Arkansas metro jobless rates down in August

The good news is that all eight eight metro areas in or connected to Arkansas saw a jobless rate decline in August compared to July, but seven of the metro areas saw a jobless rate increase in August compared to August 2010. The Fort Smith metro area was unchanged in the year-over-year comparison.

The Fort Smith metro rate during August declined to 7.9%, compared to 8.3% in July and 7.9% in August 2010.

The rates in Wednesday’s (Sept. 28) report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics are preliminary and subject to change.

During August, the lowest metro jobless rate was 6.6% in Northwest Arkansas and the highest rate was 10.4% in Pine Bluff. The number of unemployed in Northwest Arkansas metro area during August was 14,812, down from the 15,582 in July and below the 14,877 in August 2010.

Arkansas’ jobless rate in August was 8.3%, up from 8.2% in July and up from 7.8% in August 2010. The Oklahoma jobless rate was 5.6% in August, down from 7% in August 2010. The U.S. rate during August was 9.1%, unchanged from July and down from 9.6% in August 2010.

FORT SMITH METRO NUMBERS
The number of unemployed in the Fort Smith metro area was an estimated 10,531 in August, down from a revised 11,175 in July, and down compared the 10,585 unemployed in August 2010. The number of employed in the metro area during August was 123,165, up compared to the 123,065 employed in the area during July, and up 0.21% compared to August 2010.

The size of the metro workforce in August was 133,696, down from 134,240 in July and just above the 133,484 in August 2010. The workforce is down from the June 2007 high of 140,542.

Fort Smith’s manufacturing sector employed an estimated 21,000 in August, down from 21,100 in July, and lower than the 21,700 in August 2010. Employment in the sector is down 31.59% from more than 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 24,000 in August, down from a revised 24,100 in July and down from the 24,300 the sector employed in August 2010. Employment in the sector is off from the high of 25,700 posted in December 2007.

Employment in the region’s tourism industry continues to show year-over-year gains. August employment reached an estimated 9,400. The sector employed 9,500 in July and June and 8,900 in August 2010. The sector reached an employment high of 9,800 in August 2008.

In Education & Health Services, employment reached 16,300 during August, up from 16,200 in July and unchanged from August 2010. This employment sector has proven somewhat resilient during the recession and the weak recovery. Peak employment in the sector of 16,400 was reached in May.

NATIONAL NUMBERS
Unemployment rates were lower in August than a year earlier in 262 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 84 areas (Compared to higher in 94 areas in July and 127 areas in June), and unchanged in 26 areas, noted the BLS report. Also, nine areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15%, while 10 areas registered rates of less than 5%.

ARKANSAS METRO AREAS
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers
Aug. 2011: 6.6%
July 2011: 6.9%
Aug. 2010: 6.5%

Fort Smith
Aug. 2011: 7.9%
July 2011: 8.3%
Aug. 2010: 7.9%

Hot Springs
Aug. 2011: 7.8%
July 2011: 7.9%
Aug. 2010: 8.1%

Jonesboro
Aug. 2011: 7.6%
July 2011: 8%
Aug. 2010: 7.4%

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
Aug. 2011: 7.2%
July 2011: 7.5%
Aug. 2010: 7.1%

Memphis-West Memphis
Aug. 2011: 10.3%
July 2011: 10.4%
Aug. 2010: 9.8%

Pine Bluff
Aug. 2011: 10.4%
July 2011: 10.9%
Aug. 2010: 9.6%

Texarkana
Aug. 2011: 8.0%
July 2011: 8.1%
Aug. 2010: 7.8%

FORT SMITH METRO AREA HISTORY
Past annual average unemployment rates
2010: 8.2%
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%