Department of Numbers

Fort Smith, Arkansas Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Fort Smith fell 0.1 percentage points in January 2023 to 3.3%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.1 percentage points lower than the Arkansas rate. The unemployment rate in Fort Smith peaked in April 2020 at 10.9% and is now 7.6 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.0% in January 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.3 percentage points. You can also compare Fort Smith unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.4% -0.1 -0.6
Arkansas 3.4% 0.0 +0.2
Fort Smith 3.3% -0.1 +0.3
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with January 2023 data as February metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Fort Smith, Arkansas, National

Fort Smith, Arkansas monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Fort Smith, Arkansas Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Fort Smith peaked in April 2020 at 12,897. There are now 9,039 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 3,450 in February 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 408. Fort Smith employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Fort Smith, Arkansas) is also available.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Fort Smith 3,858 -128 +348

Number of Unemployed Persons

Fort Smith, Arkansas Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Arkansas
Unemployment Rate
Fort Smith
Unemployment Rate
Fort Smith
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 3.4% 3.3% 3,858
December
2022
3.5% 3.4% 3.4% 3,986
November
2022
3.6% 3.5% 3.5% 4,111
October
2022
3.7% 3.5% 3.5% 4,122
September
2022
3.5% 3.5% 3.5% 4,090
August
2022
3.7% 3.4% 3.4% 3,966
July
2022
3.5% 3.3% 3.3% 3,897
June
2022
3.6% 3.2% 3.2% 3,785
May
2022
3.6% 3.2% 3.1% 3,656
April
2022
3.6% 3.1% 3.1% 3,593
March
2022
3.6% 3.1% 3.0% 3,470

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers.