Labor market

• The number of nonfarm jobs in Cochise County was down by 400 (-1.1%) in the 12 months ended May 2025, according to data from Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity. The private sector lost 500 jobs (-2.1%) while the number of government jobs overall was up by 100 (0.9%). Within government, combined state and local government jobs increased by 100 (1.6%) while the number of federal jobs was unchanged in the 12 months ended May.
• Within Cochise County’s private sector, the number of goods-producing jobs held steady in the 12 months ending in May with the gain of 100 manufacturing jobs (12.5%) offset by the loss of 100 jobs in construction and mining (-4.5%).
• Countywide private-sector, service-providing job numbers were down by 500 (-2.3%) from May 2024 to May 2025. Within private sector services, gains of 100 jobs in educational and health services (2.0%), 100 in the information industry (25.0%), and 100 in other services (14.3%) were more than offset by the loss of 500 professional and business services jobs (-12.2%) and 300 jobs in leisure and hospitality (-8.1%). Job numbers were unchanged in trade, transportation, and utilities, along with financial activities, in the 12 months ending in May. 
• In month-to-month comparisons, Cochise County job numbers were unchanged from April to May this year. Job numbers across all industries and levels of government held steady from April to May.

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

• Cochise County’s unadjusted unemployment rate in May 2025 was 5.0%, up from 4.2% in April 2025 and 3.9% in May a year ago.
• At the state level, Arizona’s unadjusted unemployment rate in May was 4.1%, up from 3.5% in April this year and 3.3% in May 2024. 
• The U.S. unadjusted unemployment rate in May was 4.0%, up from 3.9% in April and 3.7% in May 2024.
• Cochise County city and town unemployment rates in May 2025 were: 
  • Benson, 6.1%, up from 5.2% in April 2025 and 4.8% in May 2024.
  • Bisbee, 7.0%, up from 5.9% in April this year and 5.5% in May a year ago.
  • Douglas, 7.8%, up from 6.7% in April and 6.2% a year prior. 
  • Huachuca City, 8.5%, up from 7.2% in April and 6.7% in May last year.
  • Sierra Vista, 4.6%, up from 3.6% in both April this year and May 2024.
  • Tombstone, 0.4%, the same level as April 2025 and May a year ago.
  • Willcox, 9.1%, up from 7.7% in April and 7.2% in May last year. 

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