LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas unemployment numbers continue to climb in the latest Department of Commerce report.

The report shows unemployment went from 3.8% in August to 3.9% in September. This 0.1% increase followed the national increase for the same time period, which is now at 4.4%.

The state unemployment rate has been steadily climbing, though slowly, since a record low of 2.9% in the summer of 2023. The state has avoided the up-and-down peaks and valleys of changes in the national employment rate by remaining fairly stable, despite the slow increase.

The report shows the Arkansas civilian labor force increased by 3,437 in September, with 1,891 more unemployed actively seeking work and 1,546 additional employed. Nonfarm payroll jobs in Arkansas rose by 16,000 in September to reach a new record high level of 1,393,300 jobs.

Compared to September 2024, Arkansas has 22,700 more jobs, the report stated. The Private Education and Health Services category posted the most significant growth, adding 8,800 jobs. Other notable category gains occurred in Trade-Transportation-Utilities, up 4,900; Leisure and Hospitality, up 4,700; Professional and Business Services, up 3,500; and Manufacturing, up 2,200, according to the report.

By county, Department of Commerce figures show the delta with the most significant unemployment rate of 7.2% in Desha County and 7% in Phillips County, both followed closely by Izard County in the state’s north with a 6.9% unemployment rate.

In northwest Arkansas, Benton, Washington, and Madison counties had below-state-average unemployment rates of 3.1%, 3.3%, and 3.3%, respectively.

Central in the state, Pulaski County showed a 4.3% unemployment rate, with surrounding Faulkner County at 3.7%, Saline County at 3.4%, Lonoke County at 3.6%, and Jefferson County at 6.3%.

Alex Thomas

athomas@adgnewsroom.com

Alex Thomas has served as the Washington Correspondent for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette since November 2022. He also produces “Arkies in the Beltway,” a weekly podcast covering national politics and the Arkansans involved in public policy debates.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are losing a key member of head coach Ryan Days’s staff to an SEC program, according to several reports.

Marcus Johnson, assistant offensive line coach for Ohio State in 2025, is set to move to Arkansas after only one year in Columbus.

In Fayetteville, Johnson will be reunited with newly appointed Razorbacks’ head coach Ryan Silverfield, for whom Johnson played with the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings in the 2008 season.

Johnson’s departure is the second significant blow to Day’s offensive coaching staff, just a few days after former Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline was tabbed as the next head coach for the University of South Florida Bulls.

Johnson reported directly to Buckeye’s offensive line coach Tyler Bowen during his lone season at Columbus. He also worked closely with assistant O-line coach Charlie Dickey and Football QC/offense Austin Fields on Coach Day’s staff.

Johnson has previous SEC ties, as he was a second-team all-conference O-lineman for the Ole Miss Rebels from 2001 to 2004 before being selected in the second round of the NFL Draft by Minnesota in ‘05. He also had a brief stint playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Hartford Colonials of the UFL.

Silverfield is also hiring Memphis Tigers’ assistant coach/offensive line Jeff Myers to team up with Johnson in taking command of the Razorbacks offensive line, after the previous offensive line coach — Eric Mateos — was informed that he was being let go by the new regime.

Before landing with the Buckeyes, Johnson spent two seasons coaching Purdue’s offensive line. His previous stops as a football coach include Duke (2016-2017), Mississippi State (2018-2019) and Missouri (2020-2022).

Now Johnson and Myers will take the reins of arguably Arkansas’ best unit, as the O-line for Arkansas was graded as the second best in the country by Pro Football Network.

News of Johnson’s departure comes off the heels of the Buckeyes’ first loss of the season, a tight 13-10 affair in the Big Ten Championship Game against Indiana. Despite falling to the still undefeated Hoosiers, Ohio State is ranked No. 2 in the College Football Playoff bracket, meaning they still receive a bye in the first round. Hartline will continue to call offensive plays for the still defending National Champions Buckeyes in the CFP tournament, despite pulling double duty as he makes his first moves as the new man in charge at USF.