Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Unemployment Stays The Same

Clark County's unemployment rate remained steady from February to March, staying at 3.5 percent.

According to information from the Arkansas Employment Security Division, Clark was one of eight counties with no change in its jobless figures for these two months.

For the most part, surrounding counties also saw the number of their citizens without jobs fall somewhat.

In Dallas County, the numbers changed in the right direction, falling from 7.5 percent to 7.4 percent for the recording period.

Hot Spring County had a better decline, going from 6.1 percent to 5.8 percent.

In Montgomery County, the numbers were also good, as they jobless rate fell from 5.3 percent to 5.0 percent.

Nevada County also had a small decline, falling from 7.5 percent to 7.4 percent.

Ouachita County was the exception to the rule, as its jobless rate increased, rising from February's 10.5 percent to 11.0 in March.

Pike County also enjoyed a decline, falling from 5.0 percent to 4.9 percent for the period.

Checking the rankings based on unemployment, Clark County comes in second with its 3.5 percent figure.

Pike County isn't too far behind as it rates 17th, with Montgomery County on its heels in 18th place.

Hot Spring County enters the tally in 32nd position, while Dallas County is tied with Nevada County in 43rd place.

Ouachita County brings up the rear in 71st place.

Saline County has the lowest unemployment rate in the state with a 3.2 percent average, while Bradley County is on the other end of the spectrum, and 75th overall, with a 13.0 percent jobless figure.

Five counties have jobless rates from 3.0 to 3.9 percent, while there are 12 with figures from 4.0 to 4.9 percent.

A total of 17 counties fall within the borders of the 5.0 to 5.9 percent unemployment bugaboo, while four are in the confines of the 6.0 to 6.9 percent range.

There are nine counties with jobless rates from 7.0 to 7.9 percent, and another 10 in the 8.0 to 8.9 percent division.

Eight other counties fall in the 9.0 to 9.9 percent bracket, while five (Chicot, Izard, St. Francis, Lee and Mississippi) are housed in the 10.0 to 10.9 percent district.

Three counties (Ouachita, Calhoun and Randolph) make up the 11.0 to 11.9 percent category, while one (Jackson), is in the 12.0 to 12.9 percent range.

Bradley County as previously written, has the highest unemployment in the state at 13.0 percent.

A quick check of the state's five Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) shows all five with declining numbers. Four had drops of 0.1 percent, while the Pine Bluff MSA fell 0.2 percent.

The Fayetteville-Rogers-Springdale MSA had the lowest jobless rate at 3.8 percent, followed by the Little Rock-North Little Rock MSA at 4.1 percent.

Next on the list was the Jonesboro MSA with its 4.5 percent figure, while the Fort Smith MSA entered the list in fourth place at 5.4 percent.

Once again, the Pine Bluff MSA had the highest jobless rate at 8.3 percent.

Arkansas' seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in March, up from February's figure of 5.3 percent.

Nationally, the jobless rate rose as well, climbing from 4.6 percent to 4.7 percent for the recording period.