(The Center Square) – Arizona has hit a record low in unemployment, according to new numbers.
The 3.4% rate in May is the lowest and a downtick from 3.6% in April, based on seasonally adjusted numbers, according to a news release. This is the opposite trend of the United States’ overall unemployment rate, which went from 3.9% to 4% from April to May. As for the “record low” claim, the process used to determine employment numbers was used starting in 1976, according to the report.
Between the two months, there was an increase of health care and social assistance by 3,700 jobs, 1,600 more manufacturing jobs, 1,400 in “other services” and 1,200 in the financial sector. The government lost 5,400 jobs from April to May, and “private educational services” and “leisure and hospitality” lost 4,600 jobs. “Professional and business services” also lost 3,000 jobs.
“Arizonans have more opportunity than ever before, and our state has record low unemployment numbers,” Gov. Katie Hobbs said in a statement. “With these record setting numbers, it’s clear that Arizona’s economy is strong. I am laser-focused on creating good-paying jobs for Arizonans, building and creating businesses in our state, and ensuring every Arizonan has the opportunity to thrive.”
The state’s Office of Economic Opportunity reported that non-seasonally adjusted employment outside of farming grew by 2% from last May, which is 63,900 jobs. The top three sectors were “health care and social assistance”, “trade, transportation and utilities” and government, which gained 7,800 jobs in that frame.
As for the Hobbs administration, they are touting that 111,300 jobs were created in the state, with 93,400 being in the private sector. Meanwhile, the former Gov. Doug Ducey backed group “Citizens for Free Enterprise” released a report criticized by the Hobbs administration taking aim at public sector job growth, saying “taxpayers will be footing the bill.”
