Year-over-Year Metro Jobless Numbers Decline

The good news is unemployment in Arkansas’ largely populated areas looks better today than it did a year ago.  The bad news is the jobless rate remains uncomfortably high in those population pockets.

New data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows rising jobless rates between December 2011 and January 2012 in all 8 metropolitan statistical areas in Arkansas, although the rates declined from January 2011 to January 2012.

Unemployment typically rises seasonally between December and January, according to previous data.

During January, the lowest metro jobless rate was 6.2% in Northwest Arkansas and the highest rate was 10.3% in Pine Bluff.

ARKANSAS METRO AREAS
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers
Jan. 2012: 6.2%
Dec. 2011: 5.6%
Jan. 2011: 6.8%

Fort Smith
Jan. 2012: 8.9%
Dec. 2011: 8%
Jan. 2011: 9.2%

Hot Springs
Jan. 2012: 8.4%
Dec. 2011: 7.4%
Jan. 2011: 8.9%

Jonesboro
Jan. 2012: 8%
Dec. 2011: 6.9%
Jan. 2011: 8.3%

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
Jan. 2012: 7.1%
Dec. 2011: 6.5%
Jan. 2011: 7.5%

Memphis-West Memphis
Jan. 2012: 9.4%
Dec. 2011: 8.8%
Jan. 2011: 10.3%

Pine Bluff
Jan. 2012: 10.3%
Dec. 2011: 9.4%
Jan. 2011: 10.9%

Texarkana
Jan. 2012: 7.5%
Dec. 2011: 6.8%
Jan. 2011: 7.8%

STATE AND NATIONAL NUMBERS
Arkansas’ January jobless rate was 7.6%, down from a revised December rate of 7.8%, and below the 8.1% during January 2011.

Employment in Arkansas during January was an estimated 1.277 million, up from 1.257 million during January 2011. The number of unemployed fell from 110,284 during January 2011 to 105,169 during January 2012.

Despite the decline, January marked the 35th consecutive month the Arkansas jobless rate has been above 7%. Arkansas was one of 48 states to post an unemployment rate dip in January compared to January 2011, according to BLS data.

The U.S. unemployment rate in January was 8.8%, down from 9.8% a year earlier.

Unemployment rates were lower in January than a year earlier in 345 of the 372 U.S. metropolitan areas, higher in 16 areas, and unchanged in 11 areas. Of the metro areas, 13 recorded jobless rates of at least 15%, and 13 registered rates of less than 5%.

Michael Tilley with our content partner, The City Wire, contributed to this report.