PRESS RELEASE: October 6, 2011
Dr. Robert Carreira
Director, Center for Economic Research
Cochise College
901 N. Colombo Ave.
Sierra Vista, AZ 85635
According to figures released by the Arizona Office of Employment and Population Statistics, Cochise County gained 525 nonfarm jobs in August. In the 12 months ended in August, the county saw a net gain of 75 jobs, for a 12-month job growth rate of 0.2 percent. The year-over-year job growth is the first in nearly 3 years. The last month to see positive year-over-year growth was December 2008.
Countywide, 50 private sector jobs were lost and 575 government jobs were gained in August. Since August 2010, Cochise County has seen a net loss of 475 private-sector jobs for a 12-month job growth rate of -1.9 percent, and a gain of 550 government jobs for job growth of 4.6 percent.
Within the private sector, Cochise County's goods-producing subsector, which includes manufacturing and construction, stabilized at July employment levels in August. Both construction and manufacturing jobs stabilized.
Since August 2010, the county's goods-producing subsector has seen a net loss of 50 jobs for job growth of -2.3 percent. All of the year-over-year jobs losses were in the construction industry, which lost 50 jobs for job growth of -3.3 percent. Manufacturing jobs stabilized over the same period.
The county's private service-providing subsector lost 50 jobs in August. Within this subsector, trade, transportation, and utilities; the information industry; and educational and health services each lost 25 jobs. The educational and health services industry does not include public education jobs such as those in the public school districts and Cochise College, which are classified as state and local government jobs. Professional and business services, financial activities, and other services each stabilized at July employment levels in August. Leisure and hospitality gained 25 jobs in August.
In the 12 months ended in August, the county's private service-providing subsector saw a net loss of 425 jobs for job growth of -1.9 percent. Within this subsector, professional and business services lost 150 jobs for job growth of -2.7 percent. A portion of the job losses in this industry can be explained by the conversion of defense contracting positions at Fort Huachuca to government civil servant positions. This transfers jobs from the professional and business services industry to the federal government.
Also within the county's private service-providing subsector, leisure and hospitality lost 100 jobs in the 12 months ended in August for a job growth rate of -2.5 percent. Educational and health services also lost 100 jobs for a job growth rate of -2.3 percent. Information declined by 75 jobs for 12-month job growth of -12 percent. Other services declined by 25 jobs for -2.8 percent job growth. The number of financial activities jobs stabilized in the 12 months ended in August. The only private sector industry to see positive job growth was trade, transportation, and utilities, which gained 25 jobs for a 12-month job growth rate of 0.4 percent.
Within the government sector, federal government jobs stabilized in August, while state and local government gained 575 jobs. In the 12 months ended in August, Cochise County saw a gain of 125 state and local government jobs for job growth of 1.9 percent, and a gain of 425 federal government jobs for a 12-month job growth rate of 7.7 percent.
Nonfarm job data for Cochise County do not include active duty military personnel, but do include Fort Huachuca's civilian workers and government contractors.
According to OEPS estimates, adjusted for seasonality by the Cochise College Center for Economic Research, Cochise County's unemployment rate in August was 8.5 percent, up from 8.3 percent in July but down from 8.6 percent in August last year. City-level seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for August were: Benson, 14.7 percent; Bisbee, 9.3 percent; Douglas, 12.8 percent; Huachuca City, 12.1 percent; Sierra Vista, 5.1 percent; Tombstone, 5.8 percent; and Willcox, 12.7 percent.
OEPS unadjusted unemployment estimates for the cities in Cochise County are based on a model that pegs city employment to county-level employment based on data from Census 2000. The model does not pick up changes at the city level since 2000 that differ from county-level trends. CER research based on more recent data from the Census Bureau's 2005-2009 American Community Survey suggests the unemployment rates in Benson, Douglas, Huachuca City, and Willcox are lower than reported by OEPS, while rates in Bisbee, Sierra Vista, and Tombstone are higher.
Statewide, the unemployment rate in August decreased from 9.4 to 9.3 percent. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate stabilized at 9.1 percent in August.
Dr. Robert Carreira is director of the Center for Economic Research at Cochise College. If you have any questions on the economy, please contact the CER at (520) 515-5486 or by email at cer@cochise.edu. Check out the CER's website at www.cochise.edu/cer.
| UNEMPLOYMENT RATES | |||
| | August 2011 | July 2011 | August 2010 |
| United States | 9.1% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Arizona | 9.3% | 9.4% | 9.9% |
| Cochise County | 8.5% | 8.3% | 8.6% |
| Benson | 14.7% | 14.2% | 14.9% |
| Bisbee | 9.3% | 9.0% | 9.5% |
| Douglas | 12.8% | 12.4% | 13.0% |
| Huachuca City | 12.1% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| Sierra Vista | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.2% |
| Tombstone | 5.8% | 5.5% | 5.9% |
| Willcox | 12.7% | 12.3% | 12.9% |
| Note. Rates are seasonally adjusted. Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Arizona Office of Employment and Population Statistics, and Cochise College Center for Economic Research | |||
| | August 2011 | July 2011 | 1-Month Change | August 2010 | 12-Month Change | 12-Month Job Growth Rate |
| Total Non-farm Jobs | 36,500 | 35,975 | 525 | 36,425 | 75 | 0.2% |
| Total Private Sector Jobs | 23,975 | 24,025 | -50 | 24,450 | -475 | -1.9% |
| Goods Producing Jobs | 2,100 | 2,100 | 0 | 2,150 | -50 | -2.3% |
| Construction* | 1,475 | 1,475 | 0 | 1,525 | -50 | -3.3% |
| Manufacturing | 625 | 625 | 0 | 625 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Service Providing Jobs | 34,400 | 33,875 | 525 | 34,275 | 125 | 0.4% |
| Private Service Providing Jobs | 21,875 | 21,925 | -50 | 22,300 | -425 | -1.9% |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 6,075 | 6,100 | -25 | 6,050 | 25 | 0.4% |
| Information | 550 | 575 | -25 | 625 | -75 | -12.0% |
| Financial Activities | 925 | 925 | 0 | 925 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Professional and Business Services | 5,375 | 5,375 | 0 | 5,525 | -150 | -2.7% |
| Educational and Health Services | 4,225 | 4,250 | -25 | 4,325 | -100 | -2.3% |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 3,850 | 3,825 | 25 | 3,950 | -100 | -2.5% |
| Other Services | 875 | 875 | 0 | 900 | -25 | -2.8% |
| Government Jobs | 12,525 | 11,950 | 575 | 11,975 | 550 | 4.6% |
| Federal Government | 5,950 | 5,950 | 0 | 5,525 | 425 | 7.7% |
| State and Local Government | 6,575 | 6,000 | 575 | 6,450 | 125 | 1.9% |
| * Includes mining Note. Discrepancies due to rounding Source: Arizona Office of Employment and Population Statistics and Cochise College Center for Economic Research | ||||||
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