April 2025 | Released May 21, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In April, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 5, rose in 20, and remained unchanged in 26.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in April.

• In April, payroll jobs rose in 40 states and fell in 11. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Mississippi. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Vermont.

Arkansas Employment Snapshot

• In April, Arkansas lost 1,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7 percent. In the prior month, Arkansas added 100 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Arkansas added 17,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points from 3.4 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Arkansas is tied for 13th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In April, Arkansas’s private sector lost 1,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 16,900 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Arkansas added 100 net private payroll jobs.

• In April, employment in Arkansas rose by 1,406, and over the past 12 months it rose by 14,459.

• Arkansas’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 58.4 percent in April and is tied for 43rd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.3 percentage points.

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Arkansas Payroll Employment

• Arkansas lost 1,200 net payroll jobs, or -0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Arkansas added 100 jobs. Arkansas nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Arkansas is tied for 13th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Arkansas lost 1,400 private sector jobs, or -0.1 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Arkansas added 100 jobs. Arkansas private sector payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 167,000 jobs in April, or 0.1 percent. Arkansas is tied for 8th 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 April were Professional and Business Services (1,300) and Education and Health Services (400).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Manufacturing (-1,200) and Leisure and Hospitality (-1,800).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (8,100) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (4,100).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Leisure and Hospitality (-500) and Information (-800).

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 April.

• 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 rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.6 percent in April.