Unemployment numbers ease up in most of northern Arkansas, southern Missouri in May

The latest unemployment numbers from the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services and the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center show May’s unemployment rates in north central Arkansas and southern Missouri eased up in most counties in May when compared to the April numbers. Searcy and Taney counties were the only two that saw their numbers go down.
In Baxter County, the rate increased from 3.5% in April to 3.7% in May. Baxter County’s rate is tied for the 31st lowest out of Arkansas’ 75 counties. There are 627 unemployed Baxter County residents out of a work force of 17,105.

Marion County’s rate went up from 4.7% in April to 5% in May, which is tied for the 11th highest rate in the state. Marion County has 269 residents out of work from a labor force of 5,357.

Fulton County’s unemployment rate increased from 4% in April to 4.2% in May, which means they are tied for the 52nd lowest rate in the state. Fulton County has a labor force of 4,056 and 170 are unemployed.

The unemployment rate in Izard County went up from 5% in April to 5.1% in May, which has them ranked as the 8th highest unemployment rate in the state. There are 209 Izard County residents unemployed out of a work force of 4,088.

In Stone County, the rate increased from 4.5% in April to 4.7% in May. That ranks Stone County tied for 60th in the state. There are 4,081 in the labor force in Stone County with 193 unemployed.

Searcy County’s unemployment rate moved down from 3.7% to 3.6% in May, ranking them tied for 23rd lowest in Arkansas. There are 116 people unemployed in Searcy County out of a work force of 3,203.

Boone County saw its rate slide up from 3.2% in April to 3.3% in May, putting them in a tie for the 11th lowest rate in the state. Boone County has a work force of 16,654 with 543 out of work.

Newton County is tied for the state’s 49th lowest unemployment rate at 4.1%, up from 4% the previous month. Newton County has a labor force of 2,674 with 115 of those unemployed.

Arkansas’s state unemployment rate in May was 3.7%, the same as the previous month.

In southern Missouri, Ozark County’s rate went up from 5.1% in April to 5.6% in May. Ozark County had 185 unemployed out of a workforce of 3,307.

Douglas County saw its rate slide up from 4.1% in April to 4.3% in May. Douglas County has a labor force of 5,033 with 217 unemployed.

Howell County’s rate went up from 4.3% to 4.6% in May. In Howell County, there are 766 unemployed out of a workforce of 16,766.

Taney County’s rate had a decline from 4.9% in April to 4.7% in May. Taney County’s labor force is 27,545 with 1,289 unemployed.

Missouri’s state unemployment rate increased from 3.8% in April to 3.9% in May.

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