December Unemployment Rates Released For Area Counties

Unemployment rates continued to increase as 2019 ended. The December numbers, which are the latest available, show Howard County had a December unemployment rate of three and a half percent. That ranks as the 21st lowest figure in Arkansas but was half a percent higher than November’s rate.

Similar numbers for December were also reported in Hempstead and Pike counties. The Hempstead county rate ending last year was 3.7 percent while the December figure for Pike County was 3.9 percent.

Statewide, Madison County reported the lowest unemployment rate for December at 2.2 percent while Jackson County’s 7.1 percent unemployment rate was the highest in Arkansas.