February job numbers up in most Arkansas metro areas, jobless rates rise

All seven metro areas in or connected to Arkansas posted higher jobless rates in February compared with February 2025, with three metro areas posting rates lower than Arkansas’ February rate of 4.4%. Only the Northwest Arkansas metro area had a jobless rate below 4%.

The February jobs report for U.S. metro areas, posted Wednesday (April 29) by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), shows that the Fort Smith metro was the only one of the seven Arkansas metro areas to post a year-over-year job decline.

Central Arkansas — Little Rock, North Little Rock and Conway — had 392,500 nonfarm jobs in February, up 300 jobs, or 0.07%, compared with February 2025. The metro had 16,645 unemployed, up 11.4% from 14,936 in February 2025. The region set a nonfarm jobs record of 397,400 in December 2025.

Northwest Arkansas, the state’s second largest metro area, had an estimated 304,400 nonfarm jobs in February, up 6,000 jobs, or 2%, compared with February 2025. Job growth in the metro accounted for 66% of all Arkansas job growth in February. The metro had 11,395 unemployed, up 9.7% from 10,386 in February 2025. The region set a nonfarm jobs record of 307,400 in October 2025.

The Fort Smith metro, Arkansas’ third largest metro had an estimated 101,000 nonfarm jobs in February, down 800 jobs, or 0.8%, compared with 101,800 jobs February 2025. Regional employment remains below the peak of 108,700 in September 2007. The metro had 4,633 unemployed, up 10.8% from 4,180 in February 2025.

The Jonesboro metro had an estimated 64,500 nonfarm jobs in February, up 500 jobs, or 0.8%, compared with February 2025. The metro had 2,877 unemployed, up 7% from 2,688 in February 2025. The region set a nonfarm jobs record of 65,500 in December 2025 based.

Dr. Michael Pakko, chief economist and state economic forecaster with the Arkansas Economic Development Institute at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, said Arkansas job growth is outpacing the national growth.

“Over the past 12 months, the Arkansas economy added 9,100 payroll jobs, representing an increase of 0.7%,” Pakko wrote. “Over the same period, U.S. payroll employment expanded by only 0.1%. The year-over-year data for Arkansas show strong gains for leisure and hospitality services, education and health services, and professional and business services. Declining sectors include manufacturing (both durable and nondurable goods), financial services, information services and government.”

The numbers reflect significant revisions, based on methodology changes, implemented in January. Prior to that, revisions were made to counties included in the estimates. In 2025, 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.

ARKANSAS, NATIONAL NUMBERS
A more than 3% gain in tourism jobs and an almost 2% gain in health care jobs helped with a gain of 9,100 estimated new Arkansas jobs in February compared with February 2025. The state’s jobless rate in February was 4.4%, up from 3.8% in February 2025.

Estimated nonfarm payroll jobs in February totaled 1,345,800, up 9,100 jobs, or 0.7% compared with 1,336,700 in February 2025, according to the BLS data. The nonfarm jobs number set a record of 1,345,900 in January. The U.S. jobless rate in February was 4.4%, up from 4.2% in February 2025. The number of unemployed was 63,362, up 15.4% compared with February 2025.

Unemployment rates were higher in February than a year earlier in 236 of the 387 metro areas, lower in 110 areas, and unchanged in 41 areas. A total of 10 areas had jobless rates of less than 3% and 13 areas had rates of at least 8%. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 8 metro areas, decreased in 7 areas, and was essentially unchanged in 372 areas.

In February, Urban Honolulu, Hawaii, had the lowest unemployment rate at 2.2%. The next lowest rates were in Burlington-South Burlington, Vt.; Kahului-Wailuku, Hawaii; and Rapid City, S.D., at 2.5% each. El Centro, Calif., had the highest rate at 17.6%. A total of 218 areas had February jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 4.7%, 155 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
Nonfarm employment
February 2026: 304,400
February 2025: 298,400

Unemployed
February 2026: 11,395
February 2025: 10,386

Jobless rate
February 2026: 3.5%
February 2025: 3.3%

• Fort Smith metro (Arkansas-Oklahoma)
Nonfarm employment
February 2026: 101,000
February 2025: 101,800

Unemployed
February 2026: 4,633
February 2025: 4,180

Jobless rate
February 2026: 4.5%
February 2025: 4.1%

• Hot Springs
Nonfarm employment
February 2026: 40,500
February 2025: 40,500

Unemployed
February 2026: 2,074
February 2025: 1,897

Jobless rate
February 2026: 4.6%
February 2025: 4.4%

• Jonesboro
Nonfarm employment
February 2026: 64,500
February 2025: 64,000

Unemployed
February 2026: 2,877
February 2025: 2,688

Jobless rate
February 2026: 4.2%
February 2025: 4%

• Central Arkansas (Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway)
Nonfarm employment
February 2026: 392,500
February 2025: 392,200

Unemployed
February 2026: 16,645
February 2025: 14,936

Jobless rate
February 2026: 4.2%
February 2025: 3.9%

• Memphis/West Memphis (Tennessee-Arkansas)
Nonfarm employment
February 2026: 648,800
February 2025: 652,700

Unemployed
February 2026: 29,685
February 2025: 27,183

Jobless rate
February 2026: 4.7%
February 2025: 4.3%

• Texarkana (Arkansas-Texas)
Nonfarm employment
February 2026: 59,700
February 2025: 59,300

Unemployed
February 2026: 2,944
February 2025: 2,786

Jobless rate
February 2026: 4.7%
February 2025: 4.4%