2024 average monthly Fort Smith metro jobs up 2.2%, below peak of 2008

Growth in the professional and business services and the education and health services sectors contributed to almost all the Fort Smith metro job gains in January, according to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report.

The Fort Smith metro, Arkansas’ third largest metro, had an estimated 97,248 jobs in January, up 1,241 jobs, or 1.3%, compared with January 2024. Regional employment remains below the peak of 104,228 in June 2008. The metro had 3,843 unemployed, down from 4,074 in January 2024.

Metro employment in the professional and business services category was an estimated 10,900 in January, up 600 jobs from 10,300 in January 2024. Metro jobs in the education and health services sector totaled 17,500, up from 17,000 jobs in January 2024. Key metro sectors with year-over-year losses in January were government (down 100 jobs) and leisure and hospitality (down 100 jobs).

The January data is preliminary and subject to revision.

Average annual monthly employment in 2024 was 98,162, up 2.24% compared with the average of 96,007 in 2023. However, the 2024 average is 7.2% below the peak average monthly of 102,573 in 2008, which was the last year average monthly employment was above 100,000.

Following are previous years of average monthly employment.
2024: 98,162
2023: 96,007
2022: 95,249
2021: 93,139
2020: 92,186
2010: 97,520
2000: 94,961

KEY SECTOR JOB NUMBERS
• Trade, transportation, and utilities
January 2025: 22,000
January 2024: 22,000

• Manufacturing
January 2025: 17,900
January 2024: 17,800

• Education and health services
January 2025: 17,500
January 2024: 17,000

• Government
January 2025: 12,300
January 2024: 12,400

• Professional and business services
January 2025: 10,900
January 2024: 10,300

• Leisure and hospitality (tourism)
January 2025: 8,700
January 2024: 8,800