Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Unemployment 2.9%

Good news seems to stay in Clark County when it comes to unemployment figures.

According to information from the Arkansas Employment Security Division, Clark County's rate was 2.9 percent for March, the same as it was in February.

Anything below 3 percent is considerably under the state's overall jobless rate of 4.9 percent.

Surrounding counties weren't all as successful as Clark.

Dallas County's rate rose from 8.7 percent to 9.3 percent during the month, while Hot Spring County went from 4.9 to 5.1 percent.

Montgomery County was one of the few in the region to see its unemployment figures fall, as it went from 5.4 percent in February to 4.6 percent in March. Nevada County's rate also dropped, from 7.1 to 6.6 percent, but these figures are deceiving because the data was collected before Prescott Manufacturing closed.

Ouachita County again ventured into the double-digit territory as its rate went from 9.5 percent to 10.3 percent. Pike County also saw a rise in its figure, from 5.5 to 6.4 percent.

Clark County ranks third with its 2.9 percent unemployment, behind Saline and Washington counties (2.7 percent each.) Montgomery County falls into the bracket at 20th, while Hot Spring County is 27th.

Pike County is 42nd in the ratings, while Nevada County comes in at 45th. Ouachita County is currently ranked 70th of 75 counties.

Randolph County has the highest jobless rate in Arkansas at 14.6 percent.

Overall, seven counties have jobless figures above 10 percent: Phillips (10.1); Ouachita (10.3); Desha (10.7); St. Francis (10.7); Bradley (11.3); Lee (11.5); and Randolph (14.6)

Three counties, on the other hand, have figures from 2.0 to 2.9 percent, while six fall into the 3.0 to 3.9 range. Sixteen counties in the state show unemployment numbers from 4.0 to 4.9 percent, with nine others in the 5.0 to 5.9 bracket.

There are 18 counties with 6.0 to 6.9 percent of their eligible work force without jobs. Eight more have 7.0 to 7.9 percent out of work, with three counties in the 8.0 to 8.9 percent division.

Four counties fall into the 9.0 to 9.9 percent range, with four more in the 10.0 to 10.9 category. Two show numbers from 11.0 to 11.9 percent with one registering jobless figures of 14.6 percent.

The seasonably adjusted national unemployment rate was 5.6 percent, while the state average was 4.9 percent.

Arkansas' 4.9 percent rate was unchanged from February to March.

The Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) was the lowest of the four MSAs in Arkansas at 2.9 percent. The highest jobless figure for MSAs was Pine Bluff at 6.9 percent. The Little Rock-North Little Rock MSA reported figures of 3.6 percent, while Fort Smith's MSA was 5.7 percent.

For the past year, from March 1995-96, 50 counties experienced employment growth.