Fort Smith metro jobless rate ends 2009 at 7.9%

The preliminary unemployment rate in the Fort Smith metro area moved higher in December and ended the year at 7.9% — the highest monthly rate for all of 2009 if it stands.

December’s rate was higher than the December 2008 rate of 6.1%. Also, the preliminary numbers show 11,043 unemployed in the Fort Smith metro area in December, up a staggering 32.5% over the 8,329 unemployed in December 2008.

Total Fort Smith metro employment in December was 128,400, down from the 130,700 in November, according to the figures released Tuesday (Feb. 2) by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Total metro employment during 2009 peaked at 131,119 in September.

The month-to-month jobless rate increase can’t be tied to manufacturing, for a pleasant change. December saw a small gain in the number of Fort Smith area manufacturing jobs (22,600) compared to November (22,500). However, the region has lost 1,100 manufacturing jobs between December 2008 and December 2009, and has lost 28% of its manufacturing jobs since January 2000.

The only other Fort Smith metro job sector seeing December gains in employment was financial activities (4,500 jobs, compared to 4,400 in November).

Unfortunately, all of Arkansas’ metro areas saw unemployment rate increases in December. Arkansas’ unemployment rate rose to 7.7% in December, a preliminary figure that will be the highest monthly rate of the year if it stands. The rate increases from 7.4% in November, with the previous monthly highest jobless rate being 7.6% in October.

The monthly Fort Smith metro unemployment rates for 2009 are:
December 2009: 7.9%
November 2009: 7.7%
October 2009: 7.8%
September 2009: 7%
August 2009: 7.1%
July 2009: 7.7%
June 2009: 7.8%
May 2009: 7.5%
April 2009: 7.1%
March 2009: 7.3%
February 2009: 7.7%
January 2009: 7.7%

FORT SMITH METRO AREA HISTORY
Past annual average unemployment rates
2008: 4.8%
2007: 5.3%
2006: 4.9%
2005: 4.5%
2004: 5.2%
2003: 5.5%
2002: 5%
2001: 4.2%
2000: 3.7%

ARKANSAS METRO AREAS
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers
December 2009: 5.7%
November 2009: 5.3%
December 2008: 4.6%

Hot Springs
December 2009: 7.5%
November 2009: 6.8%
December 2008: 6.2%

Jonesboro
December 2009: 7%
November 2009: 6.3%
December 2008: 5.4%

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
December 2009: 6.5%
November 2009: 5.9%
December 2008: 4.9%

Memphis-West Memphis
December 2009: 10.3%
November 2009: 9.8%
December 2008: 7.5%

Pine Bluff
December 2009: 9.7%
November 2009: 8.9%
December 2008: 8%

Texarkana
December 2009: 6.5%
November 2009: 6.3%
December 2008: 5%