Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

7.5 Percent Workers Out Of Jobs

Employment figures from the Arkansas Employment Security Department, show stability in Nevada County.

There was no change from January to February in the county's unemployment rate, as it remained 7.5 percent.

These numbers do not reflect the results of the March 1 tornado.

Jobless figures for surrounding counties, though, fluctuated.

For the first time in several months, Clark County was unseated as having the lowest figure in the state. It's unemployment rate went from 3.3 to 3.4 percent.

In Columbia County the numbers climbed more significantly, rising from 6.8 percent to 7.3 percent for the month.

Hempstead County's unemployment figure remained steady at 7.7 percent, 0.2 percent higher than Nevada County's.

The figure in Lafayette County dropped a tenth of a point from 7.2 to 7.1 percent.

Ouachita County stayed constant at 9.9 percent, while Pike County saw a decline in its figures, from 7.0 percent to 6.4 percent.

In looking at the rankings, Benton County is the new No. 1, with its 3.2 percent rate, while Clark County falls to No. 2.

Pike County tips the scales at 28th, while Lafayette County is tied for 38th.

Columbia County enters the rankings in 42nd, one spot above Nevada County, in 43rd.

Hempstead County's 7.7 percent figure, brings it a ranking of 45th, while Ouachita County is 59th.

Seven counties entered the chart with jobless figures from 3.0 to 3.9 percent: Benton (3.2), Clark (3.4), Saline (3.5), Scott (3.6), Pulaski and Washington (3.8) and Franklin (3.9).

Four counties figure in from 4.0 to 4.9 percent, while there are 11 counties recording jobless rates in the 5.0 to 5.9 division.

The 6.0 to 6.9 bracket also contains 11 counties, with 17 counties falling in the 7.0 to 7.9 percent region.

Another eight counties head up the 8.0 to 8.9 percent range, with the 9.0 to 9.9 percent area having six counties.

There are a total of 14 counties in Arkansas with double-digit unemployment. Four of these fall in the 10.0 to 10.9 percent bracket, with three in the 11.0 to 11.9 division.

St. Francis (12.0) and Prairie (12.6) counties make up the 12.0 to 12.9 set, while Jackson County (13.3) is the lone county in the 13.0 to 13.9 bracket.

Randolph County's unemployment numbers haven't improved any, as it has a 14.2 percent jobless rate, with Bradley County (14.3) the other county in the 14.0 to 14.9 section.

Lee County, with a 15.9 percent jobless rate, has the highest unemployment in the state of Arkansas.

For February, Arkansas' seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.4 percent. However, the national jobless figures changed, dropping to 5.3 percent.

While the unemployment rate fell in 30 counties, it rose in 34 of the state's 75 counties.

Checking the Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers MSA remains lowest again with a 3.5 percent rating. And, once again, the Pine Bluff MSA has the worst jobless problem with 8.1 percent of its populace out of work.

The Little Rock-North Little Rock MSA had a 4.2 percent jobless figure, while the newly listed Jonesboro MSA was at 4.4 percent. Forth Smith's MSA entered the foray with a 5.5 percent figure.