Counties with the highest unemployment in Arizona
While today's unemployment rates are significantly lower than the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains as workers stare down an uncertain economic future.
Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Arizona using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in March 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.
Experts have mixed views of a potential recession. The return of student loan payments, continually high gas prices, persistent inflation, and insurance price escalations are just a few of the factors that could limit consumer spending and potentially prompt another recession.
The last economic recession before the pandemic—the Great Recession of 2007-09—sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.
But as of April 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.9%—up slightly from the previous month. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2% in North Dakota to 5.3% in California.
Read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Arizona.
#15. Greenlee County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,779 people (101 unemployed)
#14. Graham County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,191 people (434 unemployed)
#13. Maricopa County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2.5 million people (62,852 unemployed)
#12. Yavapai County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 110,582 people (2,971 unemployed)
#11. Pima County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 499,871 people (14,098 unemployed)
#10. Coconino County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 75,831 people (2,305 unemployed)
#9. Gila County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,403 people (632 unemployed)
#8. Pinal County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 208,189 people (6,647 unemployed)
#7. Cochise County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 50,154 people (1,687 unemployed)
#6. La Paz County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,494 people (345 unemployed)
#5. Mohave County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 90,464 people (3,217 unemployed)
#4. Navajo County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 40,182 people (1,795 unemployed)
#3. Santa Cruz County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 2.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,610 people (950 unemployed)
#2. Apache County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,956 people (1,062 unemployed)
#1. Yuma County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 96,076 people (8,123 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
