Department of Numbers

Tucson, Arizona Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Tucson rose 0.1 percentage points in April 2021 to 6.5%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.2 percentage points lower than the Arizona rate. The unemployment rate in Tucson peaked in April 2020 at 14.2% and is now 7.7 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 6.4% in March 2021, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Tucson unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate April 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
National 6.1% +0.1 -8.7
Arizona 6.7% 0.0 -7.5
Tucson 6.5% +0.1 -7.7
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with April 2021 data as May metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Tucson, Arizona, National

Tucson, Arizona monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Tucson, Arizona Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Tucson peaked in April 2020 at 69,988. There are now 37,689 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 31,691 in March 2021, the number of unemployed has now grown by 608. Tucson employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Tucson, Arizona) is also available.

Unemployed Persons April 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
Tucson 32,299 +608 -37,689

Number of Unemployed Persons

Tucson, Arizona Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Arizona
Unemployment Rate		 Tucson
Unemployment Rate		 Tucson
Unemployed
May
2021		 5.8% — — —
April
2021		 6.1% 6.7% 6.5% 32,299
March
2021		 6.0% 6.7% 6.4% 31,691
February
2021		 6.2% 6.9% 7.0% 34,646
January
2021		 6.3% 6.7% 7.0% 34,761
December
2020		 6.7% 6.8% 6.5% 32,214
November
2020		 6.7% 6.8% 6.6% 32,404
October
2020		 6.9% 6.8% 6.6% 32,507
September
2020		 7.8% 6.9% 6.6% 32,227
August
2020		 8.4% 7.0% 6.5% 31,890
July
2020		 10.2% 10.4% 10.3% 51,731
June
2020		 11.1% 10.7% 10.1% 50,332

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers. ↩

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