Unemployment rates were considerably lower in all metropolitan areas in Arkansas in November compared to a year ago, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday.
The Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers area had the lowest unemployment rate, 3.9 percent. It was down from 5 percent a year ago. Jonesboro and the Little Rock metro each had an unemployment rate of 4.8 percent. Fort Smith and Hot Springs followed at 5.5 percent and 5.8 percent, respectively. Pine Bluff had the highest unemployment rate at 6.8 percent, down from 9.5 percent a year ago.
More: Read the entire report here (PDF).
The state’s number of unemployed workers was down to 69,400 from 91,300 a year ago. Meanwhile, the labor force was also down about 4,700 workers.
Nonfarm payroll jobs were up about 18,400 from a year ago.
Across the Country
Unemployment rates were lower in November than a year earlier in 341 of the 372 metropolitan areas.
Rates were higher in 27 areas and unchanged in four. Twelve areas had jobless rates of at least 10 percent and 147 areas had rates less than 5 percent.
Yuma, Arizona, and El Centro, California, had the highest unemployment rates at 23.1 percent and 22.6 percent, respectively. Lincoln, Nebraska, had the lowest rate at 2.1 percent.
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 313 areas, decreased in 55, and was unchanged in four. The national unemployment rate was 5.5 percent, down from 6.6 percent a year ago.
Sign up for Daily E-news
