Labor market

• The number of nonfarm jobs in Cochise County was down by 1,600 or 4.6% in the 12 months ending February 2026 led by the loss of 700 jobs in the government sector (-6.5%), according to data from Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity. Within government, federal jobs were down by 600 (-14.0%) while the combined number of state and local government jobs was down by 100 (-1.5%). 
• The number of jobs in Cochise County’s private sector was down by 900 or 3.8% in the 12 months ended February with the loss of 800 private service-providing jobs (-3.8%) and 100 goods-producing jobs (-3.7%). In the goods-producing sector, all of the job losses were in construction and mining (-4.8%) while the number of manufacturing jobs held steady. 
• Within private-sector services, professional and business services lost 400 jobs (-10.3%), information shed 200 jobs (-22.2%), trade, transportation, and utilities dropped 100 jobs (-1.5%), and leisure and hospitality lost 100 jobs (-2.9%). Job numbers were unchanged in financial activities, educational and health services, and other services in the 12 months ending in February.
• In month-to-month comparisons, the overall number of nonfarm jobs in Cochise County was up by 200 from January to February 2026 with the gain of 100 professional and business services jobs, 100 educational and health services jobs, and 100 jobs in other services, partly offset by the loss of 100 construction and mining jobs. All other industries and all levels of government saw job numbers stabilize from January to February.

 See spreadsheets, below, for monthly and annual Cochise County nonfarm job numbers by industry/sector. 

• Cochise County’s unadjusted unemployment rate in February 2026 was 6.1%, unchanged from January 2026 but up from 4.8% in February a year prior. 
• At the state level, Arizona’s unadjusted unemployment rate in February was 4.7%, down from 4.8% in January 2026 but up from 4.0% in February 2025. 
• The U.S. unadjusted unemployment rate in February was 4.7%, the same as in January but up from 4.5% in February 2025.
• Cochise County city and town unadjusted unemployment rates in February 2026 were: 
  • Benson, 7.4%, unchanged from January 2026 but up from 5.9% in February 2025.
  • Bisbee, 8.4%, the same as in January 2026 but up from 6.7% in February a year prior.
  • Douglas, 9.4%, down from 9.5% in January but up from 7.6% in February 2025. 
  • Huachuca City, 10.2%, unchanged from January but up from 8.1% in February a year ago.
  • Sierra Vista, 5.9%, down from 6.0% in January 2026 but up from 4.3% in February 2025.
  • Tombstone, 0.4%, the same level as both January 2026 and February 2025.
  • Willcox, 10.8%, down from 10.9% in January but up from 8.7% in February 2025.

See spreadsheets, below, for monthly and annual Cochise County, city, and town labor market data (civilian labor force, employment, unemployment & unemployment rate).