Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Unemployment Rate Drops In Clark County

Clark County's unemployment rate fell significantly from August to September.

According to the Arkansas Employment Security Division, the jobless figures dropped from 3.6 percent to 2.2 percent for the recording period.

With one exception, all other surrounding counties enjoyed a decline in unemployment numbers. The exception was Montgomery County as it's figure rose from 3.0 percent to 3.1 percent.

From there, though, Dallas County's numbers plummeted from 7.0 percent to 5.8 percent, while Hot Spring County went from 3.8 percent to 3.2 percent.

Nevada County had a decline from 4.5 percent to 4.1 percent, with Ouachita County going from 7.5 percent to 6.6 percent. However, this occurred before the announced closing of International Paper Company's paper mill in Camden in October. This announcement will have an adverse effect on future unemployment figures in the county.

Pike County enjoyed a decline from 4.0 percent to 3.6 percent for the period in question.

A check of where counties rank based on the unemployment figures shows Clark County in seventh place with its 2.2 percent numbers.

Next comes Montgomery County in 21st place, while Hot Spring County is ranked 26th.

Pike County is next in 35th position, while Nevada County joins the list rated 41st.

Dallas County comes in at 64th, while Ouachita County ranks 71st.

Looking at the lowest and highest unemployment figures, Benton County almost doesn't have any of its citizenry out of work with a 1.5 percent rate. Desha County, though, has the highest jobless rate in Arkansas at 8.4 percent.

No counties in the state showed double-digit unemployment.

Four counties registered unemployment numbers between 1.0 and 1.9 percent.

There were 14 showing figures from 2.0 to 2.9 percent, and 22 registering a jobless rate from 3.0 to 3.3 percent.

Another 17 counties fell in the 4.0 to 4.9 percent bracket, while nine counties comprised the 5.0 to 5.9 percent division.

Six counties had jobless rates from 6.0 to 6.9 percent, with two falling in the 7.0 to 7.9 percent region. Only one, Desha, was in the 8.0 to 8.9 percent category.

The unemployment rate also fell n all five of the state's Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs).

The Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers MSA went from an already low 2.1 percent to a 1.7 percent figure.

The Little Rock-North Little Rock MSA was second on the list as its figures fell from 3.3 percent in August to 2.8 percent in September.

The Fort Smith MSA came in third as its figures went from 3.2 percent to 3.0 percent for the recording period.

The Jonesboro MSA was next as its numbers declined from 3.7 percent to 3.5 percent.

While the Pine Bluff MSA was again last, it, too, enjoyed a significant drop in unemployment, going from 6.7 percent to 5.9 percent.

Overall, the unemployment rate in Arkansas fell to a record low 3.8 percent for September.

This was the second time this year a record had been set, with the previous one being 4.0 percent in June.

Nationally, the jobless rate was 3.9 percent.

The unemployment figures fell in 72 of Arkansas' 75 counties, and rose in only one, Montgomery County.