Grand Canyon Times

Arizona showed strong economic growth in the month of August with approximately 80,000 jobs created and unemployment dropping to 5.9% from 10.7% in July, putting Arizona below the U.S. rate of 8.4%, according to a press release from the Office of Gov. Doug Ducey.

Arizona's private sector gained 30,400 jobs with the majority going to the education and health services sectors as well as trade, transportation and utilities. The state created 12,200 more jobs in August than previously recorded over a  10-year average for the month. 

"This pandemic has been incredibly hard for many people, but these numbers show Arizona is moving in the right direction,” Ducey said. "We still have a ways to go. We know many people are still out of work due to the pandemic. I’m grateful to all the entrepreneurs and business owners who’ve continued to prioritize health and safety of customers and employees. Together, we can keep moving forward safely and continue to be a national leader for growing jobs and opportunity.”

According to a 24/7 Wall Street report, Arizona has the sixth strongest economy in the U.S. The report goes on to place Arizona as the fourth highest in five year annualized employment growth, pointing to the entrepreneurial spirit and robust nature of the state's economy.