction jobs in the Phoenix Metro Area (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale) increased by 2,700 over the month for a total of 183,300. The August 2024 number was 179,600. Metro Tucson gained 100 in the month to hit 20,400, which is a loss of 500 year-over-year.
Yuma, Flagstaff, Prescott-Prescott Valley, Lake Havasu City-Kingman and Sierra Vista-Douglas combine Mining and Construction jobs in reporting their job sector totals. For the second consecutive month, all five were unchanged. Yuma reported 4,100, while Flagstaff had 3,100. Prescott-Prescott Valley had 7,200; Lake Havasu City-Kingman, 4,600, and Sierra Vista-Douglas reported 2,100.