NWA year-over-year job numbers up almost 9,000 in September

The Northwest Arkansas metro posted year-over-year net job gains of almost 3% in September, with job numbers up almost 15% in the past five years, according to an Oct. 30 report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

The BLS report, which is preliminary and subject to revision, estimated 315,387 jobs in the metro in September, up 2.92%, or 8,968 jobs, compared with September 2023, and above the 313,700 in the previous month. Metro employment first surpassed the 300,000 level in October 2022, and the region set an employment record in July with 318,009 jobs.

In the past five years (September 2019-September 2024), the region has added 40,098 jobs, a gain of 14.6%.

The metro labor force – persons deemed eligible to work – totaled 322,302, up 2.4% compared with 314,708 in September 2023. Northwest Arkansas’ unemployment rate in September was 2.1%, below the 2.6% in September 2023. The region’s unemployment rate has been at or below 3% since August 2021.

The number of unemployed in the region was 6,915 in September, down 16.6% compared with September 2023 and also well below the estimated 8,380 unemployed in August.

Following are the year-over-year changes in the region’s six largest job sectors.
Trade, Transportation, Utilities
September 2024: 62,400
September 2023: 63,000
down 0.95%
The sector set a record of 64,800 in December 2023.

Professional and Business Services
September 2024: 59,300
September 2023: 59,200
down 0.17%
the sector set a record of 60,400 in June.

Government
September 2024: 46,000
September 2023: 43,900
up 4.8%
The September number set a new record for the category.

Education and Health Services
September 2024: 38,000
September 2023: 36,000
up 5.5%
The September number set a new record for the category.

Leisure and Hospitality
September 2024: 31,500
September 2023: 32,000
down 1.5%
The sector set a record with 33,200 jobs in June.

Manufacturing
September 2024: 31,500
September 2023: 30,400
up 3.6%
The sector set a record with 36,300 jobs in June 2000.

The number of employed in Arkansas during September was an estimated 1,363,021, up 29,007 jobs, or 2.2%, compared with September 2023, and above the 1,358,680 in August, according to the BLS. Arkansans without jobs in September totaled 45,797, down from the 46,741 in August, and down 7.7% compared with the 49,599 in September 2023.

Arkansas’ biggest year-over-year sector gains were in Education and Health Services (8,800 more jobs), Trade, Transportation and Utilities (4,500 more jobs), and Construction (3,500 more jobs).

Unemployment rates were higher in September than a year earlier in 260 of the 389 metro areas, lower in 101 areas, and unchanged in 28 areas, according to the BLS report. A total of 87 areas had jobless rates of less than 3% and 3 areas had rates of at least 8%. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 42 metro areas and was essentially unchanged in 347 areas.