Labor market

• In April 2026, Cochise County's Total Nonfarm employment was 33,500, a decrease of 3.2% compared to April 2025 (34,600). Over the first four months of 2026, employment in this category has gradually increased from 33,000 in January to 33,500 in April, but remains below the same period in 2025, when January started at 34,800 and peaked at 35,100 in March.
• For Total Private employment, Cochise County recorded 23,400 jobs in April 2026, down 2.1% from 23,900 in April 2025. From January to April 2026, private employment rose from 22,900 to 23,400, but this is still lower than the January-April 2025 range of 24,000 to 24,400.
• The Service-Providing sector in Cochise County was 30,800 in April 2026, a decline of 3.4% from 31,900 in April 2025. Goods Producing jobs remained steady at 2,700 in both April 2026 and April 2025 (0.0% change).
• Within services, Trade, Transportation, and Utilities in Cochise County increased to 6,600 in April 2026, up 3.1% from 6,400 in April 2025. Information jobs dropped sharply to 700 in April 2026, a decline of 36.4% from 1,100 in April 2025. Financial Activities held steady at 1,000 in both April 2026 and April 2025 (0.0%). Professional and Business Services was 3,500 in April 2026, down 5.4% from 3,700 in April 2025. Private Education and Health Services remained unchanged at 4,700 in both periods (0.0%). Leisure and Hospitality was 3,400 in April 2026, a decrease of 5.6% from 3,600 in April 2025.
• On the public side, Cochise County's Government employment totaled 10,100 in April 2026, down 5.6% from 10,700 in April 2025. Federal Government jobs were 3,800 in April 2026, a decrease of 11.6% from 4,300 in April 2025, while State and Local Government was 6,300 in April 2026, down 1.6% from 6,400 in April 2025.
• Overall, the data for January through April 2026 in Cochise County show broad year-over-year declines in most sectors compared to the same months in 2025, with the exception of Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which saw modest growth. The largest declines in Cochise County during this period were in Information, Federal Government, Professional and Business Services, and Leisure and Hospitality, while Goods Producing, Financial Activities, and Private Education and Health Services remained stable.

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

• Cochise County’s unadjusted unemployment rate in March 2026 was 5.7%, down from 6.1% in February 2026 but up from 4.8% in March a year prior. 
• At the state level, Arizona’s unadjusted unemployment rate in March was 4.4%, down from 4.7% in February 2026 but up from 3.9% in March 2025. 
• The U.S. unadjusted unemployment rate in March was 4.3%, down from 4.7% in February but up from 4.2% in March 2025.
• Cochise County city and town unadjusted unemployment rates in March 2026 were: 
  • Benson, 6.9%, down from 7.4% in February 2026 but up from 6.0% in March 2025.
  • Bisbee, 7.8%, down from 8.4% in February 2026 but up from 6.8% in March a year prior.
  • Douglas, 8.8%, down from 9.4% in February but up from 7.6% in March 2025. 
  • Huachuca City, 9.5%, down from 10.2% in February but up from 8.2% in March a year ago.
  • Sierra Vista, 5.6%, down from 5.9% in February 2026 but up from 4.3% in March 2025.
  • Tombstone, 0.4%, the same level as both February 2026 and March 2025.
  • Willcox, 10.1%, down from 10.8% in February but up from 8.8% in March 2025.

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