Labor market

• The number of nonfarm jobs in Cochise County was up by 300 (0.9 percent) in the 12 months ended October 2024. The private sector gained 200 jobs (0.8 percent) while the government sector grew by 100 jobs (0.9 percent). Within government, the state and local levels added a combined 100 jobs (1.6 percent) while countywide federal job numbers held steady.
• Within Cochise County’s private sector, goods-producing jobs were up by 200 (6.9 percent) over the year, all of which were in construction and mining (10.0 percent). Manufacturing job numbers were unchanged in the 12 months ended October 2024.
• Countywide private-sector, service-providing job numbers stabilized overall from October 2023 to October 2024. Within private-sector services, the gain of 200 educational and health services jobs (4.2 percent) and 100 leisure and hospitality jobs (2.5 percent) were offset by the loss of 200 professional and business services jobs (-5.3 percent) and 100 jobs in the information industry (-25.0 percent). Job numbers were unchanged in trade, transportation, and utilities; financial activities; and other services in the 12 months ended October.
• In month-to-month comparisons, Cochise County added 200 jobs from September to October 2024 with the addition of 100 construction and mining jobs, 100 educational and health services jobs, and 100 jobs in leisure and hospitality partly offset by the loss of 100 federal government jobs. All other private-sector industries (manufacturing; trade, transportation, and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services; and other services), along with state and local governments, saw job numbers unchanged from September to October.

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

• Cochise County’s unadjusted unemployment rate in October 2024 was 4.2 percent, down from 4.3 percent in September this year and 4.7 percent in October a year ago, according to data from Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.
• At the state level, Arizona’s unadjusted unemployment rate in October was 3.8 percent, down from 3.9 percent in September and 4.2 percent in October a year prior. 
• The U.S. unadjusted unemployment rate in October was 3.9 percent, unchanged from September 2024 but up from 3.6 percent in October 2023.

Cochise County city and town unemployment rates for October 2024 were:

• Benson, 4.8 percent, down from 5.0 percent in September 2024 and 5.5 percent in October 2023.
• Bisbee, 2.6 percent, down from 2.7 percent in September this year and 3.0 percent in October last year.
• Douglas, 7.5 percent, down from 7.8 percent in September and 8.5 percent in October a year ago.
• Huachuca City, 7.0 percent, down from 7.1 percent in September this year and 7.8 percent in October 2023.
• Sierra Vista, 3.8 percent, down from 4.0 percent in September and 4.2 percent in October a year prior.
• Tombstone, 1.8 percent, the same as September this year but down from 2.0 percent in October last year.
• Willcox, 10.8 percent, down from 11.1 percent in September 2024 and 12.1 percent in October 2023.

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