Department of Numbers

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, Arkansas Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Little Rock rose 0.1 percentage points in September 2023 to 2.7%. 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 10.7% and is now 8.0 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.5% in June 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare Little Rock unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.8% 0.0 +0.3
Arkansas 2.9% +0.2 -0.6
Little Rock 2.7% +0.1 -0.5
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with September 2023 data as October 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 37,981. There are now 28,067 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 9,103 in July 2023, the number of unemployed has now grown by 811. Little Rock employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Little Rock, Arkansas) is also available.

Unemployed Persons September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Little Rock 9,914 +509 -1,679

Number of Unemployed Persons

Little Rock, Arkansas Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Arkansas
Unemployment Rate
Little Rock
Unemployment Rate
Little Rock
Unemployed
October
2023
3.9% 3.1%
September
2023
3.8% 2.9% 2.7% 9,914
August
2023
3.8% 2.7% 2.6% 9,405
July
2023
3.5% 2.6% 2.5% 9,103
June
2023
3.6% 2.6% 2.5% 9,181
May
2023
3.7% 2.7% 2.6% 9,392
April
2023
3.4% 2.8% 2.7% 9,705
March
2023
3.5% 3.0% 2.8% 9,956
February
2023
3.6% 3.2% 2.9% 10,419
January
2023
3.4% 3.4% 3.1% 11,107
December
2022
3.5% 3.4% 3.2% 11,364
November
2022
3.6% 3.5% 3.2% 11,376

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.