Department of Numbers

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, Arkansas Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Little Rock fell 0.2 percentage points in January 2023 to 3.2%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.2 percentage points lower than the Arkansas rate. The unemployment rate in Little Rock peaked in April 2020 at 10.6% and is now 7.4 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.2% in January 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.0 percentage points. You can also compare Little Rock 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
Little Rock 3.2% -0.2 0.0
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: Little Rock, Arkansas, National

Little Rock, Arkansas monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Little Rock, Arkansas Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Little Rock peaked in April 2020 at 38,272. There are now 26,719 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 11,270 in March 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 283. Little Rock employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Little Rock, Arkansas) is also available.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Little Rock 11,553 -390 +176

Number of Unemployed Persons

Little Rock, Arkansas Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Arkansas
Unemployment Rate
Little Rock
Unemployment Rate
Little Rock
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 3.4% 3.2% 11,553
December
2022
3.5% 3.4% 3.4% 11,943
November
2022
3.6% 3.5% 3.4% 12,234
October
2022
3.7% 3.5% 3.5% 12,273
September
2022
3.5% 3.5% 3.5% 12,315
August
2022
3.7% 3.4% 3.4% 12,063
July
2022
3.5% 3.3% 3.4% 12,005
June
2022
3.6% 3.2% 3.3% 11,733
May
2022
3.6% 3.2% 3.3% 11,585
April
2022
3.6% 3.1% 3.3% 11,558
March
2022
3.6% 3.1% 3.2% 11,270

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.