Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Unemployment rises slightly in Nevada County

Nevada County's unemployment rate rose from 3.6 percent in August to 3.9 percent in September.

These figures are according to the Arkansas Employment Security Division (ESD).

Unfortunately, the same could be said for several surrounding counties.

Clark County enjoyed a slight decline, dropping from 5.2 to 4.7 percent, while Columbia County saw its jobless rate rise from 5.4 to 5.9 percent for the period.

Hempstead County's figure rose from 4.4 percent to 4.6 percent, while Lafayette County's numbers dropped from 5.1 percent to 4.5 percent.

Ouachita County also had a slight increase in its unemployment numbers, going from 8.5 percent to 8.7 percent. Pike County's rose from 4.3 to 4.4 percent.

Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose from 5.4 percent in August to 6.0 percent in September. This, according to the ESD, is the highest the figure has been since November 1993.

Nationally, the jobless rate remained unchanged at 6.1 percent.

Checking where counties ranked based on their jobless figures shows Nevada County rated ninth.

Pike County was rated 17th, with Lafayette County coming in at 20th.

Clark County entered the list in 25th, while Columbia County came in at 43rd, and Ouachita County brought up the rear rated 64th.

Benton County was ranked first, with Mississippi County 75th of Arkansas's 75 counties.

Four counties had jobless figures from 2.0 to 2.9 percent, with five showing numbers from 3.0 to 3.9 percent.

The 4.0 to 4.9 percent division holds 24 counties, while there are 10 counties with unemployment from 5.0 to 5.9 percent.

Nine counties fall into the 6.0 to 6.9 percent bracket, with eight registering figures from 7.0 to 7.9 percent.

Seven counties showed figures from 8.0 to 8.9 percent, with five being in the 9.0 to 9.9 percent range.

Three counties had double-digit unemployment. Lee County was the lone occupant of the 11.0 to 11.9 percent group with 11.8 percent of its workers needing a job. Woodruff County was alone in the 12.0 to 12.9 percent slot, with 12.5 percent of its residents needing a job. In Mississippi County, the unemployment rate was 13.1 percent, with it being the lone county in the 13.0 to 13.9 percent spot.

Looking at the state's Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), shows the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers MSA with the lowest unemployment at 2.7 percent. But, this is up from 2.6 percent in August.

The Little Rock-North Little Rock MSA was next at 4.5 percent, up from 4.4 percent a month earlier.

Third on the list was the Jonesboro MSA at 4.8 percent, up from 4.6 percent in August.

The Fort Smith MSA went from 4.5 to 4.7 percent for the reporting period, while the Pine Bluff MSA's figures remained unchanged at 8.1 percent.

Overall, according to ESD figures, 38 counties in Arkansas saw unemployment rise, though it was lower in 28 counties and unchanged in nine others.

Mississippi County has had the dubious honor of having the state's highest unemployment figure since February 2001.