The state’s unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.4% in December, the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services reported.
The jobless rate has ticked up each month after the record low of 2.6% in June and July.
The U.S. jobless rate held at 3.7% in December.
In Arkansas, the civilian labor force declined by 1,147 in December, as employment declined 3,638. The labor force participation rate dipped one-tenth of a percentage point to 57.6%
Compared to December 2022, there were 18,263 more people employed in the state and 446 more who were unemployed. Arkansas’ unemployment rate is the same as it was in December 2022, and the labor force participation rate is up two-tenths of a percentage point from 57.4%.
Nonfarm payroll jobs increased by 3,400 to 1.369 million in December. The largest gains were in manufacturing (+2,300), private education and health services (+1,800), and trade-transportation-utilities (+1,700).
Jobs in leisure and hospitality declined by 3,700, a “typical seasonal loss,” the Division of Workforce Services said.
Compared to the same month a year ago, nonfarm payroll jobs rose by 14,500. The largest gains were in private education and health services (+9,200), construction (+7,600), and leisure and hospitality (+3,500).
The greatest annual decline occurred in trade-transportation-Utilities (-6,100).
Other sectors and their changes from December 2022:
- Other services increased by 1,200
- Government increased by 1,500
- Financial activities increased by 700
- Mining and logging decreased by 100
- Professional and business services decreased by 500
- Information decreased by 1,300
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