Fort Smith, Arkansas Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Fort Smith fell 0.0 percentage points in February 2019 to 3.8%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.0 percentage points lower 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	February 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.8%	-0.2	-0.3
Arkansas	3.8%	+0.1	0.0
Fort Smith	3.8%	0.0	-0.3

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with February 2019 data as March 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 7,067 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 219. Fort Smith employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Fort Smith, Arkansas) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	February 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
Fort Smith	4,567	+56	-322

Number of Unemployed Persons

Fort Smith, Arkansas Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Arkansas Unemployment Rate	Fort Smith Unemployment Rate	Fort Smith Unemployed
March 2019	3.8%	3.7%	—	—
February 2019	3.8%	3.8%	3.8%	4,567
January 2019	4.0%	3.7%	3.8%	4,511
December 2018	3.9%	3.7%	3.8%	4,416
November 2018	3.7%	3.7%	3.7%	4,403
October 2018	3.8%	3.7%	3.8%	4,461
September 2018	3.7%	3.6%	3.7%	4,348
August 2018	3.8%	3.6%	3.7%	4,368
July 2018	3.9%	3.6%	3.8%	4,467
June 2018	4.0%	3.7%	4.0%	4,707
May 2018	3.8%	3.7%	4.1%	4,853
April 2018	3.9%	3.7%	4.3%	5,100