Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Jobs

Unemployment figures for Clark County in July show an increase in the number of jobs lost from June's 2.8 percent to 3.3 percent, according to information from the Arkansas Employment Security Division.

The jobless numbers in surrounding counties, for the most part, also increased from June to July. The exceptions were Pike County, which remained at 4.4 percent, and Montgomery County, which dropped 0.1 percent from 3.8 to 3.7 percent. Dallas County rose from 5.9 to 6.6 percent during July, while Hot Spring County went from 4.6 to 4.8 percent. Nevada County's jobless figures rose from 4.5 percent to 5.5 percent, while Ouachita County went from 9.2 to 9.6 percent.

The numbers statewide show Saline County with the lowest jobless rate at a microscopic 2.4 percent, and Ouachita County again the highest at 9.6 percent. Clark County ranks sixth in the state, with Montgomery County following at 11th. Pike County is rated 21st, while Hot Spring County is 28th, and Nevada County 43rd. Dallas County comes in at 54th.

Only three counties in July had jobless numbers below 3 percent. They are Saline, 2.4, Madison, 2.8, and Benton, 2.9. There were 11 counties falling in the 3.0 to 3.9 percent unemployment range, with 17 reported figures from 4.0 to 4.9 percent. The 5.0 to 5.9 percent bracket carried 16 counties. Another dozen counties fell in the 6.0 to 6.9 percent unemployment rate. There were six counties reporting jobless numbers from 7.0 to 7.9 percent, and another six in the 8.0 to 8.9 division. Four counties fell in the 9.0 to 9.9 category.

Arkansas' seasonally adjusted jobless rate was 4.7 percent, a full percentage point below the national average of 5.7 percent.

The unemployment rate in all 75 counties, for the third consecutive month, were below 10 percent. Last July, three counties (Jackson, Mississippi and Ouachita) were at or above the 10 percent mark.

Checking the state's Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), shows the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers MSA with the lowest number at 3 percent. Pine Bluff's MSA was the highest at 6.9 percent. The Little Rock-North Little Rock MSA reported figures of 3.4 percent, while the Fort Smith MSA was 4.6 percent.