According to figures released by the Arizona Department of Commerce, Cochise County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stabilized at 7.1 percent from June to July. Cochise County’s unemployment rate remained the lowest in the state and was considerably below the state and national levels. The statewide unemployment rate in July came in at 9.2 percent, up from 8.7 percent. Nationally, the unemployment rate decreased slightly from 9.5 to 9.4 percent.

According to ADOC estimates, adjusted for seasonality by the Cochise College Center for Economic Research, city level unemployment rates for July were: Benson, 12.3 percent; Bisbee, 7.8 percent; Douglas, 10.7 percent; Huachuca City, 10.2 percent; Sierra Vista, 4.3 percent; Tombstone, 4.8 percent; and Willcox, 10.7 percent. ADOC unemployment estimates for the cities in Cochise County are based on a model that pegs city rates to the county rate 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 focus group discussions throughout the county indicate a likely overestimation of unemployment in Benson and Douglas due to the opening of the Wal-Mart Supercenter and ACT Call Center, respectively, in those cities.

Despite stabilization of the unemployment rate, Cochise County lost 300 nonfarm jobs in July. Compared to July 2008, the number of nonfarm jobs countywide was down by 1,325, for a 12-month job growth rate of -3.5 percent.

The county’s private sector lost 275 jobs in July. Since July last year, the county has lost 1,325 private sector jobs, for job growth of -5.1 percent.

Within the private sector, the number of goods producing jobs—which includes manufacturing and construction—decreased by 50 in July. All of the job losses were in construction. Manufacturing jobs stabilized at June levels. Since July 2008, the county’s goods producing subsector has lost 500 jobs for a 12-month job growth rate of -17.5 percent. The county’s construction industry lost 375 jobs in the 12 months ending in July, for job growth of -17.9 percent. Manufacturing lost 125 jobs over the same period for job growth of -16.7 percent.

The county’s private service providing subsector lost 225 jobs in July. Within this subsector, leisure and hospitality gained 100 jobs. Information, financial activities, and other services each stabilized at June employment levels in July. Trade, transportation, and utilities lost 75 jobs, educational and health services lost 100 jobs, and professional and business services lost 150 jobs.

In the 12 months ending in July, Cochise County’s private service providing subsector lost 825 jobs, for 12-month job growth of -3.6 percent. Trade, transportation, and utilities lost 600 jobs, for job growth of -9.1 percent. Educational and health services lost 350 jobs, for job growth of -8.1 percent. Professional and business services lost 75 jobs for job growth of -1.3 percent. Other services also lost 75 jobs, for job growth of -8.1 percent. Financial activities and information each lost 50 jobs, for job growth of -7.1 and -10.0 percent, respectively. Leisure and hospitality was the only private sector industry to see positive job growth over the past 12 months, with a gain of 375 jobs for job growth of 9.4 percent.

July saw a net loss of 25 government jobs in Cochise County. This included the loss of 100 state and local government jobs, partially offset by a gain of 75 federal government jobs. In the 12 months ending in July, government sector jobs stabilized at 12,225. Federal government jobs increased by 325 for a 12-month job growth rate of 6.5 percent, while state and local government jobs declined by 325 for job growth of -4.5 percent.

Robert Carreira, Ph.D. 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.