Arkansas metro job growth moderates in April, NWA beats the trend

The Northwest Arkansas metro again led job growth in Arkansas during April, with jobs in the region that is home to Walmart, Tyson Foods, and J.B. Hunt Transport up more than 2% year over year. April jobless rates were up in four of the seven metro areas in or connected to Arkansas.

The April jobs report for U.S. metro areas, posted Wednesday (June 3) by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), shows that Northwest Arkansas had the lowest jobless rate at 2.7%, and the Memphis/West Memphis metro had the highest rate at 4.1%.

Central Arkansas – Little Rock, North Little Rock and Conway – had 395,300 nonfarm jobs in April, unchanged compared with April 2025. The metro had 13,837 unemployed, up 7.3% from 12,981 in April 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 308,900 nonfarm jobs in April, up 7,200 jobs, or 2.4%, compared with April 2025. The April nonfarm number set a new record for the metro. The metro had 8,859 unemployed, almost unchanged from 8,855 in April 2025.

The Fort Smith metro, Arkansas’ third largest metro had an estimated 101,800 nonfarm jobs in April, down 600 jobs, or 0.6%, compared with 102,400 jobs April 2025. Regional employment remains below the peak of 108,700 in September 2007. The metro had 3,743 unemployed, up 7.2% from 3,493 in April 2025.

The Jonesboro metro had an estimated 65,000 nonfarm jobs in April, up 700 jobs, or 1.1%, compared with April 2025. The metro had 2,245 unemployed, down 3.3% from 2,321 in April 2025. The region set a nonfarm jobs record of 65,500 in December 2025.

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
The state’s jobless rate in April was 4.3%, unchanged from March and above 3.9% in April 2025. Estimated nonfarm payroll jobs in April totaled 1,343,900, up 4,400 jobs or 0.33% compared with 1,339,500 in April 2025. Net new jobs were up 11,300 in January, up 8,700 in February and up 7,000 in March. The nonfarm jobs number set a record of 1,345,900 in January.

Unemployment rates were higher in April than a year earlier in 200 of the 387 metro areas, lower in 152 areas, and unchanged in 35 areas. A total of 70 areas had jobless rates of less than 3% and 8 areas had rates of at least 8%. The U.S. jobless rate in April was 4.3%, up from 4.2% in April 2025. Nonfarm payroll employment increased over the year in 4 metro areas, decreased in 4 areas, and was essentially unchanged in 379 areas.

In April, Rapid City, S.D., and Sioux Falls, S.D.-Minn., had the lowest unemployment rates at 1.7% each. El Centro, Calif., had the highest rate at 16.5%. A total of 236 areas had April jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 4%, 137 areas had rates above it, and 14 areas had rates equal to that of the nation.

Link here for the BLS report.

ARKANSAS METRO JOBS DATA
Following are labor market data for the seven metro areas.
• Northwest Arkansas
Nonfarm Employment
April 2026: 308,900
April 2025: 301,700

Unemployed
April 2026: 8,859
April 2025: 8,855

Jobless rate
April 2026: 2.7%
April 2025: 2.8%

• Fort Smith metro (Arkansas-Oklahoma)
Nonfarm Employment
April 2026: 101,800
April 2025: 102,700

Unemployed
April 2026: 3,743
April 2025: 3,493

Jobless rate
April 2026: 3.7%
April 2025: 3.4%

• Hot Springs
Nonfarm Employment
April 2026: 41,000
April 2025: 41,100

Unemployed
April 2026: 1,629
April 2025: 1,635

Jobless rate
April 2026: 3.6%
April 2025: 3.7%

• Jonesboro
Nonfarm Employment
April 2026: 65,000
April 2025: 64,300

Unemployed
April 2026: 2,245
April 2025: 2,321

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

• Central Arkansas (Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway)
Nonfarm Employment
April 2026: 395,300
April 2025: 395,300

Unemployed
April 2026: 13,837
April 2025: 12,891

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

• Memphis/West Memphis (Tennessee-Arkansas)
Nonfarm Employment
April 2026: 653,600
April 2025: 654,300

Unemployed
April 2026: 25,946
April 2025: 24,297

Jobless rate
April 2026: 4.1%
April 2025: 3.8%

• Texarkana (Arkansas-Texas)
Nonfarm Employment
April 2026: 60,300
April 2025: 60,000

Unemployed
April 2026: 2,452
April 2025: 2,343

Jobless rate
April 2026: 4%
April 2025: 3.8%