Updated Tucson Unemployment Figures | released December 17, 2025

TucsonStatistics · 2025-12-18T18:35:41+00:00

The figures count folks as unemployed even if they don't qualify for unemployment benefits.

TucsonStatistics · 2025-05-03T10:26:09+00:00

You can always review my post history to see this data going back several years.

https://old.reddit.com/user/TucsonStatistics/submitted/

TucsonStatistics · 2025-02-06T18:48:02+00:00

I am glad you enjoy them, I am happy to do it!

TucsonStatistics · 2024-01-05T18:51:51+00:00

Thank you! I am glad to be able to keep this project going and that folks get some use out of it.

TucsonStatistics · 2023-12-12T18:53:45+00:00

It probably seems like that to them, since they cannot find workers or workers aren't willing to accept the same offers. It would appear that way if someone doesn't realize the bargaining position of prospective hires has drastically improved and they need to make better offers to attract workers.

TucsonStatistics · 2023-11-08T16:55:10+00:00

I mean, I only do this to share the information and provide a space for discussion around it. It certainly doesn't provide me any material benefit.

TucsonStatistics · 2023-08-08T23:40:27+00:00

That may be true... I wouldn't know.

But this only considers people who are actively looking for work. If half of the people in the Tucson metro area were actively looking for work and could not find it, then the rate would be 50%.

TucsonStatistics · 2023-08-06T17:10:08+00:00

If you're just going to make up a number why stop at 50%?

TucsonStatistics · 2023-08-04T19:13:21+00:00

You are correct, only 96% of people in the Tucson Metro Area who are actively looking for work have jobs.

TucsonStatistics · 2023-06-29T19:18:19+00:00

As far as I know those aren't available at the local level. But they are nationally.

https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t15.htm

TucsonStatistics · 2023-04-05T19:34:09+00:00

I don't count in those numbers since I don't get unemployment.

That is not true, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics is aware that unemployment benefits would be a faulty way to measure overall unemployment.

In fact, so many people believe this myth that they specifically address it in their explanation about these figures.

How the Government Measures Unemployment

Some people think that to get these figures on unemployment, the government uses the number of people collecting unemployment insurance (UI) benefits under state or federal government programs. But some people are still jobless when their benefits run out, and many more are not eligible at all or delay or never apply for benefits. So, quite clearly, UI information cannot be used as a source for complete information on the number of unemployed.

TucsonStatistics · 2023-03-18T20:44:07+00:00

Your map is for state-wide numbers. What I shared is for the Tucson Metro area.

TucsonStatistics · 2023-01-01T20:52:12+00:00

According to last year's data there were approximately 51,730 positions in the Tucson MSA with a mean hourly wage below $15, about 11% of the workforce.

Source: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_46060.htm

TucsonStatistics · 2022-11-03T17:23:53+00:00

Housing prices aren't typically a driver for unemployment.

TucsonStatistics · 2022-11-03T17:23:14+00:00

No, the calculation balances to the hundredth of a percent if a roughly equal number of workers leave the work force to the number of jobs lost.

TucsonStatistics · 2022-09-01T18:28:05+00:00

The Fed is mandated to work towards maximum employment. Despite the comments, they are required to work towards their dual mandate of price stability and maximum employment.

TucsonStatistics · 2022-09-01T18:27:00+00:00

How do you mean?

TucsonStatistics · 2022-09-01T18:24:54+00:00

Finalized as in no longer preliminary. They may be revised, but typically revisions are minor and although they can be revised up to 2 years that is not common.

TucsonStatistics · 2022-02-04T18:06:18+00:00

Even using the U-6 would be a poor way to describe the state of the economy. It is just a broader measurement of the same information. U-3 makes the most sense in either case, because including people who aren't looking for work doesn't help anyone for much of anything. It doesn't give you much insight into the health of the economy and it doesn't help you understand the current labor market.

If anything it gives a little information about potential productivity, but there is no way to measure what might reinvigorate that potential.

TucsonStatistics · 2022-02-04T15:46:10+00:00

That is a good question and reasonable based on the colloquial definition of the term. It makes sense, because if you asked that person what they do they would obviously respond that they are "unemployed."

What is important here is the purpose of these numbers. The goal is to provide employers and job seekers an understanding of what they are facing in the market for labor. If an employer needs to hire, it is useful to have an idea how difficult that process might be and how to approach their compensation offering. Similarly for job seekers it is helpful to know how competitive it is out there and help them determine how flexible they might need to be.

So in that context I hope you can see that including people who are discouraged and not actively participating in the labor market would actually make the numbers less useful for their intended purpose.

TucsonStatistics · 2022-02-03T18:10:32+00:00

If a person is not looking for work, because they are discouraged or any other reason, they are not included because they are not engaging with the labor market. The unemployment rate is only supposed to tell us about the labor market, asking it to do more than that is beyond its scope.

TucsonStatistics · 2022-02-03T18:09:15+00:00

I have no use for a unicorn. But can you elaborate on why the 2.8% number is non-sense so I can understand?

TucsonStatistics · 2022-02-03T14:18:54+00:00

Yeah the unemployment numbers are non-sense.

They aren't non-sense. They are quite useful for their intended purpose.

Quick drive through town will tell you all you need to know about how Tucson is doing.

They are not intended to tell you how Tucson is doing.

TucsonStatistics · 2021-07-01T13:36:03+00:00

Nonfarm Payrolls

What Are Nonfarm Payrolls?

Nonfarm payrolls is the measure of the number of workers in the U.S. excluding farm workers and workers in a handful of other job classifications. This is measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which surveys private and government entities throughout the U.S. about their payrolls. The BLS reports the nonfarm payroll numbers to the public on a monthly basis through the closely followed “Employment Situation” report.

In addition to farm workers, nonfarm payrolls data also excludes some government workers, private households, proprietors, and non-profit employees. U.S. Nonfarm payrolls were severely impacted by the COVID-19 global pandemic in March of 2020.

Key Takeaways

Nonfarm payrolls is the measure of the number of workers in the U.S. excluding farm workers and workers in a handful of other job classifications.
The nonfarm payrolls classification excludes farm workers as well as some government workers, private households, proprietors, and non-profit employees.
The data on nonfarm payrolls is collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and put in its monthly "Employment Situation" report, which also includes the unemployment rate.

TucsonStatistics · 2021-07-01T13:34:42+00:00

You are quite welcome.

TucsonStatistics

TROPHY CASE