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 February 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 are mixed in their 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 March 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.8%—down 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): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,774 people (136 unemployed)
#14. Maricopa County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2.5 million people (79,901 unemployed)
#13. Graham County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,154 people (565 unemployed)
#12. Yavapai County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 110,347 people (3,843 unemployed)
#11. Pima County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 499,898 people (18,116 unemployed)
#10. Pinal County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 208,170 people (8,329 unemployed)
#9. Coconino County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 75,832 people (3,096 unemployed)
#8. Gila County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,232 people (848 unemployed)
#7. Cochise County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 50,217 people (2,169 unemployed)
#6. La Paz County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,361 people (423 unemployed)
#5. Mohave County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 90,768 people (4,055 unemployed)
#4. Navajo County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 40,093 people (2,251 unemployed)
#3. Santa Cruz County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,660 people (1,159 unemployed)
#2. Apache County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,039 people (1,330 unemployed)
#1. Yuma County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 9.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 95,847 people (9,326 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
