April 2026 | Released May 22, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In April, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 15, rose in 9, and remained unchanged in 27.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.2 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.2 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in April.

• In April, payroll jobs rose in 42 states and fell in 9. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in New Mexico. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.4 percent in North Dakota.

Arkansas

Employment snapshot

• In April, Arkansas lost 300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.3 percent. In the prior month, Arkansas lost 1,200 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Arkansas added 4,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.4 percentage points from 3.9 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 115,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Arkansas is tied for 14th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In April, Arkansas’s private sector lost 400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 6,500 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Arkansas lost 1,000 net private payroll jobs.

• In April, employment in Arkansas rose by 359, and over the past 12 months it rose by 19,615.

• Arkansas’s labor force participation rate fell to 59.1 percent in April from 59.2 percent and ranks 41st in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.6 percentage points.

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Arkansas

Payroll employment

• Arkansas lost 300 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Arkansas lost 1,200 jobs. Arkansas nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 115,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Arkansas is tied for 14th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Arkansas lost 400 private sector jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Arkansas lost 1,000 jobs. Arkansas private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 123,000 jobs in April, or 0.1 percent. Arkansas is tied for 12th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From March 2026 to April 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (+600) and Financial Activities (+300).
• The worst performing sectors were Construction (-900) and Leisure and Hospitality (-700).

From April 2025 to April 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+3,000) and Leisure and Hospitality (+2,700).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-1,400) and Manufacturing (-1,300).

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 fell to 59.1 percent in April from 59.2 percent in the prior month.

• Arkansas ranks 41st in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Arkansas was 59.2 percent occurring in February 2026, and the 10-year low was 56.4 percent occurring in July 2021.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 61.8 percent in April.