How many jobs were lost in Arkansas last month?
Updated Apr. 14, 2026Refreshed annually
Arkansas gained 1,800 jobs in January 2026, ranking it 32nd 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 2,000 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
+1.8K
month to month change in number of jobs (January 2026)
32nd
rank among states in monthly job growth (January 2026)
January 2026's gain of 1,800 jobs was the 4th consecutive month of positive job growth in Arkansas. Monthly job growth was down from the 2,500 new jobs in December 2025.
During the latest five year period (February 2021 to January 2026), Arkansas gained jobs in 45 out of 60 months. January 2026 had the 29th-highest 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 1,800 more jobs in January 2026 in Arkansas than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, February 2021–January 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Arkansas sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in January 2026?
During the latest five year period (February 2021 to January 2026), Arkansas gained jobs in 45 out of 60 months. January 2026 had the 29th-highest 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).
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in January 2026 were transportation, warehousing, and utilities, health care and social assistance, and other services. Transportation, warehousing, and utilities added 500 jobs, more than the entire economy. Health care and social assistance gained 400 jobs, while other services added 400. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
The health care and social assistance sector gained 400 jobs during January 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Arkansas (January 2026)
How does Arkansas's job growth in 2025 compare to previous years?
In 2025, the state has gained an average of 1,300 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 1,600, and the smallest since 2024. The 2025 average ranks as ninth-highest in job growth since 2006.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 2,800 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 4,400 on average every month in 2022.
In 2025, Arkansas gained an average of 1,300 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among five metro areas at least partially in Arkansas during January 2026 ranged from a loss of 100 jobs in the Little Rock, AR area to a gain of 1,300 jobs in the Fayetteville, AR area metro area.
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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.
