Arizona unemployment decreases, Yuma rate continues to rise

The state of Arizona’s unemployment rate has dipped slightly, but numbers show unemployment continues to rise in the Desert Southwest.

The Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity reported Thursday that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 4.6 percent in July from 4.7 percent in June.

The office says the state’s economy lost 17,500 nonfarm jobs in July, a decrease smaller than the post-recession average of 21,200 jobs lost in July.

About three-quarters of the jobs lost in July were in the government sector.

Unemployment rates have increased in Yuma for the month of July, according to the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.

Rates stand at 20.9 percent in Yuma for the month of July, according to AOEO.

The numbers for Imperial County have not been released yet.