By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
The Arizona Construction sector lost 1,700 jobs in May, according to the latest report published by the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.
Arizona’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 4.1%.
The national unemployment rate was also unchanged from April, holding at 4.2%. In May 2024, Arizona had a seasonally adjusted rate of 3.4%. The national rate was 4.0%.
Arizona had a not-seasonally adjusted loss of 19,300 nonfarm employment jobs month-over-month. “Prior to the pandemic (2010-2019), NSA nonfarm employment lost 6,700 jobs on average in May,” the report states.
Year-over-year results showed a seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increase of 18,300 people, or 0.6%.
The private sector lost 12,100 jobs, led by Professional & Business Services and Private Educational Services, which both lost 4,100 jobs. Construction’s 1,700 loss ranked fifth. Government lost 7,200 jobs.
The 12 sectors tracked showed only three with gains: Health Care and Social Assistance, 2,300 jobs; Financial Activities, 500 jobs, and Natural Resources & Mining, 100 jobs.
Year-over-year, seven of the 12 sectors reported gains, led by Health Care and Social Assistance’s addition of 23,000. The sectors with losses were led by Trade, Transportation & Utilities dropping 5,500. Construction had the fewest lost jobs among those finishing down YoY, with a decrease of 200.
Construction Employment
Statewide construction employment totals 224,100 jobs. In May 2024, the sector reported 224,300.
The Arizona Construction sector features three major segments: Buildings, Heavy, and Specialty Trades. There are currently 52,500 jobs in Buildings, which is down 400 from April and up 3,900 from May 2024. Heavy Construction lost 300 for the month at 26,000 and 200 over the year. Specialty Trades dipped 1,000 over the month for a total of 145,600, and the segment lost 4,300 year-over-year.
Construction jobs in the Phoenix Metro Area (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale) fell 2,200 over the month for a total of 179,400. The May 2024 number was 180,100. Metro Tucson dropped 300 over the month to hit 20,400, which is a loss of 200 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. Yuma dropped 100 to 3,900. Flagstaff added 100, coming in at 3,100. Prescott-Prescott Valley also gained 100, finishing with 7,100, as did Lake Havasu City-Kingman at 4,600. Sierra Vista-Douglas was unchanged, finishing the month with 2,100.