Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Unemployment Rate Remains Low at 3.2%

Clark County's unemployment rate remains among the lowest in the state.

According to information from the Arkansas Employment Security Division (ESD), the jobless rate for the county for May was 3.2 percent, placing it fourth in the state.

For the most part, surrounding counties saw their unemployment numbers rise slightly.

In Dallas County, the figures rose from 6.1 percent in April to May's number of 6.7 percent.

The rate climbed higher in Hot Spring County, going from 6.0 to 6.8 percent for the recording period.

Montgomery County's numbers dropped slightly from 3.7 to 3.6 percent.

The figures in Nevada County also rose a bit, going from 5.9 percent in April to 6.0 percent for May.

Ouachita County fell out of double digits for the period, dropping from an even 10.0 percent to 9.8 percent.

In Pike County, the jobless rate rose from 3.9 percent to 4.3 percent.

In looking at where counties ranked according to their jobless figures, Clark County came in fourth of the state's 75 counties.

Next on the list was Montgomery County in the No. 9 hole, while Pike County was ranked 19th.

Nevada County enters the tally in 41st position, while Dallas County ranks 48th.

Hot Spring is on the list in 49th, while Ouachita County ranks 73rd.

Benton and Saline counties, with their 2.7 percent jobless figures, have the lowest rates in the state. The other end of the spectrum sees Bradley County in 75th with a 12.1 percent unemployment rate.

There were two counties in the state with jobless figures from 2.0 to 2.9 percent, with 12 falling in the 3.0 to 3.9 percent range.

A total of 19 counties were housed in the 4.0 to 4.9 percent division, with seven being in the 5.0 to 5.9 percent bracket.

The 6.0 to 6.9 percent category had 11 counties involved, while there were nine counties with jobless rates from 7.0 to 7.9 percent.

Six counties comprised the 8.0 to 8.9 percent bracket, with seven counties making up the 9.0 to 9.9 percent class.

Randolph County had an unemployment rate of 10.1 percent, with Bradley bringing up the rear at 12.1 percent.

Arkansas' seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.2 percent for the recording period, while the national average also stayed the same at 4.3 percent.

Looking at the state's five Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), the Fayetteville- Rogers-Springdale MSA again had the lowest jobless numbers at 3.0 percent, falling from 3.1 percent a month earlier.

And, as usual, the Pine Bluff MSA had the highest unemployment rate at 7.3 percent, rising from 7.1 percent.

The Little Rock-North Little Rock MSA was second on the list with a 3.7 percent figure, which rose from 3.5 percent.

The Jonesboro MSA was next at 3.9 percent, unchanged from April.

Finally, the Fort Smith MSA showed an increase, rising from 4.5 percent to 4.7 percent for the period in question.