The Professional and Business Services and the Leisure and Hospitality – tourism – sectors provided part of the Fort Smith metro year-over-year job growth in June, with the tourism sector setting a new employment record.
The Fort Smith metro, Arkansas’ third largest metro, had an estimated 104,400 nonfarm jobs in June, up 1,700 jobs, or 1.65%, compared with June 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The June numbers are preliminary and subject to revision.
Regional employment remains below the peak of 108,800 in November 2007. The metro had 4,166 unemployed in June, up from 3,862 in June 2024.
The Professional and Business Services sector had an estimated 10,900 jobs in June, up 800 jobs compared with 10,100 in June 2024. The sector posted record employment of 12,700 in April 2017. The tourism sector had an estimated 9,800 jobs in June, up from 9,500 jobs in June 2024. The June tourism jobs set a new record for the sector. The previous record was in May with 9,600 jobs.
Also driving metro job growth was the Education and Health Services sector, with an estimated 17,800 jobs in June, up 600 jobs compared with 17,200 in June 2024. The June number continues a record employment level first set in May. Job numbers in the sector are up 10.6% compared with June 2020. Examples of jobs in the sector include teachers, registered nurses, pharmacists, physicians, medical assistants, medical billing, social workers, health educators, and occupational therapists.
All seven of the metro areas in or connected to Arkansas posted nonfarm job gains in June, with Northwest Arkansas leading the group with a 3.65% gain between June 2024 and June 2025.
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 seven job categories.
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities
June 2025: 22,100
June 2024: 21,800
The sector posted record employment of 22,700 in November 2022.
Education and Health Services
June 2025: 17,800
June 2024: 17,200
The sector first posted record employment of 17,800 the May report.
Manufacturing
June 2025: 18,000
June 2024: 18,000
The sector posted record employment of 29,200 in June 1999.
Government
June 2025: 12,100
June 2024: 12,400
The sector posted record employment of 15,000 in March 2020.
Professional and Business Services
June 2025: 10,900
June 2024: 10,100
The sector posted record employment of 12,700 in April 2017.
Leisure and Hospitality (tourism)
June 2025: 9,800
June 2024: 9,500
June 2025 marked record employment in the sector.
Mining, Logging, Construction
June 2025: 5,200
June 2024: 5,100
The sector first posted record employment of 7,400 in August 2008.