Tucson, Arizona Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Tucson rose 0.1 percentage points in December 2011 to 7.9%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.8 percentage points lower than the Arizona rate. The unemployment rate in Tucson peaked in October 2009 at 9.4% and is now 1.5 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 7.8% in November 2011, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Tucson unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	8.5%	-0.2	-0.9
Arizona	8.7%	0.0	-0.9
Tucson	7.9%	+0.1	-0.8

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with December 2011 data as January metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Tucson, Arizona, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Tucson, Arizona Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Tucson peaked in December 2009 at 46,395. There are now 8,150 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 38,121 in November 2011, the number of unemployed has now grown by 124. Tucson employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Tucson, Arizona) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
Tucson	38,245	+124	-4,043

Number of Unemployed Persons

Tucson, Arizona Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Arizona Unemployment Rate	Tucson Unemployment Rate	Tucson Unemployed
January 2012	8.3%	—	—	—
December 2011	8.5%	8.7%	7.9%	38,245
November 2011	8.7%	8.7%	7.8%	38,121
October 2011	8.9%	9.0%	8.0%	38,823
September 2011	9.0%	9.1%	8.2%	39,561
August 2011	9.1%	9.3%	8.3%	40,556
July 2011	9.1%	9.4%	8.4%	41,118
June 2011	9.1%	9.3%	8.5%	41,748
May 2011	9.0%	9.1%	8.4%	41,146
April 2011	9.0%	9.3%	8.6%	42,042
March 2011	8.9%	9.5%	8.7%	42,610
February 2011	9.0%	9.6%	8.7%	42,593
January 2011	9.1%	9.6%	8.7%	42,432