Counties with the highest unemployment in Arkansas

The first jobs report under the new Trump administration showed a stable job market, with the unemployment rate ticking down from 4.1% to 4% in January, the lowest since last May, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures released Feb. 7.

The report marks 49 consecutive months of overall job growth, the second-longest recorded period since 1939.

Job losses that did occur were concentrated in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industries, which declined by 8,000 jobs over the month. There was little change in employment in other major industries.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates Arkansas, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in December 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

Key takeaways: Jobs report reveals cooling labor market

January's job growth of 143,000 fell short of expectations, while the downward revision of 589,000 fewer jobs in 2024 suggests the labor market was weaker last year than initially thought.

Business leaders are starting to display more caution, with 67% of executives reporting higher stress levels heading into 2025, according to a survey of 1,000 executives by Sentry, a business insurance company. Among survey respondents, 47% citing economic uncertainty as their biggest concern.

"We have what I would describe as a robust but frozen labor market," Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon, told The New York Times, noting that while unemployment remains low, there's very little churn or employee turnover as "businesses are being cautious as to how they manage their work force."

Moody's Analytics projects monthly payroll gains could slow to around 100,000 by year-end.

The big story: Potential for economic headwinds grows

Behind the "Now Hiring" signs and modest unemployment rate, there's growing concern on Main Street that the economy might be more fragile than it appears.

"You've already got companies hiring as if they're in a recession—even if they're not laying people off," Oliver Allen, senior U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, told CNN. Average unemployment duration, a lagging indicator, rose from 20.8 weeks in January 2024 to 22 in January of this year.

Tightening trade regulations and federal trimming could also have an impact on the job market. Experts predict the U.S. gross domestic product could take a hit due to increased tariffs. The U.S. government is the country's largest employer and contributes 36% to the GDP.

Sudden cuts to federal spending advocated by the new administration could hit the economy hard. One example of the potential fallout is that if prices were to increase further due to higher tariffs, consumer purchasing power would decline, stymieing economic growth.

Whether the effects of slashing the workforce and the budget will be exceeded by Trump's plans to loosen business regulations and cut taxes remains to be seen.

To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Arkansas.

44. Hempstead County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,711 people (325 unemployed)

44. Garland County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 41,847 people (1,550 unemployed)

44. Hot Spring County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,766 people (511 unemployed)

44. Miller County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,955 people (706 unemployed)

44. Greene County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,712 people (724 unemployed)

44. Nevada County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,199 people (118 unemployed)

44. Perry County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,412 people (162 unemployed)

40. Fulton County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,390 people (165 unemployed)

40. Little River County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,280 people (203 unemployed)

40. Woodruff County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,913 people (111 unemployed)

40. Columbia County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,015 people (343 unemployed)

32. Sharp County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,179 people (241 unemployed)

32. Sevier County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,526 people (214 unemployed)

32. Baxter County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,093 people (662 unemployed)

32. Pike County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,901 people (152 unemployed)

32. Yell County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,206 people (321 unemployed)

32. Ouachita County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,774 people (382 unemployed)

32. Pope County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 29,104 people (1,136 unemployed)

32. Polk County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,558 people (295 unemployed)

29. Mississippi County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,966 people (762 unemployed)

29. Dallas County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,630 people (104 unemployed)

29. Conway County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: 0.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,162 people (327 unemployed)

27. Cross County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,851 people (279 unemployed)

27. Clay County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,348 people (218 unemployed)

24. Cleveland County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,031 people (127 unemployed)

24. Clark County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,970 people (381 unemployed)

24. Marion County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,867 people (248 unemployed)

21. Drew County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,573 people (329 unemployed)

21. Stone County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,532 people (197 unemployed)

21. Cleburne County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,125 people (390 unemployed)

18. Searcy County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,679 people (118 unemployed)

18. Van Buren County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,010 people (263 unemployed)

18. Logan County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,195 people (359 unemployed)

16. Jackson County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,341 people (240 unemployed)

16. Crittenden County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,387 people (914 unemployed)

15. Jefferson County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 25,276 people (1,183 unemployed)

14. Lincoln County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,623 people (174 unemployed)

13. Johnson County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,529 people (465 unemployed)

9. Lee County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,412 people (122 unemployed)

9. Lafayette County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,217 people (114 unemployed)

9. Bradley County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,079 people (207 unemployed)

9. Monroe County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,356 people (119 unemployed)

8. Montgomery County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: +0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,724 people (143 unemployed)

6. Izard County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,924 people (268 unemployed)

6. Union County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,767 people (794 unemployed)

4. Desha County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,632 people (253 unemployed)

4. St. Francis County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: +0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,433 people (412 unemployed)

3. Ashley County (tie)

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6%
--- 1-month change: +0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,577 people (397 unemployed)

2. Phillips County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.1%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: -0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,004 people (305 unemployed)

1. Chicot County

December unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
--- 1-month change: +0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: +0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,733 people (187 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Ben Popken, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.