Counties with the highest unemployment in Arizona

In November, the national unemployment rate changed very little from October, rising from 4.1% to 4.2%. It's been slightly elevated in recent months compared to levels a year ago—likely a symptom of the Federal Reserve's higher interest rates, which can slow hiring and decrease job openings. It's up from 3.7% the year before, but for comparison, unemployment rates surged to 10% in October 2009 during the Great Recession, and a full recovery took years. At the height of the brief COVID-19 recession in April 2020, unemployment hit 14.7%.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, 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 October 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.

Despite the slight uptick in unemployment, the labor market added 227,000 jobs in November, according to the BLS. 

In the private sector, employment increased by 146,000 jobs, with 50,000 jobs added in education and health services and another 28,000 jobs in trade, transportation, and utilities, according to ADP's National Employment Report. While Sun Belt states saw growth in manufacturing roles, other jobs diminished in the sector across the Rust Belt, which continues to see losses. 

The labor market forecast for 2025 is still somewhat uncertain. The reelection of Donald Trump and his proposal to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico may send ripples throughout the economy. A tariff increase could create an inflationary environment, shifting the labor market as inflation inches toward the 2% goal.

To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Arizona.

#15. Greenlee County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,700 people (131 unemployed)

#14. Graham County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,267 people (570 unemployed)

#13. Yavapai County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 110,850 people (3,667 unemployed)

#12. Maricopa County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2.5 million people (80,720 unemployed)

#11. Pima County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 496,594 people (18,053 unemployed)

#10. Coconino County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 75,709 people (2,860 unemployed)

#9. Gila County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,442 people (807 unemployed)

#8. Pinal County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 206,785 people (8,496 unemployed)

#7. La Paz County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,279 people (390 unemployed)

#6. Cochise County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 49,646 people (2,073 unemployed)

#5. Mohave County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 89,663 people (3,960 unemployed)

#4. Navajo County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 40,422 people (2,083 unemployed)

#3. Santa Cruz County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 2.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,736 people (1,449 unemployed)

#2. Apache County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,951 people (1,331 unemployed)

#1. Yuma County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 13.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 99,483 people (13,632 unemployed)

This story features data reporting and writing by Dom DiFurio and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.