Metro Jobless Trends Send Mixed Signals

It’s getting better or it’s getting worse. Depends on how you slice the data.

Six of the eight metro areas in or connected to Arkansas saw a jobless rate decline in July compared to June; however, six of the metro areas saw a jobless rate increase in July compared to July 2010.

The rates in Wednesday’s (Aug. 31) report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics are preliminary and subject to change.

During July 2011, the lowest metro jobless rate was 6.9% in Northwest Arkansas and the highest rate was 10.9% in Pine Bluff. The number of unemployed in the Northwest Arkansas metro area fell to 15,600, after jumping from 14,200 May to 15,900 in June.

Arkansas’ jobless rate in July was 8.2%, up from 8.1% in June, and up from 7.8% in July 2010.

NATIONAL NUMBERS
The U.S. jobless rate during July was 9.1%, down from 9.2% in June and down from 9.5% in July 2010.

Unemployment rates were lower in July than a year earlier in 257 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 94 areas (Compared to higher in 127 areas in June and 85 areas in May), and unchanged in 21 areas, noted the BLS report.

Also, 12 areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15%, while 10 areas registered rates of less than 5%.

ARKANSAS METRO AREAS
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers
July 2011: 6.9%
June 2011: 7%
July 2010: 6.9%

Fort Smith
July 2011: 8.3%
June 2011: 8.4%
July 2010: 8.1%

Hot Springs
July 2011: 8.1%
June 2011: 8.4%
July 2010: 8.4%

Jonesboro
July 2011: 8%
June 2011: 8.2%
July 2010: 7.9%

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
July 2011: 7.5%
June 2011: 7.5%
July 2010: 7.4%

Memphis-West Memphis
July 2011: 10.4%
June 2011: 10.9%
July 2010: 10%

Pine Bluff
July 2011: 10.9%
June 2011: 11.1%
July 2010: 10.2%

Texarkana
July 2011: 8.2%
June 2011: 8.1%
July 2010: 7.9%

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Michael Tilley with our content partner, The City Wire, is the author of this report. He can be reached by e-mail at [email protected].