Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Jobless rate rises locally

Clark County's unemployment rate rose almost a full percentage point from April to May, according to the Arkansas Employment Security Division.

ESD figures show the jobless figures in the county climbed from 2.6 percent in April to 3.3 percent in May.

Clark County wasn't alone in having an increased unemployment rate, as all surrounding counties saw theirs go up as well.

Dallas County rose from 8.0 to 8.7 percent from April to May, while Hot Spring County went from 4.7 percent in April to 5.0 percent in May.

Montgomery County had the smallest increase, going from 2.7 to 2.8 percent for the reporting period.

The numbers from Nevada County changed from 4.2 percent in April to May's 4.4 percent.

Ouachita County barely managed to stay under the double-digit mark, as it's jobless rate went from 9.5 percent to 9.8 percent.

In Pike County, the numbers went from 4.0 to 4.3 percent.

Benton County had the lowest unemployment rate in the state with a minuscule 1.8 percent figure, while Mississippi County was at the other end of the spectrum with a 12.6 percent jobless figure.

There was only one county in the state with figures from 1.0 to 1.9 percent, but nine counties showed jobless rates from 2.0 to 2.9 percent.

The 3.0 to 3.9 percent division housed 17 counties, while the 4.0 to 4.9 percent bracket held 16 counties.

Another 10 counties showed unemployment numbers from 5.0 to 5.9 percent, with the 6.0 to 6.9 percent spot holding eight counties.

Four counties were in the 7.0 to 7.9 percent position, as well as the 8.0 to 8.9 percent class.

Two counties had jobless rates from 9.0 to 9.9 percent, as did the 10.0 to 10.9 percent group.

One county was in the 12.0 to 12.9 percent lot.

Statewide, the unemployment rate rose from 4.5 percent to 4.6 percent, while the national figure dropped from 4.5 percent to 4.4 percent for the reporting period.

Checking where the counties ranked based on their jobless numbers showed Montgomery County in the 9th spot, with Clark County next in 12th.

Pike County followed in 32nd place, with Nevada County close by in 34th.

Hot Spring County was next on the list in 44th place, with Dallas County down on the list in 69th. Ouachita County was ranked 72nd.

There was little change in the unemployment figures for the state's five Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs).

Once again the northwest sector, made up of Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, had the lowest figures, rising from 1.8 percent to 1.9 percent.

Next on the list was the Fort Smith MSA, rising from 3.1 percent to 3.3 percent.

The Little Rock-North Little Rock MSA was third, as its jobless figures went from 3.4 percent to 3.5 percent.

The Jonesboro MSA figures rose from 3.4 percent to 3.6 percent, while the Pine Bluff MSA again had the highest unemployment numbers, rising from 7.1 percent to 7.3 percent.