May 2025 | Released June 24, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In May, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 13, rose in 14, and remained unchanged in 24.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.9 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in May.

• In May, payroll jobs rose in 37 states and fell in 11. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Montana. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.4 percent in Connecticut.

Arkansas Employment Snapshot

• In May, Arkansas added 1,600 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7 percent. In the prior month, Arkansas lost 2,800 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Arkansas added 18,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points from 3.4 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 139,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. Arkansas ranks 13th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In May, Arkansas’s private sector added 1,600 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 17,500 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Arkansas lost 2,900 net private payroll jobs.

• In May, employment in Arkansas rose by 658, and over the past 12 months it rose by 12,386.

• Arkansas’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 58.4 percent in May and is tied for 43rd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.2 percentage points.

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Arkansas Payroll Employment

• Arkansas added 1,600 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Arkansas lost 2,800 jobs. Arkansas nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 139,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. Arkansas ranks 13th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Arkansas added 1,600 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Arkansas lost 2,900 jobs. Arkansas private sector payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 140,000 jobs in May, 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 May were Leisure and Hospitality (2,300) and Manufacturing (600).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Other Services (-800) and Construction (-900).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (9,100) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (3,700).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Other Services (-1,100) and Construction (-1,500).

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 May.

• 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 May.