Fort Smith, Arkansas Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Fort Smith rose 0.1 percentage points in October 2018 to 3.8%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points higher than the Arkansas rate. The unemployment rate in Fort Smith peaked in January 2011 at 9.2% and is now 5.4 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.7% in August 2018, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Fort Smith unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	October 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.7%	0.0	-0.4
Arkansas	3.5%	0.0	-0.2
Fort Smith	3.8%	+0.1	-0.5

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with October 2018 data as November metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Fort Smith, Arkansas, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Fort Smith, Arkansas Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Fort Smith peaked in February 2011 at 11,634. There are now 7,193 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 4,348 in September 2018, the number of unemployed has now grown by 93. Fort Smith employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Fort Smith, Arkansas) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	October 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
Fort Smith	4,441	+93	-647

Number of Unemployed Persons

Fort Smith, Arkansas Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Arkansas Unemployment Rate	Fort Smith Unemployment Rate	Fort Smith Unemployed
November 2018	3.7%	—	—	—
October 2018	3.7%	3.5%	3.8%	4,441
September 2018	3.7%	3.5%	3.7%	4,348
August 2018	3.9%	3.6%	3.7%	4,368
July 2018	3.9%	3.7%	3.8%	4,467
June 2018	4.0%	3.8%	4.0%	4,707
May 2018	3.8%	3.8%	4.1%	4,853
April 2018	3.9%	3.8%	4.3%	5,100
March 2018	4.1%	3.8%	4.2%	4,968
February 2018	4.1%	3.8%	4.1%	4,889
January 2018	4.1%	3.7%	4.2%	5,006
December 2017	4.1%	3.7%	4.2%	5,038