Education and Health Services sector drives Fort Smith metro job gains – Talk Business & Politics
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Education and Health Services sector drives Fort Smith metro job gains
The Fort Smith metro had an estimated 98,880 jobs in May, up 1,101 jobs, or 1.1%. Regional employment remains below the peak of 104,228 in June 2008. The metro had 3,482 unemployed, up 3.8% from 3,355 in May 2024. The region’s jobless rate in May was 3.4%, up from 3.2% inMay 2024. All seven metro areas in or connected to Arkansas posted job gains in May.. The 2025 numbers reflect significant revisions to the data and counties. included in the estimates. McDonald County, Mo., was removed from the Northwest Arkansas metro, LeFlore County, Okla., was. removed from Fort Smith.
The Fort Smith metro had an estimated 98,880 jobs in May, up 1,101 jobs, or 1.1%, compared with May 2024. Regional employment remains below the peak of 104,228 in June 2008. The metro had 3,482 unemployed, up 3.8% from 3,355 in May 2024. The region’s jobless rate in May was 3.4%, up from 3.2% in May 2024. The May numbers are preliminary and subject to revision.
Education and Health Services jobs totaled 17,800 in May, up 5.3% compared with 16,900 May 2024, and was a new record for the sector. The year-over-year gain of 900 jobs is 81.7% of the region’s total estimated gain of 1,101.
Examples of jobs in the sector includes teachers, registered nurses, pharmacists, physicians, medical assistants, medical billing, social workers, health educators, and occupational therapists.
Arkansas’ jobless rate in May was 3.7%, up from 3.4% in May 2024. All seven metro areas in or connected to Arkansas posted job gains in May. Unemployment rates were higher in May than a year earlier in 286 of the 387 metro areas, lower in 72 areas, and unchanged in 29, according to the BLS report.
The 2025 numbers reflect significant revisions to the data and counties included in the estimates. McDonald County, Mo., was removed from the Northwest Arkansas metro, LeFlore County, Okla., was removed from the Fort Smith metro, and Pine Bluff is no longer reported as a metropolitan statistical area.
Following are details on the region’s top six job categories.
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities
May 2025: 22,000
May 2024: 21,900
The sector posted record employment of 22,700 in November 2022.
Education and Health Services
May 2025: 17,800
May 2024: 16,900
The sector posted record employment in the May report.
Manufacturing
May 2025: 17,700
May 2024: 17,900
The sector posted record employment of 29,200 in June 1999.
Government
May 2025: 12,800
May 2024: 12,900
The sector posted record employment of 15,000 in March 2020.
Professional and Business Services
May 2025: 11,200
May 2024: 10,800
The sector posted record employment of 12,700 in April 2017.
Leisure and Hospitality (tourism)
May 2025: 9,600
May 2024: 9,500
The sector posted record employment in the May report.
Mining, Logging, Construction
May 2025: 5,100
May 2024: 5,000
The sector first posted record employment of 7,400 in August 2008.