All of the eight metro areas in or connected to Arkansas had jobless rate decreases in April compared to March 2012 and April 2011. During April, the lowest metro jobless rate was in Northwest Arkansas and the highest rate was in Pine Bluff.
The Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metro area reported unemployment of 5.3%, while the Pine Bluff region landed at 8.8%.
NATIONAL NUMBERS
Unemployment rates were lower in April than a year earlier in 342 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 25 areas, and unchanged in 5 areas, noted the BLS report. Also, 10 areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15%, while 32 areas registered rates of less than 5%.
The U.S. unemployment rate in April was 8.1%, down from 9% from a year earlier.
Arkansas’ jobless rate was 7.2% in April, down from 7.4% during March and below the 8% rate in April 2011.
