Local unemployment rate 1.5x higher than Arkansas average

State sees continued job growth in latest data

By Ralph Hardin

news@theeveningtimes.com

The state’s unemployment rate remained the same in July, as officials said the size of the state’s civilian workforce continued to grow.

The Arkansas Division of Workforce Services released the state’s unemployment report, showing a 3.3 percent unemployment rate in the Natural State. Officials said the 3.3 percent remained stable between June and July while the federal unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.3 percent in July, up from 4.1 percent in June.

The Arkansas civilian labor force grew by 5,129 people in July, with the number of people working rising by about 4,900 over the month. Officials said both the labor force and employment rates remain at record high levels for the fifth consecutive month, with a 57.9 percent labor force participation rate.

There were also 18,622 more people in Arkansas who were employed, compared to July of last year while the civilian labor force was up about 21,000. Officials said there were also 2,225 unemployed Arkansans looking for work.

As for jobs, the number of non-farm payroll jobs in the state fell by 15,000 in July, due to seasonal declines from summer breaks at school. The number of government jobs also fell by around 11,000, while declines were also seen in professional and business services by nearly 1,700 and in construction by 1,500 jobs.

Officials noted there were 900 jobs created in the financial activities field as well as 500 jobs in the information field.

However, officials said the number of non-farm payroll jobs have increased by 31,400 in the past year or so, with private education and health services, health care, leisure and hospitality and construction setting the pace.

Those numbers were not indicative of all parts of the state. During the same time period, the unemployment rate in Crittenden County ticked upward, from 4.8 percent to 4.9 percent — nearly 50 percent, or 1.5 times the state average.

While Crittenden County’s unemployment rate was higher, the county did fare comparitively well to neighboring counties, including Lee County (5.3 percent), Mississippi County (5.6 percent) and Phillips and St.

Francis counties, whose 6.1 percent unemployment rate was the second worst in the state behind Chicot County’s 6.3 percent.

Craighead County’s 3.2 unemployment rate was not only tops in the Delta region but also seventh-lowest in the state.

Nationally, the unemployment rate for July was 4.3 percent, up slightly from a 4.1 percent unemployment rate in June.