Fort Smith only state metro area to see jobless rate increase

The Fort Smith metro area was the only one of eight Arkansas metro areas to see an increase in the October unemployment rate.

According to stats released Tuesday (Dec. 7) by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Fort Smith metro jobless increased to 7.8% from a revised September rate of 7.6%. The Memphis-West Memphis metro area was unchanged at 9.5% and the Texarkana area was unchanged at 7.1%.

The lowest metro jobless rate was 5.9% in Northwest Arkansas (Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers), down from 6.1% in September. It was also the first time the metro area rate fell below 6% since December 2009.

Unemployment rates were lower in October than a year earlier in 235 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 121 areas, and unchanged in 16 areas, the BLS noted in its report. Ten areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15%, while 12 areas registered rates of less than 5%.

Arkansas’ October unemployment rate was 7.8%, up from 7.7% in September and up from 7.5% in October 2009. The Oklahoma rate during October was 6.9%, unchanged from September and unchanged from October 2009. The U.S. unemployment rate in October was 9.6%, unchanged from September and down from 10.1% in October 2009. The BLS also reported Tuesday that the U.S. unemployment rate for November increased to 9.8%, down from 10% in November 2009.

The number of unemployed in the Fort Smith metro area was 10,385 in October, down 4.3% compared to October 2009, but up 55.9% over the 6,659 unemployed in October 2008. January 2009 marked the beginning of a high number of unemployed in the Fort Smith metro area that peaked with 11,937 in January 2010.

Total metro nonfarm payroll in October was 115,900, down from the 116,100 in September, and down 1.27% compared to October 2009.

Fort Smith’s manufacturing sector employed an estimated 21,200 in October, down from 21,300 in September, and down from the 21,500 employed in the sector in October 2009. Employment in the sector is down 30.9% from a decade ago when January 2001 manufacturing employment in the metro area stood at 30,700.

Jobs in the Trade, Transportation and Utilities sector — the region’s largest job sector —  totaled 23,500 in October, unchanged from September. The sector employed 23,900 in October 2009.

ARKANSAS METRO AREAS
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers
Oct. 2010: 5.9%
Oct. 2009: 5.5%
Sept. 2010: 6.1%

Fort Smith
Oct. 2010: 7.8%
Oct. 2009: 8%
Sept. 2010: 7.6%

Hot Springs
Oct. 2010: 7.3%
Oct. 2009: 6.9%
Sept. 2010: 7.6%

Jonesboro
Oct. 2010: 6.7%
Oct. 2009: 6.4%
Sept. 2010: 7%

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
Oct. 2010: 6.5%
Oct. 2009: 6%
Sept. 2010: 6.8%

Memphis-West Memphis
Oct. 2010: 9.5%
Oct. 2009: 10.3%
Sept. 2010: 9.5%

Pine Bluff
Oct. 2010: 8.9%
Oct. 2009: 8.8%
Sept. 2010: 9.4%

Texarkana
Oct. 2010: 7.1%
Oct. 2009: 6.8%
Sept. 2010: 7.1%

FORT SMITH METRO AREA HISTORY
Past annual average unemployment rates
2009: 7.9%
2008: 4.8%
2007: 5.3%
2006: 4.9%
2005: 4.5%
2004: 5.2%
2003: 5.5%
2002: 5%
2001: 4.2%
2000: 3.7%