Cottonwood and Sedona are cities of similar size and location, but, as most Verde Valley residents might agree, the differences outnumber the commonalities.

One stark contrast, as confirmed by information in each city’s most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, is the ways in which their residents make a living.

Sedona’s biggest employers are tourism-based companies, while Cottonwood’s tend to be geared toward the day-to-day needs of its residents.

Sedona’s four largest companies, in terms of number of local employees, are resorts. Together, they account for more than 21.2 percent of jobs in the area.

In Cottonwood, the Verde Valley Medical Center’s 1,000 employees account for about 20.1 percent of the city’s workforce. The CAFR doesn’t say whether that number includes employees who may work at VVMC’s Sedona campus.

To read the full story, see the Friday, Nov. 7, edition of the Sedona Red Rock News.