Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Umemployment Rises in August

Unemployment in Nevada County rose significantly between July and August, according to figures from the Arkansas Employment Security Division.

The July jobless numbers showed the county had a 5.5 percent unemployment rate. However, the figure rose a full percentage point to 6.5 percent in August.

Figures for unemployment in surrounding counties showed a mixture of highs and lows. Clark County rose from 3.3 percent to 3.9 percent, primarily due to the laying off of 150 workers at the Carrier plant. Columbia County's rate jumped from 6.8 percent to 7.3 percent. Hempstead County's jobless rate continues to climb as it rose from 7.2 percent to 7.9 percent. There was a slight increase in Lafayette County as the figures rose from 7.4 to 7.5 percent. Ouachita County's unemployment rate, though, fell from 9.7 to 9.5 percent. In Pike County, the numbers declined from 4.9 to 4.5 percent.

In checking the statewide rankings, Benton and Saline counties have the lowest unemployment rates in the state at 2.5 percent. For a change, Ouachita County is not ranked 75th. Izard County now holds the dubious distinction of having the worst unemployment in the state.

The ranking for counties surrounding Nevada, show Clark with the highest rating with its 3.9 percent. However, Clark County has fallen from its lofty spot in the top five. Pike County is next, ranked 24th, with Nevada County coming in at 54th. Columbia County's 7.3 percent figure earned it a ranking of 61, while Lafayette County comes in at 63rd. Hempstead County, with a 7.9 percent figure, is 66th. Ouachita County, though, has risen from dead last, 75th, to 73rd with a 9.5 percent figure.

There were five counties in the state recording jobless figures below 3 percent. Nine counties had unemployment rates from 3.0 to 3.9 percent, while there were 19 counties with numbers in the 4.0 to 4.9 percent range. Another 16 counties had jobless rates from 5.0 to 5.9 percent, with eight coming in between 6.0 and 6.9 percent. The 7.0 to 7.9 rate tallied 10 more counties, with five counties turning in jobless numbers from 8.0 to 8.9 percent. Two counties fell in the 9.0 to 9.9 bracket, with Izard the only county in the state with double digit unemployment at 10.3 percent

The state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for August was 5.1 percent, as compared to the national average of 5.6 percent.

Checking the state's Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers MSA again had the lowest unemployment figures at 2.7 percent. Pine Bluff, though, stayed at its familiar post with the highest rate at an even 7.0 percent. The Little Rock-North Little Rock MSA was 3.6 percent, while the Fort Smith MSA turned in figures at 4.4 percent.