August jobs number up in all Arkansas metro areas

Arkansas’ three largest metro regions – areas with most of the workforce in the state – had 30,972 more employed in August compared with August 2020. Northwest Arkansas jobs rose 6.8%, the biggest gain of the three, and all metro areas saw significant jobless rate declines.

Job gains in the three metros represented 68.3% of the statewide increase of 45,354 jobs in August 2021. All eight metro areas in or connected to Arkansas posted job gains in the August report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Central Arkansas – Little Rock, North Little Rock and Conway – had 337,962 employed in August, up 9,043 jobs, from the 328,919 in August 2020. The region’s jobless rate was 4% in August, below the 7.1% in August 2020.

Northwest Arkansas, the state’s second largest metro area, had an estimated 287,302 jobs in August, up 18,319 jobs from the 268,389 in August 2020. The region’s jobless rate was 2.7% in August, below the 4.8% in August 2020. The Fort Smith metro, Arkansas’ third largest metro, had an estimated 114,664 jobs in August, up 3,610 jobs from 111,054 in August 2020. The region’s jobless rate was 3.4% in August, below the 6% in August 2020.

Northwest Arkansas had the lowest metro jobless rate in August (2.7%), and the Memphis-West Memphis had the highest rate at 6.1%. The state’s jobless rate in August was 4.2%, unchanged from April and below the 6.5% in August 2020.

NATIONAL NUMBERS
Unemployment rates were lower in August than a year earlier in 385 of the 389 metropolitan areas, higher in 3 areas, and unchanged in 1 area, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. A total of 43 areas had jobless rates of less than 3% and 4 areas had rates of at least 10%. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 104 metropolitan areas and was essentially unchanged in 285 areas. The national unemployment rate in August was 5.3%, not seasonally adjusted, down from 8.5% a year earlier.

Lincoln, Neb., and Grand Island, Neb., had the lowest unemployment rates at 1.7% and 1.9%, respectively. El Centro, Calif., had the highest rate at 19.4%. A total of 248 areas had August jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 5.3%, 131 areas had rates above it, and 10 areas had rates equal to that of the nation.

METRO JOBS DATA
Following are labor market data for the eight metro areas.
• Northwest Arkansas
Labor force
August 2021: 295,155
August 2020: 281,032

Employment
August 2021: 287,302
August 2020: 268,389

Unemployed
August 2021: 7,853
August 2020: 13,550

Jobless rate
August 2021: 2.7%
August 2020: 4.8%

• Fort Smith metro (Arkansas-Oklahoma)
Labor force
August 2021: 118,669
August 2020: 118,171

Employment
August 2021: 114,664
August 2020: 111,054

Unemployed
August 2021: 4,005
August 2020: 7,117

Jobless rate
August 2021: 3.4%
August 2020: 6%

• Hot Springs
Labor force
August 2021: 41,406
August 2020: 41,997

Employment
August 2021: 39,552
August 2020: 38,353

Unemployed
August 2021: 1,854
August 2020: 3,644

Jobless rate
August 2021: 4.5%
August 2020: 8.7%

• Jonesboro
Labor force
August 2021: 66,353
August 2020: 65,316

Employment
August 2021: 64,215
August 2020: 61,547

Unemployed
August 2021: 2,138
August 2020: 3,769

Jobless rate
August 2021: 3.2%
August 2020: 5.8%

• Central Arkansas
Labor force
August 2021: 352,036
August 2020: 353,922

Employment
August 2021: 337,962
August 2020: 328,719

Unemployed
August 2021: 14,074
August 2020: 25,003

Jobless rate
August 2021: 4%
August 2020: 7.1%

• Memphis/West Memphis
Labor force
August 2021: 651,099
August 2020: 658,410

Employment
August 2021: 611,342
August 2020: 586,640

Unemployed
August 2021: 39,757
August 2020: 71,770

Jobless rate
August 2021: 6.1%
August 2020: 10.9%

• Pine Bluff
Labor force
August 2021: 34,381
August 2020: 34,421

Employment
August 2021: 32,435
August 2020: 31,641

Unemployed
August 2021: 1,946
August 2020: 2,780

Jobless rate
August 2021: 5.7%
August 2020: 8.1%

• Texarkana (Arkansas-Texas)
Labor force
August 2021: 63,073
August 2020: 63,855

Employment
August 2021: 59,832
August 2020: 59,774

Unemployed
August 2021: 3,241
August 2020: 4,081

Jobless rate
August 2021: 5.1%
August 2020: 6.4%