Clark County’s labor force falls in December

Clark County’s unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, is at 4.5% for December 2023, according to a preliminary county-by-county report released by the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services.

According to the report, Clark County had a labor force of 8,571 persons with 8,187 employed and 384 unemployed in December. This compares to November’s labor force of 8,675 with 8,303 employed and 372 unemployed. The unemployment rate in Clark County rose two-tenths of a percentage point from 4.3% in November.

Clark County had the second-highest unemployment rate in the six-county area surveyed.

Statewide, Arkansas’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.4% in December, while the national jobless rate remained at 3.7%, no change from the previous month.

Of the six neighboring Southwest Arkansas counties surveyed, all reported an increase in jobless rates from November to December. Counties are listed with their county seats in parentheses: i.e., Clark County (Arkadelphia):

The unemployment rate for Dallas County (Fordyce) is at 4.4% for December, up from 3.8% in November. Dallas County reports a labor force of 2,636.

The unemployment rate for Hot Spring County (Malvern) is at 3.9% for December, up from 3.3% in November. Hot Spring County reports a labor force of 13.705.

The unemployment rate for Montgomery County (Mt. Ida) is at 6.2% for December, up from 4.8% in November. Montgomery County reports a labor force of 2,650.

The unemployment rate for Nevada County (Prescott) is at 3.8% for December, up from 3.4% in November. Nevada County reports a labor force of 3,373.

The unemployment rate for Ouachita County (Camden) is at 4.2% for December, up from 3.8% in November. Ouachita County reports a labor force of 9,592.

The unemployment rate for Pike County (Murfreesboro) is at 3.6% for December, up from 3.3% in November. Pike County reports a labor force of 3,897.