by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)
An increase in the number of jobless between July and August was partially responsible for Arkansas’ jobless rate rising from 2.6% in July to 2.7% in August. But the rate was lower than the 3.4% in August 2022, with a 2.13% year-over-year gain in new jobs.
The number of employed in Arkansas during August was an estimated 1,352,265, up 28,229 jobs, or 2.13%, compared with August 2022, and just above 1,351,370 in July, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report posted Tuesday (Sept. 19). The August numbers are preliminary and subject to revision.
Arkansas’ labor force, the number of people eligible to work, in August was 1,389,550, up 1.4% from 1,370,846 in August 2022 and above 1,386,944 in July.
