Clark County’s unemployment rate for February 2026, not seasonally adjusted, was at 4.9%, according to a preliminary county-by-county report released this week by the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services.
According to the report, Clark County had a labor force of 10,072 persons with 9,583 employed and 489 unemployed. The unemployment rate fell half a percentage point from the January report of 5.4%. Since the last report, the labor force grew by 328 persons from 9,744.
For the same period in 2025, Clark County reported a 5% jobless rate of its 9,450-person labor force.
Unemployment is nearing 8% in the southeastern corner of the state: Phillips County (7.9%), Desha County (7.8%), and Chicot County (7.5%). The northwestern corner of the state continues to report some of the lowest jobless rates in Arkansas: Benton County (3.5%), Washington County (3.6%) and Madison County (3.5%). In Central Arkansas, Saline County (Benton) reports a 3.7% unemployment rate, and Grant County (Sheridan) reports a 3.6% unemployment rate.
Statewide, Arkansas’ seasonally adjusted jobless rate was at 4.4% in February, no change from January. Of the 1.45 million available workers there were 63,362 without jobs. Nationwide, 4.3% of the 170 million available workforce were without jobs.
The unemployment rate for these South Arkansas counties surveyed from January to February are listed with their county seat in parentheses: i.e., Clark County (Arkadelphia):
Dallas County (Fordyce) reported 4.7% of its 2,837 available workers were without jobs, compared to 5% in January.
Hot Spring County (Malvern) reported 4.9% of its 13,445 available workers were without jobs, compared to 5.5% in January.
Montgomery County (Mt. Ida) reported 5.7% of its 3,096 available workers were without jobs, compared to 6.6% in January.
Pike County (Murfreesboro) reported 4.9% of its 4,187 available workers were without jobs, compared to 5.7% in January.
Nevada County (Prescott) reported 6.3% of its 2,687 available workers were without jobs, compared to 7% in January.
Ouachita County (Camden) reported 5% of its 9,174 available workers were without jobs, compared to 5.8% in January.