By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
The Arizona Construction sector gained 2,000 jobs in March, according to the latest report published by the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.
Arizona’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 4.1%. The February rate was 3.9%.
The national unemployment rate rose to 4.2%, up from 4.1%. In March 2024, Arizona had a seasonally adjusted rate of 3.3%. The national rate was 3.9%.
Arizona had a not-seasonally adjusted gain of 3,800 nonfarm employment jobs month-over-month. “Prior to the pandemic (2010-2019), NSA nonfarm employment gained 10,800 jobs on average in March,” the report states.
Year-over-year results showed a seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment decrease in the labor force of 16,400 jobs, or 0.5%.
The private sector gained 4,200 jobs, led by Leisure & Hospitality, which added 3,300 jobs, and Health Care and Social Assistance, which increased by 3,000. Construction’s 2,000 job gain ranked third.
The 12 sectors tracked showed six with gains and six with losses. Trade, Transportation & Utilities shed 5,100. Financial Activities fell by 600, and Government decreased by 400 jobs.
Year-over-year, four of the 12 sectors reported gains, led by Health Care and Social Assistance’s addition of 16,000. The sectors with losses were led by Professional & Business Services’ shedding of 10,100 jobs, Trade, Transportation & Utilities’ decrease of 9,500 and Construction’s loss of 6,100.
Construction Employment
Statewide construction employment totals 224,000 jobs. In March 2024, the sector reported 230,100.
The Arizona Construction sector features three major segments: Buildings, Heavy, and Specialty Trades. There are currently 51,900 jobs in Buildings, which is down 300 from February and up 2,900 from March 2024. Heavy Construction gained 100 for the month at 26,000 and lost 900 over the year. Specialty Trades added 2,200 over the month for a total of 146,100, and the segment lost 8,100 year-over-year.
Construction jobs in the Phoenix Metro Area (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale) added 1,800 over the month for a total of 179,600. The March 2024 number was 183,900. Metro Tucson added 100 over the month to hit 20,400, which is a loss of 1,200 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 added 100, finishing at 4,000; as did Flagstaff, to rise to 3,100. Prescott-Prescott Valley was unchanged at 7,000. Lake Havasu City-Kingman and Sierra Vista-Douglas were also unchanged, finishing the month with 4,500 and 2,100, respectively.