Arkansas’ unemployment rate in July stayed at 3.4 percent. The record low was set in May and has remained unchanged for three months.
The Arkansas Department of Workforce Services released the data Friday, which was produced by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“The rate is down six-tenths of a percentage point compared to July 2016, with an additional 39,229 more employed in the state,” BLS Program Operations Manager Susan Price said in a news release.
The state Department of Workforce Services said Arkansas’ civilian labor force rose by 9,168, the result of 9,058 more employed, but with 110 more Arkansans unemployed. In July, the U.S. jobless rate stood at 4.3 percent, down one-tenth of a percentage point from June and down six-tenths of a percentage point from July 2016.
Compared to July 2016, nonfarm payroll jobs in Arkansas are up by 32,900. Eight major industry sectors added jobs, with five adding 3,700 or more jobs each. Employment in three sectors declined.
Jobs in educational and health services rose by 8,200, mostly in health care and social assistance.
Leisure and hospitality jobs increased by 7,100, mostly in accommodation and food services.
Employment in professional and business services increased by 6,700. Administrative and support services, a subsector that includes employment agencies, saw the biggest rise.
Trade, transportation and utilities added 5,400 jobs.
Manufacturing added 3,700 jobs. Nondurable goods accounted for all of those gains.
Government reported the largest decline, down 1,100. The other sectors with declining employment were information, down 500, and mining and logging, down 100.
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