Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Jobless Rate Climbs Slightly

Clark County's unemployment rate rose slightly from October to November, going from 3.0 percent to 3.2 percent.

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

Most counties surrounding Clark also saw their jobless figures rise.

Dallas County, though, was one of the few which didn't. It's unemployment numbers remained static at 6.2 percent for the recording period.

Hot Spring County, was another, as its jobless rate fell, dropping from 5.4 percent to 5.1 percent.

In Montgomery County, however, the situation went north as the rate rose from 3.1 to 3.8 percent for the period in question.

Nevada County, though, saw a significant decline, as its jobless rate fell from 6.9 to 6.0 percent.

Ouachita County also saw a drop, falling from 9.4 to 9.0 percent.

But in Pike County, the rise was back on, though slightly, with the numbers climbing from 4.5 percent to 4.6 percent.

These changes had an impact on where the counties ranked in the state.

Clark County entered the list in ninth place, while Montgomery County came in at number 17.

Pike County was next up in 28th, with Hot Spring County entering the tally in the number 32 position.

Nevada County was ranked 40th, while Dallas County was tied in 44th place.

Ouachita County brought up the rear in the 69th spot.

Benton County had the lowest unemployment rate in the state with its minute 2.1 percent rating. However, Woodruff County filled the other end of the spectrum in 75th, with a whopping 15.2 percent figure.

There were five counties recording unemployment rates from 2.1 to 2.9 percent.

A massive 16 counties made up the 3.0 to 3.9 percent division, while there were 10 composing the 4.0 to 4.9 percent slot.

Eight counties were housed in the 5.0 to 5.9 percent division, with 15 filling in the 6.0 to 6.9 percent hole.

An even 12 counties had jobless rates from 7.0 to 7.9 percent, with two being in the 8.0 to 8.9 percent area.

Four counties recorded unemployment numbers from 9.0 to 9.9 percent.

A total of three counties had double-digit unemployment. The first was Mississippi County, for the 10.0 to 10.9 percent position, next was Searcy County for the 12.0 to 12.9 percent hole, with Woodruff County in the 15.0 to 15.9 percent spot.

Checking the state's five metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), the Fayetteville- Springdale-Rogers MSA again has the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 2.6 percent, a decline of 2.7 percent from October.

Next up is the Little Rock-North Little Rock MSA with a 3.2 percent jobless figure, down from October's 3.4 percent.

Third on the list is the Jonesboro MSA, unchanged at 3.4 percent.

The Fort Smith MSA enters the list in fourth with its 4.5 percent numbers, showing a slight decline from 4.6 percent.

Finally, on the bottom again, is the Pine Bluff MSA, showing a 7.0 percent jobless figure, up from 6.9 percent a month earlier.

Arkansas' seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.3 percent in November, down from October's 5.4 percent.

Nationally, the jobless rate fell two-tenths of a percent to 4.4 percent.