Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Unemployment Drops In County

Unemployment in Clark County dropped from January to February, according to the Arkansas Employment Security Division (ESD).

The figures in January showed the jobless rate to be 4.4 percent. In February, this changed to 3.5 percent.

Most other counties surrounding Clark County saw their jobless numbers fall as well.

Dallas County was the lone exception, though, as its unemployment rate rose from 7.6 percent to 8.2 percent for the recording period.

In Columbia County, the numbers dropped from 8.2 percent to 7.4 percent, while in Hot Spring County, the figures fell from 6.0 percent to 5.6 percent.

Montgomery County had a significant drop in its unemployment, as the number plummeted from 6.3 percent to 4.8 percent.

Nevada County also had a solid decline, going from an even 9.0 percent to 7.1 percent from January to February.

In Ouachita County, the numbers were more modest, going from 11.0 percent to 10.2 percent, while in Pike County, the decline was from 6.6 percent to 6.0 percent.

A check of where the area counties rate based on their jobless figures shows Clark County sixth with its 3.5 percent figure.

Next is Montgomery County in 19th place, while Hot Spring County enters the tally in 27th.

Pike County is ranked 33rd, while Nevada is in 41st position.

Dallas County enters the foray in 47th place, while Ouachita County is ranked 66th.

The lowest unemployment in the state was in Benton County, at 2.6 percent. The other end of the spectrum has Woodruff County with a 15.5 percent jobless rate.

There were two counties in the state with jobless figures from 2.0 to 2.9 percent.

Another 10 fell into the 3.0 to 3.9 percent division, while there were nine counties with jobless numbers from 4.0 to 4.9 percent.

The 5.0 to 5.9 percent category houses 11 counties, with seven counties registering jobless figures from 6.0 to 6.9 percent.

There were also seven counties showing a 7.0 to 7.9 percent unemployment rate. The 8.0 to 8.9 percent bracket holds 10 counties.

Seven counties fell in the 9.0 to 9.9 percent range, with an even dozen counties suffering double-digit unemployment.

Of these, five fall into the 10.0 to 10.9 percent region, with two in the 11.0 to 11.9 percent slot. One county has a jobless rate of 12.0 to 12.9 percent, with two in the 13.0 to 13.9 percent position.

One county has a rate between 14.0 to 14.9 percent, with Woodruff the lone county within the confines of the 15.0 to 15.9 percent division.

A check of the state's five Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) again shows the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers MSA with the lowest jobless rate at 2.9 percent, a decline from 3.3 percent a month earlier.

The Little Rock-North Little Rock MSA ranks second with its 3.5 percent, down from 3.8 percent in January.

Next on the list is the Jonesboro MSA at 3.9 percent, after falling from 4.3 percent.

The Fort Smith MSA's jobless figures for the period were 4.8 percent, down from 5.5 percent.

And, once again, the Pine Bluff MSA had the highest unemployment rate at 8.2 percent, but the figure did fall from 8.8 percent.

Arkansas' seasonally adjusted jobless rate was 4.7 percent in February, down from 5.1 percent in January.

Nationally, the number rose from 4.3 to 4.4 percent for the recording period.