By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
Arizona’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 3.3% in June, down from 3.4% in May, according to the latest report published by the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.
The national unemployment rate increased over the month, rising to 4.1% from 4.0%. Last June, Arizona had a seasonally adjusted rate of 3.8%. The national rate was 3.6%.
The Arizona Construction sector added 400 jobs over the month.
Arizona had a not-seasonally adjusted loss of 46,300 in nonfarm employment jobs month-over-month. “Prior to the pandemic (2010-2019), NSA nonfarm employment lost 51,600 jobs on average in June,” the report states.
The private sector lost 12,300 jobs over the month, led by Professional & Business Services losing 5,000 and Private Educational Services falling by 4,600. Government lost 34,000, mostly in the Local Government Education subsector, which accounted for 24,400.
Of the 12 sectors tracked, only five reported gains over the month. The top two sectors showing increases were Financial Activities, which added 2,400 and Construction’s addition of 400.
The Other Services sector was unchanged.
Year-over-year, nine of the 11 sectors reported gains, including Construction’s addition of 1,200 jobs and Natural Resources & Mining’s increase of 900.
Construction Employment
Statewide construction employment totals 215,900 jobs. In June 2023, the sector reported 214,700.
The Arizona Construction sector features three major segments: Buildings, Heavy, and Specialty Trades. There are currently 47,300 jobs in Buildings, which is up 600 from May and up 2,200 from June 2023. Heavy Construction was unchanged in June with 25,100 but added 100 over the year. Specialty Trades fell 200 over the month for a total of 143,500, and the segment dropped 1,100 year-over-year.
Construction jobs in the Phoenix Metro Area (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale) added 100 over the month for a total of 170,600. The June 2023 number was 171,300. Metro Tucson gained 100 construction jobs over the month at 21,000, which is an increase of 600 year-over-year.
Yuma, Flagstaff, Prescott, Lake Havasu City-Kingman and Sierra Vista-Douglas combine Mining and Construction jobs in reporting their job sector totals. Yuma added 100 for a total of 3,800. Flagstaff was unchanged at 3,100. Prescott added 100, coming in at 7,300. Lake Havasu City-Kingman was flat at 4,700, and Sierra Vista-Douglas added 100, reaching 2,200.