United States Employment Snapshot
In May, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 13, rose in 17, and remained unchanged in 21.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.3 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in North Dakota and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4 percent.
In May, payroll jobs rose in 42 states and fell in 9. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.9 percent in Idaho. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Minnesota.
Arizona Employment Snapshot
In May, Arizona added 4,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.2 percentage point to 3.4 percent. In the prior month, Arizona added 7,800 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Arizona added 74,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.3 percentage points from 3.7 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 272,000 in May, or 0.2 percent. Arizona is tied for 7th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In May, Arizona’s private sector added 4,200 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 65,100 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Arizona added 7,700 net private payroll jobs.
In May, employment in Arizona rose by 8,487, and over the past 12 months it rose by 69,724.
Arizona’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 62.2 percent in May and ranks 33rd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.2 percentage points.
Arizona Payroll Employment
Arizona added 4,400 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Arizona added 7,800 jobs. Arizona nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 272,000 in May, or 0.2 percent. Arizona is tied for 7th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Arizona added 4,200 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Arizona added 7,700 jobs. Arizona private sector payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 229,000 jobs in May, or 0.2 percent. Arizona ranks 7th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during May were Education and Health Services (2,600) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (1,600).
The poorest performing sectors during the month were Information (-100) and Leisure and Hospitality (-1,800).
The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (38,000) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (15,300).
The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Information (-2,300) and Leisure and Hospitality (-3,100).
Arizona Labor Force
The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.
The labor force participation rate in Arizona remained unchanged at 62.2 percent in May.
Arizona ranks 33rd in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Arizona was 62.3 percent occurring in November 2023, and the 10-year low was 60.1 percent occurring in June 2014.
The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 62.5 percent in May.