Education and Health Services sector helps drive Fort Smith metro job gains

Year-over-year job gains in Education and Health Services and Professional and Business Services were largely responsible for the modest February employment increase in the Fort Smith metro, according to the latest federal estimate.

The Fort Smith metro had an estimated 97,822 jobs in February, up 553 jobs, or 0.57%, compared with February 2024, according to a recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Regional employment remains below the peak of 104,228 in June 2008.

The metro unemployment rate was 4.1% in February, up from 3.9% in February 2024. The metro had 4,178 unemployed, up from 3,965 in February 2024. Arkansas’ jobless rate in February was 3.6%, up from 3.4% in February 2024.

Following are details on the region’s top six job categories.
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities
February 2025: 21,900
February 2024: 22,000
The sector posted record employment of 22,700 in November 2022.

Manufacturing
February 2025: 17,900
February 2024: 17,800
The sector posted record employment of 29,200 in June 1999.

Education and Health Services
February 2025: 17,600
February 2024: 17,000
The sector first posted record employment of 17,600 in October 2024.

Government
February 2025: 12,700
February 2024: 12,800
The sector posted record employment of 15,000 in March 2020.

Professional and Business Services
February 2025: 10,900
February 2024: 10,600
The sector posted record employment of 12,700 in April 2017.

Leisure and Hospitality (tourism)
February 2025: 8,800
February 2024: 8,900
The sector posted record employment of 9,500 in June 2023.

10-YEAR TREND
Of the six largest metro job sectors, four have posted gains in average monthly employment in the past 10 years. The Education and Health Services sector posted the largest percentage gain among the sectors. Following are the average monthly job numbers between 2024 and 2015.

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities
2024 average monthly employment: 21,900
2015 average monthly employment: 21,500
up 1.9%

Manufacturing
2024 average monthly employment: 18,000
2015 average monthly employment: 16,900
up 6.5%

The Education and Health Services
2024 average monthly employment: 17,200
2015 average monthly employment: 15,100
up 14%

Government
2024 average monthly employment: 12,500
2015 average monthly employment: 13,900
down 10.7%

Professional and Business Services
2024 average monthly employment: 10,700
2015 average monthly employment: 11,400
down 6.1%

Leisure and Hospitality
2024 average monthly employment: 9,200
2015 average monthly employment: 8,600
up 7%