Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Clark County's unemployment rate rises from 4.6 to 4.8 percent in May

Clark County's unemployment rate rose from 4.6 percent to 4.8 percent from April to May, according to the Arkansas Employment Security Division.

The figures from surrounding county were mixed, with most reporting drops in their jobless rates.

Dallas County went from 10.7 percent to 10.2 percent for the reporting period, while Hot Spring County dropped from 6.9 to 6.7 percent.

Montgomery County's jobless figure rose slightly, from 4.5 to 4.6 percent, with Nevada County's going up from 4.3 to 4.6 percent.

In Ouachita County, the numbers changes from 7.1 percent to 7.3 percent, while Pike County enjoyed a drop in its figures, going from 5.8 percent to 5.5 percent.

Benton County again had the lowest unemployment in the state with a 2.0 percent figure. Mississippi County was on the far end of the scale, with its jobless rate of 13.7 percent.

According to ESD information, Clark County ranks 25th in the state, out of 75 counties.

Montgomery and Nevada counties were tied at 22nd, while Pike County was rated 40th.

Hot Spring County entered the list at 50th, while Ouachita County was ranked 57th.

Dallas County was found far down the list in 73rd place.

There were three counties with jobless figures from 2.0 to 2.9 percent for the reporting period.

Another seven counties were found in the 3.0 to 3.9 percent division, while 17 counties were housed in the 4.0 to 4.9 percent category.

A total of 15 counties reported jobless figures from 5.0 to 5.9 percent, with nine counties having unemployment rates from 6.0 to 6.9 percent.

Thirteen counties had numbers in the 7.0 to 7.9 percent range, with the 8.0 to 8.9 percent bracket containing four counties.

Two counties had figures of 9.0 to 9.9 percent, with three with jobless rates of 10.0 to 10.9 percent.

One county was in the 13.0 to 13.9 percent group.

A check of the state's Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), again shows the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers MSA with the lowest unemployment rate at 2.2 percent, unchanged from April.

Next on the list was the Little Rock-North Little Rock MSA at 4.2 percent, also unchanged.

The Fort Smith MSA was next with its 4.4 percent unemployment figures, rising from 4.3 percent a month earlier.

The Jonesboro MSA numbers remained unchanged at 4.5 percent for the reporting period.

Once again, the Pine Bluff MSA had the highest jobless rate in the state at 8.2 percent, up from 7.9 percent a in April.

Overall, Arkansas's seasonally adjusted figures were unchanged from April to May, remaining at 5.3 percent.

However, the national numbers dropped from 6.0 percent to 5.8 percent.