The Phoenix metro added nearly 90,000 new workers during the past year, according to the latest employment report from the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.

The metropolitan area unemployment rate fell again, dropping to 3.1%, down 0.1% from January and down from 6.7% a year ago, according to a release from the city of Phoenix.

Many new jobs — about 21,000 — were created in the food and beverage industry sector reflecting seasonal hiring, increased tourism and more new restaurants opening this year than last February.
Retail hiring also was strong with almost 15,000 new hires compared with last year. Professional, technical and scientific positions added another 12,000 new positions.

Arizona’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.6% from 3.7% in January and 6% a year earlier. The state added nearly 127,000 jobs in year-over-year comparisons with 30% of jobs statewide landing in areas other than Greater Phoenix.

Dining and retail showed the greatest growth statewide outside the Phoenix metropolitan area.

Manufacturing hiring continued its Greater Phoenix growth adding 5,400 jobs compared with February 2021 and outstripping construction hiring again. Another 7,500 jobs were added in health care hiring.