Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Jobless Rate Rises In Clark County

Clark County's unemployment rate rose slightly, from 3.0 to 3.1 percent, from April to May, according to the Arkansas Employment Security Division.

However, the jobless numbers rose in 43 counties, while falling in 22 across the state.

For those counties surrounding Clark County, these figures fluxuated.

Dallas County was one of the lucky few with falling figures, as its rate dropped from 9.0 percent to 8.3 percent.

Hot Spring County, though, had an increase in its unemployment rate, going from 4.5 percent to 4.9 percent for the recording period.

Montgomery County enjoyed a slight drop in its joblessness, falling from 3.1 percent to 3.0 percent, while Nevada County's numbers rose from 4.5 percent to 5.0 percent.

In Ouachita County there was no change as the figures were stagnant at 8.8 percent both months. However, Pike County's numbers weren't static and rose from 4.9 percent to 5.3 percent.

Benton County, for the 13th month in a row, had the lowest jobless figure in the state at 1.8 percent.

For this recording period, Desha County had the highest unemployment, and was the only county with double-digit figures at 12.5 percent.

There was only one county with jobless numbers from 1.0 to 1.9 percent, while six recorded figures from 2.0 to 2.9 percent.

The largest block was the 3.0 to 3.9 percent category, with 19 counties.

Next on the list was 15 counties in the 4.0 to 4.9 percent bracket, with another 13 counties housed in the 5.0 to 5.9 percent region.

Eight counties made up the 6.0 to 6.9 percent division, with five counties showing jobless figures from 7.0 to 7.9 percent.

Six counties had unemployment rates of 8.0 to 8.9 percent, with two in the 9.0 to 9.9 percent area. There was one county with a jobless figure from 12.0 to 12.9 percent.

Statewide, the unemployment numbers rose one-tenth of a percent from 4.4 to 4.5 percent, while the national level saw a two-tenths of a percent increase from 3.9 percent to 4.1 percent.

The state's five Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) remained pretty much in order with the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers MSA having the lowest unemployment at 2.0 percent, unchanged from April to May.

The Jonesboro MSA replaced the Little Rock-North Little Rock MSA in second place with a 3.2 percent figure, though it was up from 3.1 percent a month earlier.

The Little Rock-North Little Rock MSA was at 3.4 percent, up from 3.2 percent in April.

Next on the list was the Fort Smith MSA at 3.5 percent, up from 3.3 percent.

Once again, the Pine Bluff MSA had the highest jobless rate of all at 6.5 percent, rising from 6.4 percent a month earlier.