Nonfarm payroll employment in Arkansas rose in June in most of the state’s metro areas, particularly in Fayetteville and Jonesboro.
However, Hot Springs and Texarkana experienced declines in June, although employment is higher than the previous year.
“Since the onset of the ‘great recession’ at the end of 2007, cumulative employment growth has varied markedly across the state,” said state economic forecaster Michael Pakko.
“Employment in Fayetteville and Jonesboro has climbed by over 20%,” he said. “In Little Rock, Memphis and Hot Springs, cumulative growth has been modest but positive. On the other hand, employment in Texarkana, Fort Smith and Pine Bluff all remain well below their levels in 2007. In Pine Bluff, the cumulative decline is over 13%.”
The table and chart appear on Pakko’s Arkansas Economist blog. Pakko is with the Arkansas Economic Development Institute at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Employment Changes in Arkansas Metro Areas
June 2019, seasonally adjusted data
| Percentage Change From: | ||||
| Month Ago | Year Ago | Dec. 2013 | Dec. 2017 | |
| Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers | 0.6 | 2.6 | 21.5 | 26.5 |
| Fort Smith | 0.2 | 0.7 | 1.4 | -6.3 |
| Hot Springs | -0.3 | 1.6 | 4.3 | 0.8 |
| Jonesboro | 0.5 | 2.2 | 14.4 | 21.6 |
| Little Rock, N. Little Rock, Conway | 0.2 | 1.3 | 6.6 | 5.1 |
| Memphis | 0.3 | 1.6 | 8.0 | 2.6 |
| Pine Bluff | 0.3 | 0.0 | -2.4 | -13.6 |
| Texarkana | -0.2 | 1.3 | 2.7 | -3.2 |
| Arkansas | 0.1 | 1.3 | 8.4 | 5.6 |
| United States | 0.1 | 1.5 | 10.1 | 9.3 |
