(June 2014) One sure sign that current administration economic policies are not working is the widespread decline in Arkansas payroll employment, the broadest indicator at the state level. Jobs data released this month by the Bureau of Labor Statistics show employment in 451 Arkansas counties-more than half of the state-was lower at the end of 20132 than five years ago (June 2009) when the recovery started.
The 10 counties with the greatest percentage losses3 are as follows:
| Montgomery | 29.6% | |
| Dallas | 21.1% | |
| Little River | 19.1% | |
| Pike | 17.2% | |
| Stone | 16.3% | |
| Sevier | 14.9% | |
| Jefferson | 12.8% | |
| Lafayette | 10.7% | |
| Clay | 10.6% | |
| Calhoun | 10.3% |
Growth in employment is the natural state of an economy in recovery.
–Greg Kaza
1 The 45 Arkansas counties recording job losses are Ashley (June 2009) 7,723 (December 2013, p) 7,264; Baxter 14,231, 14,092; Boone 13,910, 13,613; Bradley 3,749, 3,419; Calhoun 2,976, 2,669; Carroll 10,158, 9,791; Chicot 3,534, 3,329; Clay 4,061, 3,632; Cleburne 7,047, 6,798; Columbia 8,776, 8,126; Conway 6,960, 6,925; Crawford 19,490, 19,130; Cross 5,267, 4,999; Dallas 3,436, 2,712; Fulton 2,004, 1,946; Garland 36,330, 35,414; Hempstead 8,114, 7,858; Howard 7,281, 7,195; Independence 15,206, 14,517; Jackson 5,275, 5,167; Jefferson 32,731, 28,549; Johnson 8,693, 8,334; Lafayette 1,418, 1,266; Lee 2,133, 1,976; Lincoln 2,982, 2,972; Little River 4,808, 3,888; Logan 5,570, 5,514; Marion 3,722, 3,707; Monroe 2,296, 2,191; Montgomery 1,921, 1,352; Newton 1,144, 1,099; Ouachita 7,908, 7,168; Perry 1,344, 1,224; Phillips 6,463, 5,827; Pike 2,754, 2,281; Poinsett 5,414, 5,025; Polk 6,364, 5,938; Randolph 4,878, 4,700; St. Francis 8,416, 7,880; Searcy 1,767, 1,598; Sebastian 67,721, 64,804; Sevier 5,695, 4,845; Sharp 3,873, 3,616; Stone 2,917, 2,442; and Union 18,396, 17,952.
2 BLS released county employment data under its Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program on June 19. The most recent period that data is available for is 4Q-2013.
3 Others are Phillips 9.8%; Searcy 9.6%; Ouachita 9.4%; Perry 8.9%; Bradley 8.8%; Columbia 7.4%; Lee 7.4%; Poinsett 7.2%; Polk 6.7%; Sharp 6.6%;St. Francis 6.4%; Ashley 5.9%; Chicot 5.8%; Cross 5.1%; Monroe 4.6%; Independence 4.5%; Sebastian 4.3%; Johnson 4.1%; Newton 3.9%; Carroll 3.6%; Randolph 3.6%; Cleburne 3.5%; Hempstead 3.2%; Fulton 2.9%; Garland 2.5%; Union 2.4%; Baxter 2.1%; Boone 2.1%; Jackson 2.0%; Crawford 1.8%; Howard 1.2%; Logan 1.0%; Conway 0.5%; Marion 0.4%; and Lincoln 0.3%.
