301.519.9237 exdirector@nesaus.org

12.13.21 – by Arkansas Business Staff

Just as unemployment fell statewide in October, to 3.7%, unemployment rates in all eight Arkansas metropolitan statistical areas also declined, with rates falling by 0.2 to 0.4 percentage points.

“Rates are considerably lower than a year ago, and are generally near pre-pandemic levels,” economist Michael Pakko noted on his blog, arkansaseconomist.com, earlier this month.

“Unemployment rates are lower than in February 2020 in Texarkana, Fort Smith, and the Fayetteville MSA. Memphis, Texarkana and Little Rock continue to experience higher unemployment rates than before the economic downturn, but even in those metro areas rates are elevated by less than a percentage point,” said Pakko, the chief economist with the Arkansas Economic Development Institute.

Unemployment Rates for Arkansas MSAs, October 2021
(Seasonally Adjusted Metropolitain Area Estimates, Percentages)

 Change from:
Oct. 2021Month AgoYear AgoFeb. 2020
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers2.4-0.2-1.7-0.1
Fort Smith3.2-0.2-2.1-0.5
Hot Springs4.1-0.2-2.60.2
Jonesboro3.1-0.3-1.50.3
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway3.8-0.3-1.90.5
Memphis5.1-0.2-4.90.8
Pine Bluff5.60.41.90.1
Texarkana5.0-0.2-1.40.9
Arkansas Statewide3.7-0.3-1.9-0.1
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and arkansaseconomist.com