How many jobs were lost in last month?

Updated May. 22, 2026Refreshed monthly
Arkansas lost 300 jobs in April 2026, ranking it 42nd among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 1,800 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.

-300

month to month change in number of jobs (April 2026)

42nd

rank among states in monthly job growth (April 2026)
April 2026's loss of 300 jobs was the 3rd consecutive month of negative job growth in Arkansas. Monthly job growth was up from the 1,200 lost jobs in March 2026.
During the latest five year period (May 2021 to April 2026), Arkansas gained jobs in 43 out of 60 months. April 2026 had the 14th-lowest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in October 2021 (+12,600) while job growth was weakest in July 2023 (-3,300).

There were 300 fewer jobs in April 2026 in Arkansas than the previous month.

Monthly change in nonfarm employment, May 2021–April 2026, seasonally adjusted

Which Arkansas sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in April 2026?

The three supersectors with the highest job growth in April 2026 were health care and social assistance, management of companies and enterprises, and real estate and rental and leasing. Health care and social assistance added 300 jobs, more than the entire economy. Management of companies and enterprises gained 300 jobs, while real estate and rental and leasing added 200. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.

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The health care and social assistance sector gained 300 jobs during April 2026.

Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Arkansas (April 2026)

How does Arkansas's job growth in 2026 compare to previous years?

In 2025, the state has gained an average of 725 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 1,400, and the 13th-highest since 2006. The 2025 average ranks as the 13th-highest in job growth since 2006.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 241,667 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 241,667 on average every month in 2022.

In 2025, Arkansas gained an average of 725 jobs every month.

Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted

Job growth among five metro areas primarily in Arkansas during April 2026 ranged from a loss of 100 jobs in the Little Rock, AR area to a gain of 1,200 jobs in the Fayetteville, AR area metro area.

Monthly job growth, by metro area

Metro areas where at least one of its primary counties are within Arkansas

Monthly job growth, by metro area
Metro areaChange in jobs

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.