PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona’s jobless rate has dropped again.
The state Office of Economic Opportunity reports the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September was 4.5 percent. That’s down from 5 percent in August.
By comparison, the state’s jobless rate was at 4.9 percent in September 2018.
The office’s monthly report released Thursday says the state’s nonfarm employment totaled just under 3 million last month, up by 65,000 jobs.
The office says nearly 80 percent of the new jobs were created in Phoenix metro area.
According to the office, the construction sector added 12,400 new jobs since September 2018 and bioscience healthcare added 9,900 jobs.
Construction still has 21,000 fewer jobs than were in the sector in 2007, which was the high point of construction employment for metro Phoenix.
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