Metro Jobless Rates Rise In September
by November 1, 2011 7:00 pm 48 views
The Fort Smith metro area jobless rate ticked up to an estimated 8% in September, rising from 7.9% during August, and above the 7.6% during September 2010.
Seven of the eight eight metro areas in or connected to Arkansas saw a jobless rate increases during September compared to September 2010, with Hot Springs posting a 7.7% jobless rate during September compared to 7.8% during September 2010.
The rates in Wednesday’s (Nov. 2) report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics are preliminary and subject to change.
During September, the lowest metro jobless rate was 6.3% in Northwest Arkansas and the highest rate was 10.5% in Memphis-West Memphis. The number of unemployed in Northwest Arkansas metro area during September was 14,338, above the 13,980 during September 2010.
Arkansas’ jobless rate in September was 8.3%, unchanged from August and up from 7.8% in September 2010. The U.S. rate during September was 9.1%, unchanged from August and down from 9.6% in September 2010.
NATIONAL NUMBERS
Unemployment rates were lower in September than a year earlier in 249 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 102 areas (Compared to higher in 84 areas in August and 94 areas in July), and unchanged in 21 areas, noted the BLS report. Also, seven areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15%, while 17 areas registered rates of less than 5%.
ARKANSAS METRO AREAS
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers
Sept. 2011: 6.3%
Aug. 2011: 6.6%
Sept. 2010: 6.1%
Fort Smith
Sept. 2011: 8%
Aug. 2011: 7.9%
Sept. 2010: 7.6%
Hot Springs
Sept. 2011: 7.7%
Aug. 2011: 7.8%
Sept. 2010: 7.8%
Jonesboro
Sept. 2011: 7.3%
Aug. 2011: 7.6%
Sept. 2010: 7.1%
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
Sept. 2011: 7.1%
Aug. 2011: 7.3%
Sept. 2010: 6.7%
Memphis-West Memphis
Sept. 2011: 10.5%
Aug. 2011: 10.2%
Sept. 2010: 9.1%
Pine Bluff
Sept. 2011: 10.1%
Aug. 2011: 10.3%
Sept. 2010: 9.3%
Texarkana
Sept. 2011: 7.8%
Aug. 2011: 8%
Sept. 2010: 7.2%
Michael Tilley with our content partner, The City Wire, is the author of this report. He can be reached by e-mail at [email protected].