PRESS RELEASE: February 2, 2012
Dr. Robert Carreira
Director, Center for Economic Research
Cochise College
901 N. Colombo Ave.
Sierra Vista, AZ 85635
Phone: 520-515-5486
Email: cer@cochise.edu
County unemployment continues to drop
According to figures released by the Arizona Office of Employment and Population Statistics, adjusted for seasonality by the Cochise College Center for Economic Research, Cochise County's unemployment rate in December declined from 8.1 to 8 percent, its lowest level since November 2009.
Statewide, the unemployment rate in December stabilized at 8.7 percent. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, national unemployment dropped from 8.7 to 8.5 percent, its lowest level since February 2009.
City-level seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for December were: Benson, 14.1 percent; Bisbee, 8.9 percent; Douglas, 12.3 percent; Huachuca City, 11.6 percent; Sierra Vista, 4.9 percent; Tombstone, 5.5 percent; and Willcox, 12.2 percent.
OEPS unadjusted 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 2006-2010 American Community Survey suggests unemployment rates in Benson, Douglas, Huachuca City, and Willcox are lower than estimated by OEPS, while rates in Bisbee, Sierra Vista, and Tombstone are higher.
According to OEPS figures, Cochise County lost a net 75 nonfarm jobs in December, all of which were in state and local government. The number of federal government jobs, and net jobs in the private sector, stabilized at November levels in December.
The number of jobs countywide was up by 125 in the 12 months ended in December for job growth of 0.3 percent. Private sector jobs were up by 275 in the 12 months ended in December, for job growth of 1.1 percent. Government jobs were down by 150 for a rate of -1.2 percent. Federal government saw a gain of 25 jobs in the 12 months ended in December for job growth of 0.4 percent, while state and local government shed 175 jobs for growth of -2.5 percent.
Within the private sector, Cochise County's goods-producing subsector, which includes manufacturing and construction, stabilized at November employment levels in December. Both manufacturing and construction jobs stabilized. Manufacturing and construction job numbers also stabilized in the 12 months ended in December.
The number of jobs in the county's private service-providing subsector stabilized from November to December. Within this subsector, the trade, transportation, and utilities industry grouping gained 50 jobs. The information industry and financial activities each lost 25 jobs. Educational and health services, professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and other services each stabilized at November employment levels in December. 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 state and local government jobs.
In the 12 months ended in December, the county's private service-providing subsector saw a net gain of 275 jobs for job growth of 1.2 percent. Within this subsector, professional and business services gained 175 jobs for job growth of 3.3 percent. Trade, transportation, and utilities gained 125 jobs for a 12-month job growth rate of 2 percent. Leisure and hospitality gained 50 jobs for a job growth rate of 1.3 percent. Information declined by 75 jobs for job growth of -12 percent. Financial activities, educational and health services, and other services jobs stabilized in the 12 months ended in December.
Nonfarm job numbers for Cochise County do not include active duty military personnel, but do include Fort Huachuca's civilian workers and government contractors. The calculation of the unemployment rate includes active duty military personnel, as well as agricultural workers.
For 2011, annual unemployment in Cochise County was 8.5 percent, up from 8.4 percent in 2010. The higher annual rate was due to higher monthly rates in the first half of 2011. For the year, Cochise County lost 350 jobs for annual job growth -0.9 percent.
Arizona's annual unemployment rate for 2011 was 9.2 percent, down from 9.9 percent in 2010. National annual unemployment last year was 9 percent, down from 9.6 percent in 2010.
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 (%) | |||
| | December 2011 | November 2011 | December 2010 |
| United States | 8.5 | 8.7 | 9.4 |
| Arizona | 8.7 | 8.7 | 9.6 |
| Cochise County | 8.0 | 8.1 | 8.2 |
| Benson | 14.1 | 14.0 | 14.2 |
| Bisbee | 8.9 | 8.9 | 9.0 |
| Douglas | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.4 |
| Huachuca City | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.7 |
| Sierra Vista | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| Tombstone | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| Willcox | 12.2 | 12.2 | 12.3 |
| 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 | |||
| | December 2011 | November 2011 | 1-Month Change | December 2010 | 12-Month Change | 12-Month Job Growth Rate |
| Total Non-farm Jobs | 37,325 | 37,400 | -75 | 37,200 | 125 | 0.3% |
| Total Private Sector Jobs | 24,600 | 24,600 | 0 | 24,325 | 275 | 1.1% |
| Goods Producing Jobs | 2,125 | 2,125 | 0 | 2,125 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Construction* | 1,500 | 1,500 | 0 | 1,500 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Manufacturing | 625 | 625 | 0 | 625 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Service Providing Jobs | 35,200 | 35,275 | -75 | 35,075 | 125 | 0.4% |
| Private Service Providing Jobs | 22,475 | 22,475 | 0 | 22,200 | 275 | 1.2% |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 6,375 | 6,325 | 50 | 6,250 | 125 | 2.0% |
| Information | 550 | 575 | -25 | 625 | -75 | -12.0% |
| Financial Activities | 900 | 925 | -25 | 900 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Professional and Business Services | 5,550 | 5,550 | 0 | 5,375 | 175 | 3.3% |
| Educational and Health Services | 4,325 | 4,325 | 0 | 4,325 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 3,900 | 3,900 | 0 | 3,850 | 50 | 1.3% |
| Other Services | 875 | 875 | 0 | 875 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Government Jobs | 12,725 | 12,800 | -75 | 12,875 | -150 | -1.2% |
| Federal Government | 5,875 | 5,875 | 0 | 5,850 | 25 | 0.4% |
| State and Local Government | 6,850 | 6,925 | -75 | 7,025 | -175 | -2.5% |
| * 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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