FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley saw strong job growth in June, despite slight increases in unemployment rates statewide.
Northwest Arkansas metro
Northwest Arkansas led all metro areas in Arkansas with a 3.65% increase in nonfarm employment between June 2024 and June 2025. The region added an estimated 11,100 jobs, bringing total nonfarm employment to 314,600, Talk Business reports.
However, the jobless rate also rose, reaching 3.4% in June, up from 3% a year ago. The number of unemployed individuals in the region climbed from 9,242 to 10,703.
Fort Smith metro
In the Fort Smith metro, the state’s third-largest labor market, nonfarm employment increased by 1.65% over the year, reaching 104,400 jobs in June. The number of unemployed also rose slightly, from 3,862 to 4,166, pushing the unemployment rate from 3.8% to 4%.
All seven Arkansas metro areas added jobs in June, with the four largest accounting for most of the state’s gains. The jobless rate held at 3.7%, up from 3.4% last year.
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Recent data changes removed counties from the Fort Smith and Northwest Arkansas metros, and Pine Bluff is no longer counted as a metro area.
For a statewide breakdown, head to Talk Business & Politics.
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