Workforce Grows Slightly In NE Arkansas, Jobless Rate At 6.1%

Jonesboro’s metropolitan unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a point in July to 6.1%, just slightly higher than June, but a dramatic drop from one year ago when the region’s jobless rate stood at 7.8%.

The year-over-year numbers were a good signal and Jonesboro bucked a state trend by showing rising labor force numbers

The size of the Jonesboro regional workforce during July was estimated at 59,976, slightly above the 59,786 in June and barely higher than the 59,863 in July 2013. The July numbers are subject to revision.

Jonesboro metro employment of 56,289 was slightly above the revised 56,203 in June, and better than the 55,217 during July 2013. The average annual monthly employment was 55,105 in 2013, 54,873 during 2012, 54,537 during 2011 and 53,345 during 2010.

July marked the fifth consecutive month the Jonesboro metro jobless rate has been at or below 7%.

All of the eight metro areas in or connected to Arkansas had jobless rate increases in July compared to June, but all had jobless rate declines compared to July 2013. During July, the lowest metro jobless rate in the state was 5.3% in Northwest Arkansas and the highest rate was 9.2% in the Pine Bluff area.

NATIONAL NUMBERS
Unemployment rates were lower in July than a year earlier in 348 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 16 areas, and unchanged in eight areas, noted the broad BLS report.

The U.S. unemployment rate in July was 6.2%, down from 7.3% from a year earlier. Arkansas’ jobless rate was 6.2% in July, down from 6.3% in June and down from 7.7% in July 2013.

The Missouri jobless rate during July was 6.5%, down from 6.6% in June and below the 6.8% in July 2013. The Tennessee jobless rate during July was 7.1%, compared to 6.6% in June and 8.4% in July 2013.

ARKANSAS METRO AREAS
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers
July 2014: 5.3%
June 2014: 4.9%
July 2013: 6.3%

Fort Smith
July 2014: 6.5%
June 2014: 6.4%
July 2013: 8.2%

Hot Springs
July 2014: 6.7%
June 2014: 6.5%
July 2013: 8.1%

Jonesboro
July 2014: 6.1%
June 2014: 6%
July 2013: 7.8%

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
July 2014: 6%
June 2014: 5.8%
July 2013: 7.2%

Memphis-West Memphis
July 2014: 8.9%
June 2014: 8.7%
July 2013: 9.6%

Pine Bluff
July 2014: 9.2%
June 2014: 8.6%
July 2013: 10.9%

Texarkana
July 2014: 6.5%
June 2014: 6.3%
July 2013: 7.7%