Unemployment numbers up slightly in northern Arkansas, improve in southern Missouri in December

The latest unemployment numbers from the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services and the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center show unemployment rates have rose slightly in north central Arkansas and were improved a bit in southern Missouri in December when compared to the November numbers. December is a month when numbers usually improve due to holiday hiring.In Baxter County, the rate bumped up from 4.6% in November to 4.7% in December. Baxter County’s rate is tied for the 34th lowest out of Arkansas’ 75 counties. There are 791 unemployed Baxter County residents out of a work force of 16,964.

Marion County’s rate went up from 6.4% in November to 6.5% in December, which is the 6th highest rate in the state. Marion County has 342 residents out of work from a labor force of 5,240.

Fulton County’s unemployment rate eased up from 5.2% in November to 5.3% in December, which means they are tied for the 55th lowest rate in the state. Fulton County has a labor force of 4,019 and 215 are unemployed.

The unemployment rate in Izard County jumped up from 6.3% in November to 6.8% in December, which is tied for the 2nd highest unemployment rate in the state. There are 292 Izard County residents unemployed out of a work force of 4,308.

Stone County saw its rate increase from 5.8% in November to 6.2% in December. That ranks Stone County tied for 64th in the state. There are 4,082 in the labor force in Stone County with 253 unemployed.

Searcy County’s unemployment rate moved up from 4.6% to 4.7% in December, ranking them tied for 34th lowest in Arkansas. There are 147 people unemployed in Searcy County out of a work force of 3,141.

Boone County saw its rate go down from 4.1% in November to 4% in December, making them the 12th lowest rate in the state. Boone County has a work force of 16,490 with 659 out of work.

Newton County is tied for the state’s 43rd lowest unemployment rate at 4.9%, the same as the previous month. Newton County has a labor force of 2,696 with 131 of those unemployed.

Arkansas’s state unemployment rate in December was 4.2%, up from 4.1% in November.

In southern Missouri, Ozark County’s rate was at 6.2% in November, down from 6.3% in December. Ozark County had 200 unemployed out of a workforce of 3,244.

Douglas County saw its rate significantly go down to 3.6% in December from 5.9% in November. Douglas County has a labor force of 5,071 with 182 unemployed.

Howell County’s rate had a drop from 4% in November to 3.7% in December. In Howell County, there are 619 unemployed out of a workforce of 16,732.

Taney County’s rate stayed the same at 3.9% in December. Taney County’s labor force is 27,115 with 1,055 unemployed.

Missouri’s state unemployment rate dropped from 3.5% in November to 3.3% in December.

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