More than 56,000 of the state's 63,100 new jobs in April 2018 were added in the Phoenix metro area, according to the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity. The metro area unemployment rate dropped 0.3 percent to 3.8 percent, the lowest in point in ten years, and less than the 3.9 percent national unemployment rate.
Production jobs continued to muscle up the economy, increasing 6.8 percent over 2017 with 18,500 jobs, 11,000 jobs were created in the construction sector, while manufacturing continued its streak, adding 7,500 jobs for the 14th consecutive month of job gains. Manufacturing in Phoenix has been a shining point in the national economy with job increases in 16 of the last 18 months while the sector was flat nationally.
The service sector added news 40,000 new jobs in April 2018 over 2017, just a 1.7 percent increase in employment. More than 13,000 of those jobs were in educational services and health care, with a nearly even split between the two categories. Despite ramping up for the summer, leisure and hospitality added 7,200 jobs, most in food services.
The Phoenix metro workforce fell just shy of 2.1 million for April, up from just topping 2.0 million last year. Nearly all gains were in private sector jobs, with governments and school districts adding just 200 employees.
April marked a month of solid gains for the Phoenix economy, adding almost 90 percent of the new jobs created in Arizona. Tucson added 5,300 jobs, Lake Havasu-Kingman 1,400, Prescott 1,800 and Flagstaff 600. Sierra Vista, Douglas and Yuma all lost workforce.
The state unemployment rate is 4.9 percent for April and the national rate is 3.9 percent.
