Tourism sector boosts Arkansas job numbers, jobless rate rises to 4.1%

Growth in tourism and education and health services jobs helped push Arkansas job numbers up 1.3% in November, but the number of unemployed rose more than 17% in November compared with November 2024.

The state’s jobless rate in November was 4.1%, up from 3.6% in November 2024.

The numbers were posted Wednesday (Jan. 7) by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The November report does not provide total jobs and jobless comparisons with October. The November numbers are preliminary and subject to revision.

“October 2025 data from the household survey were not collected due to the lapse in federal appropriations; therefore, the unemployment analysis in this news release includes over-the-year changes only,” the BLS noted in its report.

Total nonfarm employment was an estimated 1,392,800 in November, up 17,700 jobs, or 1.3%, compared with 1,375,100 in November 2024, according to BLS numbers. The number of unemployed was 59,384, up 17.6% compared with November 2024.

The state’s civilian labor force was an estimated 1,439,250, up 1.55% from the 1,417,209 in November 2024. The labor force participation rate was 58.4% in November, unchanged from November 2024.

The biggest year-over-year sector gains with nonfarm employment were in Leisure and Hospitality (6,200 more jobs), Education and Health Services (5,000 more jobs), and Trade, Transportation and Utilities (4,800 more jobs).

Most of the gain in the tourism sector — Leisure and Hospitality — were in food services, which had an estimated 109,400 jobs in November, up 5,800 jobs compared with November 2024.

ARKANSAS JOB SECTOR NUMBERS
(BLS data, seasonally adjusted)
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities
November 2025: 275,100
November 2024: 270,300
The sector set a record of 275,300 in October.

Education and Health Services
November 2025: 222,700
November 2024: 217,700
The sector set a record of 222,800 in October.

Government
November 2025: 211,900
November 2024: 212,100
The sector set a record of 224,100 in May 2010.

Manufacturing
November 2025: 165,300
November 2024: 163,300
The sector set a record of 247,600 in February 1995.

Professional and Business Services
November 2025: 164,200
November 2024: 160,900
November set a new record for the sector.

Leisure and Hospitality
November 2025: 136,000
November 2024: 129,800
November set a new record for the sector.

Financial Activities
November 2025: 70,100
November 2024: 70,400
The sector set a record of 71,300 in March 2025.

Construction
November 2025: 65,300
November 2024: 67,400
The sector set a record of 67,500 in August 2025.

NATIONAL NUMBERS
Unemployment rates were higher in November than a year earlier in 16 states and the District of Columbia, lower in eight states, and little different in 26 states. South Dakota had the lowest jobless rate in November at 2.1%, followed by Hawaii at 2.2%. The District of Columbia had the highest unemployment rate at 6.5%. The next highest rates were in California and New Jersey at 5.5% and 5.4%, respectively.

In total, 22 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 4.6%, two states and the District had higher rates, and 26 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.

Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 12 states, decreased in the District of Columbia, and was essentially unchanged in 38 states. The largest job gains occurred in Texas (up 146,300) and Pennsylvania (up 97,600), followed by New York and North Carolina (up 87,900 each). The largest percentage increases occurred in Missouri and South Carolina (2% each), followed by North Carolina (1.7%).