Employment declined in 2 of the 3 largest counties in Arizona from March 2025 to March 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Arizona employment decreased 0.6 percent over the year to 3,249,100 in March 2026, as measured by the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program. (See table 1.) Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that employment decreased in Pima (-1.7 percent) and Maricopa (-0.5 percent) Counties. (See chart 1.)

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Arizona, March 2026

County	Percent change, March 2026
Pima	-1.7
Maricopa	-0.5
Pinal	0.7

Maricopa County (2,297,500) had the highest employment level in Arizona in March 2026. Together, the three largest counties accounted for 85.0 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 376 largest counties comprise 73.5 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 2025.)

Average weekly wage gains in 2 of the 3 large counties in Arizona were below the national average of 3.9 percent. (See chart 2.) Pima had the largest gain (+8.2 percent). Wages also increased for Maricopa (+3.8 percent) and Pinal (+3.2 percent).

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Arizona, first quarter 2026

County	Percent change, first quarter 2026
Pima	8.2
Maricopa	3.8
Pinal	3.2

Weekly wages in all three large counties in Arizona were below the national average of $1,654: $1,570 in Maricopa, $1,332 in Pima, and $1,204 in Pinal.

Statewide, average weekly wages increased 4.5 percent over the year to $1,495. Arizona ranked 21st in average weekly wages among the 50 states and the District of Columbia and 10th in wage growth.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 12 smaller counties in Arizona, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2025. (See table 2.) Wage levels in 11 of the 12 smaller counties were below the national average. Greenlee reported the highest average weekly wage ($2,151) in the state. La Paz reported the lowest average weekly wage ($957).

Among all 15 Arizona counties, 6 reported average weekly wages less than $1,099, 1 had a wage from $1,100 to $1,149, 3 had wages from $1,150 to $1,199, and 5 had average weekly wages of $1,200 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)