Employment decreased in 2 of the 3 largest counties in Arizona from September 2024 to September 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that Pima County had the largest over-the-year decrease in employment, with a loss of 0.5 percent, followed by a 0.4-percent decrease in Maricopa. Employment rose 1.9 percent in Pinal. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

  

View Chart Data

Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Arizona, September 2025

County	Percent change, September 2025
Pima	-0.5
Maricopa	-0.4
Pinal	1.9

Among the three largest counties in Arizona, employment was highest in Maricopa (2,274,500) in September 2025. Together, the three largest counties accounted for 85.2 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 372 largest counties comprise 73.2 percent of total covered employment in the United States. (Large counties and county equivalents are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2024.)

All three large Arizona counties reported average weekly wage increases over the year. (See chart 2.) Pinal had the largest increase (+4.5 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Arizona’s other two large counties were 4.1 percent in Maricopa and 3.5 percent in Pima.

  

View Chart Data

Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Arizona, third quarter 2025

County	Percent change, third quarter 2025
Pinal	4.5
Maricopa	4.1
Pima	3.5

Weekly wages in all large counties in Arizona were below the national average of $1,459. Average weekly wages were $1,419 in Maricopa, $1,195 in Pima, and $1,159 in Pinal.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 12 small counties in Arizona, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2024. (See table 2.) Wage levels in 11 of the 12 smaller counties were below the national average. Greenlee reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,833). Navajo reported the lowest average weekly wage ($998) in the state.

Among all 15 Arizona counties, 4 reported average weekly wages of less than $1,075, 3 had wages from $1,075 to $1,124, 4 had wages from $1,125 to $1,174, and 4 had average weekly wages of $1,175 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)