All Arkansas metros post year-over-year job gains in April report

All seven metro areas in or connected to Arkansas posted job gains in April, with the estimated number of jobs in the Northwest Arkansas metro setting a new record at 307,678. The metro also had the lowest unemployment rate among Arkansas metros at 2.6%.

The Memphis-West Memphis area had the highest jobless rate at 3.7%. The Texarkana metro was the only Arkansas metro to post a jobless rate decline – from 3.7% to 3.6% – in April, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) jobs report posted Wednesday (May 28). The April report is preliminary and subject to revision.

Arkansas’ four largest metro regions – areas with most of the workforce in the state – had a combined 18,261 year-over-year job gains in April, more than the 14,459 overall state job gains in April. The number of employed in Arkansas during April was an estimated 1,370,386, up 14,459 jobs, or 1.06%, compared with April 2024. Arkansas’ jobless rate rose to 3.7% in April from 3.4% in April 2024.

In his May 21 report on Arkansas’ April jobless rate, Dr. Michael Pakko, chief economist and state economic forecaster with the Arkansas Economic Development Institute, said recent numbers point to “ongoing weakness in the state’s labor markets.”

“The gradual increase in Arkansas’ unemployment rate has been driven by persistent increases in the number of unemployed. Interrupted by only a slight decline in December, the number of unemployed has risen by 4,855 over the past 12 months,” he noted.

KEY METRO JOB TRENDS
Central Arkansas – Little Rock, North Little Rock and Conway – had 375,042 employed in April, up 7,101 jobs, or 1.9%, compared with April 2024. The metro had 11,758 unemployed, up 1.9% from 11,025 in April 2024. Northwest Arkansas, the state’s second largest metro area, had an estimated 307,678 jobs in April, up 8,627 jobs, or 2.9%, compared with April 2024. The metro had 8,054 unemployed, up 13.4% from 7,102 in April 2024.

The Fort Smith metro, Arkansas’ third largest metro, had an estimated 99,199 jobs in April, up 1,345 jobs, or 1.8%, compared with April 2024. Regional employment remains below the peak of 104,228 in June 2008. The metro had 3,227 unemployed, up 3.5% from 3,118 in April 2024. The Jonesboro metro had an estimated 65,608 jobs in April, up 1.8% compared with April 2024. The metro had 2,105 unemployed, up from 1,806 in April 2024.

The 2025 numbers reflect significant revisions to the data and counties included in the estimates. McDonald County, Mo., was removed from the Northwest Arkansas metro, LeFlore County, Okla., was removed from the Fort Smith metro, and Pine Bluff is no longer reported as a metropolitan statistical area.

NATIONAL NUMBERS
Unemployment rates were higher in April than a year earlier in 286 of the 387 metro areas, lower in 72 areas, and unchanged in 29, according to the BLS report. A total of 77 areas had jobless rates of less than 3% and 8 areas had rates of at least 8%. Nonfarm payroll jobs rose over the year in 20 metro areas, decreased in 1 area, and was essentially unchanged in 366 areas. The national unemployment rate in April was 3.9%, not seasonally adjusted, up from 3.5% a year earlier.

In April, Rapid City, S.D., and Sioux Falls, S.D.-Minn., had the lowest unemployment rates at 1.8% each. El Centro, Calif., had the highest rate at 16%. A total of 245 areas had April jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 3.9%, 128 areas had rates above it, and 14 areas had rates equal to that of the nation.

ARKANSAS METRO JOBS DATA
Following are labor market data for the seven metro areas.
• Northwest Arkansas
Labor force
April 2025: 315,732
April 2024: 306,153

Employment
April 2025: 307,678
April 2024: 299,051

Unemployed
April 2025: 8,054
April 2024: 7,102

Jobless rate
April 2025: 2.6%
April 2024: 2.3%

• Fort Smith metro (Arkansas-Oklahoma)
Labor force
April 2025: 102,426
April 2024: 100,972

Employment
April 2025: 99,199
April 2024: 97,854

Unemployed
April 2025: 3,227
April 2024: 3,118

Jobless rate
April 2025: 3.2%
April 2024: 3.1%

• Hot Springs
Labor force
April 2025: 44,108
April 2024: 43,972

Employment
April 2025: 42,597
April 2024: 42,573

Unemployed
April 2025: 1,511
April 2024: 1,399

Jobless rate
April 2025: 3.4%
April 2024: 3.2%

• Jonesboro
Labor force
April 2025: 67,713
April 2024: 66,226

Employment
April 2025: 65,608
April 2024: 64,420

Unemployed
April 2025: 2,105
April 2024: 1,806

Jobless rate
April 2025: 3.1%
April 2024: 2.7%

• Central Arkansas (Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway)
Labor force
April 2025: 386,800
April 2024: 378,966

Employment
April 2025: 375,042
April 2024: 367,941

Unemployed
April 2025: 11,758
April 2024: 11,025

Jobless rate
April 2025: 3%
April 2024: 2.9%

• Memphis/West Memphis (Tennessee-Arkansas)
Labor force
April 2025: 634,840
April 2024: 624,867

Employment
April 2025: 611,257
April 2024: 604,602

Unemployed
April 2025: 23,583
April 2024: 20,265

Jobless rate
April 2025: 3.7%
April 2024: 3.2%

• Texarkana (Arkansas-Texas)
Labor force
April 2025: 63,112
April 2024: 61,682

Employment
April 2025: 60,836
April 2024: 59,409

Unemployed
April 2025: 2,276
April 2024: 2,273

Jobless rate
April 2025: 3.6%
April 2024: 3.7%