Arkansas’ unemployment rate hit 5.3% among residents aged 16 and 65 years old in 2021. That’s 73,733 people out of the 3,006,309 living in Arkansas at the time, according to data U.S. Census Bureau data obtained on Oct. 26, 2023.
The unemployment rate in Arkansas has increased compared to the 5.2% registered in 2020.
The percentage of people unemployed in Arkansas was nearly equal to the national unemployment rate of 5.5%.
Of the 1,316,640 people who had a job during that time, 5,777 were employed in the Armed Forces and 1,310,863 belonged to the civilian labor force.
Employment Status in Arkansas During 2021
| Employment status | Number of people | Percentage of population |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployed | 73,733 | 5.3% |
| Employed | 1,316,640 | 94.7% |
| Employed in civilian labor force | 1,310,863 | 94.3% |
| Employed in armed forces | 5,777 | 0.4% |
