Clark County’s unemployment rate for May 2025, not seasonally adjusted, is at 4.2%, 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 9,656 persons with 9,247 employed and 409 unemployed. The unemployment rate rose seven-tenths of a percentage point from 3.5% reported in April. During that period the labor force fell by 82 from 9,738 persons.
For the same month in 2024, Clark County reported an unemployment rate of 4.5% with a labor force of 8,663 persons.
In the southeastern corner of the state, Desha County (Arkansas City) held the highest jobless rate in May 2025, with 6.6% of its 3,903 employable population without jobs. On the opposite corner of the state, Benton County (Springdale) reported the lowest unemployment rate in Arkansas, with 2.7% of its labor force of 167,242 without jobs.
Statewide, Arkansas’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate held at 3.7% in June. There were 1.37 million Arkansans employed in May. The U.S. unemployment rate fell one-tenth of a percentage point from the previous report, at 4.1% with an estimated 7.01 million Americans unemployed.
The six neighboring Southwest Arkansas counties surveyed from April to May are listed with their county seat in parentheses: i.e., Clark County (Arkadelphia):
The unemployment rate for Dallas County (Fordyce) rose to 3.7%, compared to 3.4% the previous month. Dallas County reports a labor force of 2,687 persons with 99 unemployed.
The unemployment rate for Hot Spring County rose to 3.8%, com[pared to 3.5% the previous month. Hot Spring County reports a labor force of 13,406 persons with 511 unemployed.
The unemployment rate for Montgomery County (Mt. Ida) held steady at 4% from the previous month. Montgomery County reports a labor force of 3,088 persons with 125 unemployed.
The unemployment rate for Pike County (Murfreesboro) rose to 3.6%, compared to 3.5% the previous month. Pike County reports a labor force of 4,215 persons with 152 unemployed.
The unemployment rate for Nevada County (Prescott) rose to 4.6%, compared to 4.4% the previous month. Nevada County reports a labor force of 2,525 persons with 115 unemployed.
The unemployment rate for Ouachita County (Camden) rose to 4.1%, compared to 4% the previous month. Ouachita County reports a labor force of 9,260 persons with 380 unemployed.