January 2025
Released March 17, 2025
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United States Employment Snapshot
In January, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 9, rose in 19, and remained unchanged in 23.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4 percent.
In January, payroll jobs rose in 31 states and fell in 19. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in South Dakota. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.6 percent in Georgia.
Arkansas Employment Snapshot
In January, Arkansas added 3,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.6 percent. In the prior month, Arkansas added 2,100 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Arkansas added 24,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points from 3.4 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 125,000 in January, or 0.1 percent. Arkansas is tied for 5th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In January, Arkansas’s private sector added 2,800 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 23,300 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Arkansas added 2,000 net private payroll jobs.
In January, employment in Arkansas rose by 1,956, and over the past 12 months it rose by 19,791.
Arkansas’s labor force participation rate rose to 58.4 percent in January from 58.3 percent and ranks 43rd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.4 percentage points.
Arkansas Payroll Employment
Arkansas added 3,000 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Arkansas added 2,100 jobs. Arkansas nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 125,000 in January, or 0.1 percent. Arkansas is tied for 5th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Arkansas added 2,800 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during January. In the prior month, Arkansas added 2,000 jobs. Arkansas private sector payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 81,000 jobs in January, or 0.1 percent. Arkansas ranks 4th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during January were Professional and Business Services (1,700) and Education and Health Services (1,100).
The poorest performing sectors during the month were Manufacturing (-500) and Construction (-1,100).
The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (8,700) and Professional and Business Services (5,100).
The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Mining and Logging (-100) and Information (-400).
Arkansas Labor Force
The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.
The labor force participation rate in Arkansas rose to 58.4 percent in January from 58.3 percent in the prior month.
Arkansas ranks 43rd in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Arkansas was 58.6 percent in March 2020, and the 10-year low was 56.4 percent in August 2021.
The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.6 percent in January.