February 2025 | Released March 28, 2025

Download the full PDF for Arkansas

Download the summary PDF for Arkansas

United States Employment Snapshot

• In February, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 8, rose in 14, and remained unchanged in 29.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent.

• In February, payroll jobs rose in 27 states and fell in 23. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in Wyoming. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.6 percent in Alaska.

Arkansas Employment Snapshot

• In February, Arkansas remained unchanged with 0 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.6 percent. In the prior month, Arkansas added 2,000 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Arkansas added 18,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points from 3.4 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 151,000 in February, or 0.1 percent. Arkansas is tied for 7th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In February, Arkansas’s private sector lost 300 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 17,700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Arkansas added 1,900 net private payroll jobs.

• In February, employment in Arkansas rose by 385, and over the past 12 months it rose by 18,205.

• Arkansas’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 58.4 percent in February and is tied for 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 remained unchanged with 0 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during February. In the prior month, Arkansas added 2,000 jobs. Arkansas nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 151,000 in February, or 0.1 percent. Arkansas is tied for 7th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Arkansas lost 300 private sector jobs, or 0 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during February. In the prior month, Arkansas added 1,900 jobs. Arkansas private sector payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 140,000 jobs in February, or 0.1 percent. Arkansas is tied for 6th 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 February were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (700) and Manufacturing (500).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Leisure and Hospitality (-500) and Professional and Business Services (-700).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (7,000) and Professional and Business Services (4,000).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Construction (-300) and Information (-700).

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 remained unchanged at 58.4 percent in February.

• Arkansas is tied for 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 fell by 0.2 percentage points to 62.4 percent in February.