Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Jobless rate up slightly

Nevada County's unemployment rate rose between April and May, according to information from the Arkansas Employment Security Division.

In April, the figures show, the county's jobless rate stood at 4.3 percent. However, by the end of May, this had changed, with the numbers climbing to 4.6 percent.

The jobless numbers rose in most counties surrounding Nevada County for the recording period.

In Clark County, the change was from 4.6 percent to 4.8 percent for the month, while Columbia County's jobless rate rose from 4.9 percent to 5.1 percent.

Hempstead County was one of the exceptions to the rule, as it's numbers dropped from 4.2 percent to 4.0 percent for the month. The other exception was Pike County, as it's figure fell from 5.8 percent to 5.6 percent.

Lafayette County's unemployment figures remained unchanged at 4.0 percent for the period.

Nevada County ranks 22nd in the state based on its jobless rate, according to the ESD data.

Hempstead and Lafayette counties are deadlocked in 11th place with their 4.0 percent numbers.

Clark County entered the list in 26th place, while Columbia County ranks 32nd.

Pike County is 55th of Arkansas's 75 counties, with Ouachita County clawing its way to 57th.

Benton County, with a 2.0 percent jobless rate, had the lowest unemployment in the state, while Mississippi County, 13.7 percent, was at the other end of the spectrum.

Three counties showed unemployment figures from 2.0 to 2.9 percent, while seven recorded numbers from 3.0 to 3.9 percent.

The 4.0 to 4.9 percent division contained a total of 17 counties, while there were 16 housed in the 5.0 to 5.9 percent bracket.

Another 10 counties were found with jobless rates between 6.0 and 6.9 percent, with the 7.0 to 7.9 percent group having 13 counties.

Four counties showed unemployment numbers from 8.0 to 8.9 percent, with two falling into the 9.0 to 9.9 percent region.

Three counties had jobless rates from 10.0 to 10.9 percent, with one county being found in the 13.0 to 13.9 percent group.

The state's seasonally adjusted numbers were 5.3 percent, unchanged from April to May.

Nationally, the figures fell from 6.0 percent to 5.8 percent.

In checking the state's Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers MSA has the lowest jobless rate, unchanged at 2.2 percent for the recording period.

Next on the list is the Little Rock-North Little Rock MSA at steady 4.2 percent for the two months in question.

The Fort Smith MSA is next at 4.4 percent, rising from 4.3 percent in April.

The Jonesboro MSA was unchanged at 4.5 percent, while the Pine Bluff MSA saw its unemployment rate rose from 7.9 percent in April to 8.2 percent in May.