Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

County's Jobless Rate Rises

Unemployment in Nevada County rose from 4.5 percent in April to 5.0 percent in May, according to the Arkansas Employment Security Division.

In fact, with one exception, the jobless figures for counties surrounding Nevada County went up. The lone exception to this was in Ouachita County, where the numbers remained unchanged.

Taking a look at Clark County, the unemployment rate there went from 3.0 to 3.1 percent for the recording period, while Columbia County's figures rose more sharply, from 5.2 to 5.6 percent.

Hempstead County's jobless rate went up from 4.8 percent in April to May's 5.4 percent, with Lafayette County's figures rising 0.5 percent from 7.2 percent to 7.7 percent.

Ouachita County remained unchanged at 8.8 percent, but Pike County had an increase from 4.9 to 5.3 percent.

The trend continued statewide, as the jobless figures went from April's 4.4 percent to 4.5 percent in May.

On the national level, though, the increase was higher as the numbers went from 3.9 percent to 4.1 percent.

In checking where counties rank based on their unemployment figures, Benton County had the lowest jobless rate in the state at 1.8 percent. Desha County, though, had the highest at 12.5 percent.

Clark County entered the list in 10th place, while Nevada County crossed the threshold in 42nd position.

Pike County ranked 49th, with Hempstead County right behind in 50th.

Columbia County was rated 53rd, followed by Lafayette County in 65th place. Ouachita County entered the foray in 68th.

There was only one county with a jobless rate from 1.0 to 1.9 percent, Benton County.

Six counties had unemployment figures from 2.0 to 2.9 percent, with 19 counties in the 3.0 to 3.9 percent bracket.

There were 15 counties reporting jobless numbers from 4.0 to 4.9 percent, and 13 in the 5.0 to 5.9 percent division.

Seven counties were in the 6.0 to 6.9 percent category, while another five counties composed the 7.0 to 7.9 percent slot.

Six counties had unemployment rates from 8.0 to 8.9 percent, with two showing figures from 9.0 to 9.9 percent.

Only one county in the state, Desha, had double-digit unemployment figures, at 12.5 percent.

A check of the state's Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) again showed the Fayetteville-Rogers-Springdale MSA with the lowest jobless rate at 2.0 percent in May, unchanged from April.

The Jonesboro MSA was next on the list with a 3.2 percent figure, up from 3.1 percent a month earlier.

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

Fort Smith's MSA showed a 3.5 percent jobless rate, up from 3.3 percent in April.

And, once again, the Pine Bluff MSA had the highest unemployment numbers at 6.5 percent, up from 6.4 percent.

According to the ESD information, the unemployment rate rose in 43 counties across Arkansas, while dropping in 22.