According to figures released by the Arizona Research Administration, formerly part of the Arizona Department of Commerce and now housed in the governor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting, nonfarm jobs in Cochise County stabilized at January levels in February. In the 12 months ended in February, Cochise County saw a net loss of 475 jobs for a 12-month job growth rate of -1.3 percent.
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Since February 2010, the county’s goods-producing subsector has seen a net loss of 25 jobs for job growth of -1.2 percent. The construction industry lost 125 jobs in the 12 months ended in February for job growth of -7.9 percent. Manufacturing gained 100 jobs over the same period for job growth of 19 percent.
Job numbers in the county’s private service-providing subsector stabilized at January levels in February. Within this subsector, the industry grouping of trade, transportation, and utilities lost 75 jobs while educational and health services 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). These job losses were offset by the gain of 50 financial activities jobs and 50 professional and business services jobs. Leisure and hospitality, information, and other services each stabilized at January employment levels in February.
In the 12 months ended in February, Cochise County’s private service-providing subsector saw a net loss of 850 jobs for 12-month job growth of -3.7 percent. Professional and business services lost 325 jobs for job growth of -5.7 percent. A portion of the job losses in this industry can be explained by the conversion of many 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.
Leisure and hospitality also lost 325 jobs in the 12 months ended in February for job growth of -7.9 percent. Trade, transportation, and utilities lost 100 jobs in the 12 months ended in February for job growth of -1.6 percent. The number of educational and health services jobs declined by 75 in the 12 months ended in February for job growth of -1.7 percent. Information declined by 25 jobs for a 12-month job growth rate of -3.8 percent. Financial activities and other services jobs stabilized in the 12 months ended in February.
February saw a net gain of 50 government jobs in Cochise County, which includes a gain of 75 state and local government jobs, partially offset by the loss of 25 federal government jobs. In the 12 months ended in February, Cochise County saw a net gain of 400 government jobs for a 12-month job-growth rate of 3.2 percent. This reflects the loss of 225 state and local government jobs for job growth of -3.1 percent, more than offset by the gain of 625 federal government jobs for a 12-month job growth rate of 12 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.
Statewide, the unemployment rate in February stabilized at 9.6 percent. This was down from 10.2 percent in February 2010. Seasonally adjusted rates for Cochise County have not yet been published. Cochise County’s unadjusted unemployment rate in February was 8.9 percent, down from 9.2 percent in January but up from 8.7 percent in February last year. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate dropped from 9 to 8.9 percent in February—its lowest level since April 2009.
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.
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