Arizona’s unemployment rate dropped slightly in January from the month before, even as the state lost jobs. Arizona’s unemployment rate in January was 7.5 percent, down a tenth of a percent from December. At the same time, the state lost more than 42,000 jobs, although that is fewer than the 10 year average for the month.
Economists with the state Department of Administration say January job losses are not uncommon, as companies let people go after the holiday season. Most of the lost positions were in the trade, transportation and utilities sector, and most of those were in retail. But, the number of jobs lost in that sector was the smallest January loss since 2005.
The private sector lost most of the jobs overall, accounting for nearly 80 percent of them.
State economists say between January of last year and January of this year, Arizona added more than 55,000 jobs, all of which have been in the private sector.
