Families
Unemployment Rate
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Unemployment Rate
2022
Arkansas County3.3%
Ashley County5.5%
Baxter County3.6%
Benton County2.4%
Boone County2.9%
Bowie County, Texas4.6%
Bradley County5.0%
Calhoun County3.1%
Carroll County2.9%
Chicot County6.2%
Clark County4.5%
Clay County4.0%
Cleburne County4.2%
Cleveland County3.9%
Columbia County4.4%
Conway County3.7%
Craighead County2.8%
Crawford County3.2%
Crittenden County4.0%
Cross County3.7%
Dallas County4.0%
Desha County5.3%
Drew County4.4%
Faulkner County2.9%
Franklin County3.3%
Fulton County3.4%
Garland County3.8%
Grant County3.1%
Greene County3.3%
Hempstead County3.3%
Hot Spring County3.5%
Howard County3.3%
Independence County3.4%
Izard County5.2%
Jackson County5.0%
Jefferson County5.2%
Johnson County4.1%
Lafayette County4.8%
Lawrence County3.6%
Lee County4.6%
Lincoln County4.5%
Little River County3.9%
Logan County3.8%
Lonoke County2.8%
Madison County2.5%
Marion County3.7%
Miller County3.9%
Mississippi County5.2%
Monroe County4.4%
Montgomery County4.8%
Nevada County3.9%
Newton County3.0%
Ouachita County3.9%
Perry County3.6%
Phillips County6.3%
Pike County3.7%
Poinsett County3.4%
Polk County3.7%
Pope County3.9%
Prairie County3.0%
Pulaski County3.5%
Randolph County3.4%
Saline County2.8%
Scott County2.8%
Searcy County4.5%
Sebastian County3.1%
Sevier County3.9%
Sharp County4.1%
St. Francis County4.9%
Stone County4.2%
Union County4.8%
Van Buren County4.3%
Washington County2.3%
White County3.5%
Woodruff County3.5%
Yell County3.8%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics




Total Unemployed
2022
Arkansas County306
Ashley County373
Baxter County593
Benton County3,616
Boone County458
Bowie County, Texas1,774
Bradley County204
Calhoun County74
Carroll County370
Chicot County186
Clark County385
Clay County217
Cleburne County381
Cleveland County120
Columbia County385
Conway County315
Craighead County1,588
Crawford County846
Crittenden County835
Cross County257
Dallas County110
Desha County262
Drew County328
Faulkner County1,853
Franklin County249
Fulton County170
Garland County1,610
Grant County262
Greene County645
Hempstead County306
Hot Spring County486
Howard County180
Independence County557
Izard County233
Jackson County273
Jefferson County1,336
Johnson County417
Lafayette County111
Lawrence County244
Lee County118
Lincoln County166
Little River County201
Logan County317
Lonoke County971
Madison County194
Marion County235
Miller County732
Mississippi County859
Monroe County113
Montgomery County137
Nevada County135
Newton County96
Ouachita County377
Perry County154
Phillips County352
Pike County151
Poinsett County338
Polk County288
Pope County1,071
Prairie County105
Pulaski County6,605
Randolph County246
Saline County1,655
Scott County119
Searcy County129
Sebastian County1,714
Sevier County211
Sharp County241
St. Francis County371
Stone County191
Union County711
Van Buren County255
Washington County3,116
White County1,202
Woodruff County98
Yell County305

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics



NATIONAL RANKING
25

OUT OF 51
2022

STATE TREND

Decreasing


3.3%

2022
1% = 13,694
Individuals

What does this measure?

Unemployed individuals are those without jobs who are able, available, and actively seeking work. The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed people as a percentage of the total labor force (the total number of employed and unemployed individuals 16 or older and not living in prisons, mental hospitals or nursing homes).

Why is this important?

Unemployment rates are a relatively timely indicator of current local economic conditions, particularly recent changes in the employment landscape that reflect the overall health of the economy.

How is Arkansas doing?

In 2022, the unemployment rate was 3.3%, down from a high of 7.9% in 2011 and slightly below the national rate of 3.6%. Washington County had the lowest rate at 2.3% followed by Benton County at 2.4%. Phillips and Chicot Counties had the highest rates at 6.3% and 6.2% respectively.

It is possible to analyze unemployment rates across groups using a different dataset, the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. This data shows that unemployment was a bit more prevalent among men (5.3%) compared to women (5.0%) and much more prevalent among Black or African American residents (9.4%) compared to Hispanic (4.5%), white (4.3%) and Asian (2.9%) residents in 2018-22.

What contributes to racial and ethnic disparities?

While traditional explanations for employment rate disparities focus on education and training gaps, whites tend to be employed at higher rates than Blacks and other people of color at every education level (high school, some college, bachelor's degree, etc.). This has led many researchers to focus on labor market discrimination as a primary cause of higher unemployment among people of color. However, it is also true that education levels are generally lower for people of color, suggesting that the education system's failure to equitably serve people of color is also a contributing factor.

Notes about the data

The unemployment rate represents only those who are actively seeking employment and does not account for under-employment or discouraged workers who have stopped looking for jobs. Also, county-level estimates are based on relatively small samples, and the true number of unemployed residents may vary considerably from the estimate. The rates reported here are averages of monthly rates. 2020 data for this indicator is expected to be released in the second quarter of 2021.

The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined 5 years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with 3 asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval). The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census.




Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics


Unemployment Rate
20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Arkansas4.2%4.8%5.3%5.8%5.6%5.3%5.2%5.4%5.4%7.7%7.9%7.9%7.3%7.1%5.9%5.0%4.0%3.7%3.7%3.5%6.2%4.1%3.3%
United States4.0%4.7%5.8%6.0%5.5%5.1%4.6%4.6%5.8%9.3%9.6%8.9%8.1%7.4%6.2%5.3%4.9%4.4%3.9%3.7%8.1%5.3%3.6%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics






Source: U.S. Census Bureau


Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity
American Indian and Native AlaskanAsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoNative Hawaiian and Other Pacific IslanderSome Other RaceTwo or More RacesWhite
Arkansas4.7%**2.9%**9.4%4.5%7.8%****5.3%**5.8%4.3%
Benton County3.5%******3.0%******1.8%******3.0%****0.1%******3.4%******3.5%****2.7%
Craighead County6.5%******0.0%******12.6%****5.3%******0.0%******7.8%******4.4%******4.7%**
Crittenden County42.1%******0.0%******14.6%**4.1%******0.0%******0.0%******17.3%****5.3%**
Faulkner County2.2%******3.5%******3.4%****2.3%******0.0%******0.0%******4.8%******3.2%**
Jefferson County0.0%******0.0%******9.6%**1.8%******0.0%******0.0%******8.1%******5.6%**
Miller County0.0%******0.0%******11.7%****9.5%******0.0%******13.9%******1.1%******6.2%****
Mississippi County0.0%******13.6%******19.7%**5.8%******0.0%******16.1%******8.6%******4.0%****
Phillips County0.0%******0.0%******20.5%**0.0%******0.0%******0.0%******0.9%******4.1%******
Pulaski County1.8%******3.1%******8.3%5.3%**12.7%******6.3%******4.5%****3.3%
Saline County0.0%******0.0%******5.1%******5.4%******0.0%******6.2%******12.7%******3.4%**
Sebastian County3.0%******3.2%******11.1%******5.5%****0.0%******5.3%****7.6%****4.6%**
St. Francis County0.0%******0.0%******8.8%****1.9%******0.0%******4.2%******5.3%******4.6%****
Union County0.0%******4.3%******3.7%******2.3%******0.0%******12.9%******9.6%******3.4%****

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.




Number Unemployed by Race/Ethnicity
American Indian and Native AlaskanAsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoNative Hawaiian and Other Pacific IslanderSome Other RaceTwo or More RacesWhite
Arkansas366**759**18,9295,180364****2,354**4,94943,880
Benton County60******206******52******780****1******190******836****2,849
Craighead County6******0******1,015****152******0******92******101******2,011**
Crittenden County8******0******1,564**23******0******0******248****552**
Faulkner County3******28******255****53******0******0******102******1,571**
Jefferson County0******0******1,559**9******0******0******35******573**
Miller County0******0******543****77******0******68******3******734****
Mississippi County0******14******1,279**45******0******43******59******453****
Phillips County0******0******762**0******0******0******1******105******
Pulaski County11******169******6,010647**8******324******310****3,508
Saline County0******0******283******151******0******53******212******1,792**
Sebastian County19******102******417******518****0******339****347****1,963**
St. Francis County0******0******362****10******0******10******24******166****
Union County0******7******201******16******0******16******44******363****

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.





Source: U.S. Census Bureau


Unemployment Rate by Gender
FemaleMale
Arkansas5.0%5.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.




Number Unemployed by Gender
FemaleMale
Arkansas32,99938,602

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.









INDICATORS TREND | STATE
Education: Access to Quality Slots for Infants and Toddlers Not Applicable
Education: Access to Quality Child Care Slots for Preschoolers Not Applicable
Education: Grade 3 Reading Decreasing
Education: Grade 8 Math Maintaining
Education: Graduation Rate Increasing
Education: Remediation Rate Maintaining
Education: Adults with a High School Degree Increasing
Education: Adults with a Bachelor's Degree or Higher Increasing
Education: Adults Pursuing Further Education Decreasing
Education: Imagination Libraries Increasing
Health: Low Birth Weight Babies Not Applicable
Health: Early Prenatal Care Increasing
Health: Overweight or Obese Students Increasing
Health: Overweight or Obese Adults Increasing
Health: Physically Inactive Adults Maintaining
Health: Smoking Rate Decreasing
Health: Insurance Coverage Rates Increasing
Health: Oral Health Increasing
Health: Life Expectancy Decreasing
Health: Routine Check-ups Increasing
Health: Overdose Deaths Increasing
Families: Teen Births Decreasing
Families: Children Living in Poverty Maintaining
Families: People Living in Poverty Maintaining
Families: Elderly Living in Poverty Maintaining
Families: Median Household Income Maintaining
Families: Unemployment Rate Decreasing
Families: Homeownership Rate Decreasing
Families: Child Abuse and Neglect Decreasing
Families: Access to Financial Services Decreasing
Families: Food Insecurity Decreasing
Families: Food Deserts Not Applicable
Families: Homelessness Decreasing
Families: Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Families: Cost of Homeownership Maintaining
Families: Households Below ALICE Threshold Not Applicable
Families: Overall Housing Cost Burden Decreasing
Families: Child Care Costs for Toddlers Not Applicable
Families: Medical Debt Not Applicable
Families: Households Receiving SNAP Decreasing
Families: Incarceration Rate Increasing
Community: Voter Participation Rate Decreasing
Community: Charitable Giving Increasing
Community: Volunteering Increasing
Community: Group Participation Increasing
Community: Connection to Neighbors Decreasing
Community: Local Voting Not Applicable
Demographics: Change in Population Increasing
Demographics: Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Demographics: Change in Population by Age Not Applicable
Racial Equity: Remediation Rate Maintaining
Racial Equity: Adults with a High School Degree Increasing
Racial Equity: Adults with a Bachelor's Degree or Higher Increasing
Racial Equity: Adults Pursuing Further Education Decreasing
Racial Equity: Low Birth Weight Babies Not Applicable
Racial Equity: Early Prenatal Care Increasing
Racial Equity: Overweight or Obese Students Increasing
Racial Equity: Overweight or Obese Adults Increasing
Racial Equity: Physically Inactive Adults Maintaining
Racial Equity: Smoking Rate Decreasing
Racial Equity: Insurance Coverage Rates Increasing
Racial Equity: Oral Health Increasing
Racial Equity: Life Expectancy Decreasing
Racial Equity: Routine Check-ups Increasing
Racial Equity: Teen Births Decreasing
Racial Equity: Children Living in Poverty Maintaining
Racial Equity: People Living in Poverty Maintaining
Racial Equity: Elderly Living in Poverty Maintaining
Racial Equity: Median Household Income Maintaining
Racial Equity: Unemployment Rate Decreasing
Racial Equity: Homeownership Rate Decreasing
Racial Equity: Child Abuse and Neglect Decreasing
Racial Equity: Food Insecurity Decreasing
Racial Equity: Homelessness Decreasing
Racial Equity: Cost of Homeownership Maintaining
Racial Equity: Medical Debt Not Applicable
Racial Equity: Households Receiving SNAP Decreasing
Racial Equity: Incarceration Rate Increasing
Racial Equity: Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable








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