Employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that among Arizona’s three largest counties, only Pinal County experienced an increase in employment between March 2024 and March 2025, with a growth rate of 2.2 percent.
Maricopa County recorded the highest employment figure at 2,298,000 in March 2025. The combined total for Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties represented 84.9 percent of all covered employment in Arizona. Nationally, the largest counties account for a smaller share—73.4 percent—of covered employment across the United States.
All three large Arizona counties saw average weekly wage increases over the year. Pinal County led with a gain of 5.0 percent; Maricopa and Pima followed with increases of 3.6 percent and 2.8 percent respectively.
Despite these gains, none of Arizona’s largest counties reached the national average weekly wage of $1,589. In March 2025, Maricopa reported an average weekly wage of $1,510 while Pinal had $1,164.
Data for Arizona’s smaller counties (those with fewer than 75,000 employees) showed that Greenlee County had the state’s highest average weekly wage at $2,111 and Navajo County had the lowest at $949.
Wage distribution across all fifteen Arizona counties varied: three reported averages below $1,000 per week; four ranged from $1,000 to $1,099; another four fell between $1,100 and $1,199; and four exceeded or matched $1,200 per week.
According to Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund: “Pinal County had an over-the-year increase in employment of 2.2 percent.”
Further details on county-level employment and wages are available through tables included in this release as well as on the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website published by BLS.
The next report covering second quarter data is scheduled for release on December 3, 2025.
