Employment rates continue to rise across south Arkansas

Of the seven Southwest Arkansas counties surveyed all showed a decrease in the jobless rate from March to April, according to ADWS statistics.

Columbia County's unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) is at 3.3 percent for April, down from 3.5 percent in March, according to a preliminary county by county report released June 1 by the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services.

According to the report, for April Columbia County had a labor force of 8,846 persons with 8,557 employed and 289 unemployed. This compares to March's labor force of 8,909 with 8,599 employed and 310 unemployed.

Statewide, Arkansas' unemployment rate is recorded at 2.8 percent for April, down from 3.0 percent in March. According to the ADWS report, for April the state had a labor force of 1,378,367 persons with 1,339,385 employed and 38,982 unemployed. This compares to March's labor force of 1,375,426 with 1,334,589 employed and 40,837 unemployed. Read more.