Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

County Unemployment Rises

Unemployment in Nevada County rose from 4.9 percent to 5.4 percent from June to July, according to the Arkansas Employment Security Division.

Statewide, the jobless figures went up from June's record low 4.0 percent to 4.1 percent in July, while the national rate remained unchanged at 4.0 percent.

The unemployment rate for surrounding counties stayed pretty much unchanged, with a few exceptions.

In Clark County, the figures remained steady at 3.8 percent, while Columbia County had a slight drop, from 6.3 percent to 6.2 percent.

Hempstead County had a significant increase in its jobless rate, rising from 5.6 percent to 6.3 percent. Lafayette County's numbers also went up from June to July, with the change going from 7.1 percent to 7.8 percent.

The figures from Ouachita and Pike counties were unchanged for the month. Ouachita County's unemployment numbers were 8.9 percent, while Pike County's was 4.9 percent.

Looking at where the counties ranked based on their unemployment numbers, Clark County was in 20th place, while Pike County entered the list in 37th.

Nevada County ranked 45th, with Columbia County 50th and Hempstead County in 51st.

Lafayette County is down on the list in 64th, with Ouachita County near the bottom in 70th.

Benton County had the lowest unemployment figures in the state with an almost non-existent 1.9 percent. Desha County was at the other end of the spectrum with 11.5 percent unemployment.

There was one county with jobless figures from 1.0 to 1.9 percent, while four came in at the 2.0 to 2.9 percent category.

A total of 19 counties were housed in the 3.0 to 3.9 percent division, with 13 having jobless rates of 4.0 to 4.9 percent.

There were 10 counties showing unemployment numbers from 5.0 to 5.9 percent, and 10 with figures from 6.0 to 6.9 percent.

Eight counties fell in the 7.0 to 7.9 percent bracket, while six counties registered numbers between 8.0 and 8.9 percent.

One county, Chicot, was in the 9.0 to 9.9 percent segment, with two counties, Jackson and Mississippi, in the 10.0 to 10.9 region.

One county, Desha, showed unemployment numbers from 11.0 to 11.9 percent.

Checking the state's five Metropolitan Statistical Areas, the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers MSA again had the lowest jobless rate at 2.2 percent, unchanged from June to July.

The Fort Smith MSA was next with its 3.5 percent figure, down from June's 3.6 percent.

The Little Rock-North Little Rock MSA was third at 3.6 percent, unchanged during the recording period.

Jonesboro's MSA finished in fourth place at 3.8 percent for July, up from 3.5 percent in June.

And, once again, the Pine Bluff MSA had the highest unemployment rate at 7.3 percent, rising from June's 6.7 percent.