How many jobs were lost in Arizona last month?
Refreshed monthly
Arizona lost 4,100 jobs in August 2026, ranking it 46th among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 4,800 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
-4.1K
month to month change in number of jobs (August 2026)
46th
rank among states in monthly job growth (August 2026)
Arizona’s job loss of 4,100 in August 2026 was a directional change from the previous month. The latest monthly job change was down from the 100 gain in July 2026.
During the latest five year period (September 2021 to August 2026), Arizona gained jobs in 46 out of 60 months. August 2026 had the eighth-lowest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in January 2024 (+34,000) while job growth was weakest in October 2023 (-29,100).
There were 4,100 fewer jobs in August 2026 in Arizona than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, September 2021–August 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Arizona sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in August 2026?
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in August 2026 were other services, federal government, and real estate and rental and leasing. Other services added 700 jobs, more than the entire economy. Federal government gained 200 jobs, while real estate and rental and leasing added 200. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
The three lowest-performing supersectors were state government, administrative and support and waste management and remediation services, and private educational services. state government lost 2,000 jobs in August 2026, while administrative and support and waste management and remediation services lost 1,100 jobs and private educational services lost 900 jobs.
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The health care and social assistance sector lost 100 jobs during August 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Arizona (August 2026)
How has Arizona's job growth changed over time?
In 2025, Arizona lost an average of 1,050 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 3,917, and the fourth-lowest since 2020. The 2025 average ranks as fourth-lowest in job growth since 2007.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 13,200 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 8,600 on average every month in 2022.
In 2025, Arizona lost an average of 1,100 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among seven metro areas primarily in Arizona during August 2026 ranged from a loss of 1,800 jobs in the Phoenix, AZ area to a gain of 200 jobs in the Sierra Vista, AZ area.
Monthly job growth, by metro area
Metro areas where at least one of its primary counties are within Arizona
| Metro area | Change in jobs | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | +200 | |
| 2. | +0 | |
| 3. | +0 | |
| 4. | -200 | |
| 5. | -200 | |
| 6. | -400 | |
| 7. | -1,800 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
