Fort Smith area jobless rate dips to 7.2% in April

Gains were seen in the size of the workforce and the number of employed in the Fort Smith region during April, but the numbers are still below year-ago figures.

April’s 7.2% jobless rate was well above the 7.9% in March, but below the 7.1%  in April 2012, according to figures released Wednesday (May 29) by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. April was the 52nd consecutive month the Fort Smith metro jobless rate has been at or above 7%.

Seven of the eight metro areas in or connected to Arkansas had jobless rate decreases in April compared to March, but had jobless rate increases compared to April 2012. Only the Northwest Arkansas area saw jobless rate improvements compared to March and the April 2012 period.

During April, the lowest metro jobless rate in the state was in Northwest Arkansas with 5.1% and the highest rate was 9.2% in the Pine Bluff area.

FORT SMITH METRO NUMBERS
The size of the Fort Smith regional workforce during April was 131,673, up slightly from the 131,517 during March, but below the 132,517 during April 2012. The regional labor force consistently remained above 130,000 beginning in March 2004, but fell below 130,000 in April. The labor force reached a high of 139,544 in June 2008.

The number of employed during April rose to 122,188, an improvement over the 121,156 in March. However, the April employment was below the 123,165 in April 2012.

Following are other key figures from the BLS metro report.
• Unemployed persons in the region totaled an estimated 9,485 during April, better than the 10,361 during March, but more than the 9,352 during April 2012.

• The Fort Smith area manufacturing sector employed an estimated 18,600 in April, unchanged compared to March, and below the 19,200 during April 2012. Employment in the sector is down more than 35% from more than a decade ago when April 2001 manufacturing employment in the metro area stood at 30,700. Also, the annual average monthly employment in manufacturing has fallen from 28,900 in 2005 to 19,200 in 2012 – the first year the average has dropped below 20,000 since surpassing that level.

• Jobs in the Trade, Transportation and Utilities sector — the region’s largest job sector —  totaled 24,900 in April, up from 24,800 in March, and above the 23,900 during April 2012. Employment in the sector is off from the high of 25,700 posted in March 2007.

• Employment in the region’s tourism industry was 9,100 during April, down from 8,800 in March and unchanged compared to April 2012. The sector reached an employment high of 9,800 in August 2008.

• In Education & Health Services, employment was 17,500 during April, down from 17,600 in March and above the 17,000 during April 2012.

• In the Government sector, employment was 19,600 during April, down from 19,900 in March and unchanged compared to April 2012.

NATIONAL NUMBERS
Unemployment rates were lower in April than a year earlier in 276 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 78 areas, and unchanged in 18 areas, noted the broad BLS report.

The U.S. unemployment rate in April was 7.1%, down from 7.7% from a year earlier. Arkansas’ jobless rate was 7.1% in April, down from 7.2% in March and below the 7.3% rate in April 2012.

Oklahoma’s jobless rate during April was 4.9%, down from 5% in March, and below the 5% during April 2012. The Missouri jobless rate during April was 6.6%, compared to 6.7% in March and 7% during April 2012.

ARKANSAS METRO AREAS
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers
April 2013: 5.1%
March 2013: 5.5%
April 2012: 5.3%

Fort Smith
April 2013: 7.2%
March 2013: 7.9%
April 2012: 7.1%

Hot Springs
April 2013: 7.1%
March 2013: 7.7%
April 2012: 7%

Jonesboro
April 2013: 6.5%
March 2013: 6.9%
April 2012: 6.4%

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
April 2013: 6.2%
March 2013: 6.7%
April 2012: 6.1%

Memphis-West Memphis
April 2013: 9%
March 2013: 9.3%
April 2012: 8.5%

Pine Bluff
April 2013: 9.2%
March 2013: 9.8%
April 2012: 8.5%

Texarkana
April 2013: 6.7%
March 2013: 6.9%
April 2012: 6.5%

FORT SMITH METRO AREA HISTORY
Past annual average unemployment rates
2012: 7.7%
2011: 8.6%
2010: 8.2%
2009: 7.9%
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%