Data / Rankings / Job creation rate / Counties in Arkansas

Counties in Arkansas by job creation rate

Cleveland County had the highest job creation rate of 75 counties in 2018, at 36.529%. Howard County had the lowest, at 3.601%. The median was 10.992% and the figure for Arkansas was 11.997%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest36.529Cleveland County
Lowest3.601Howard County
Median10.99275 counties
Arkansas11.997History

Map of counties, 2018

Arkansas County: 9.128 %Ashley County: 8.885 %Baxter County: 10.872 %Benton County: 13.596 %Boone County: 14.98 %Bradley County: 7.147 %Calhoun County: 4.261 %Carroll County: 8.522 %Chicot County: 14.075 %Clark County: 11.44 %Clay County: 11.402 %Cleburne County: 14.152 %Cleveland County: 36.529 %Columbia County: 12.269 %Conway County: 14.231 %Craighead County: 11.61 %Crawford County: 11.221 %Crittenden County: 10.831 %Cross County: 10.208 %Dallas County: 12.69 %Desha County: 13.025 %Drew County: 10.958 %Faulkner County: 13.314 %Franklin County: 13.902 %Fulton County: 6.957 %Garland County: 14.46 %Grant County: 8.814 %Greene County: 7.275 %Hempstead County: 6.743 %Hot Spring County: 11.591 %Howard County: 3.601 %Independence County: 13.591 %Izard County: 10.329 %Jackson County: 10.509 %Jefferson County: 8.181 %Johnson County: 5.242 %Lafayette County: 10.866 %Lawrence County: 9.993 %Lee County: 10.234 %Lincoln County: 12.405 %Little River County: 10.992 %Logan County: 7.262 %Lonoke County: 12.791 %Madison County: 11.301 %Marion County: 7.714 %Miller County: 13.915 %Mississippi County: 9.508 %Monroe County: 13.105 %Montgomery County: 18.711 %Nevada County: 9.211 %Newton County: 10.094 %Ouachita County: 10.216 %Perry County: 10.278 %Phillips County: 13.347 %Pike County: 18.281 %Poinsett County: 13.255 %Polk County: 10.681 %Pope County: 10.303 %Prairie County: 18.203 %Pulaski County: 11.351 %Randolph County: 9.921 %St. Francis County: 12.505 %Saline County: 14.532 %Scott County: 8.845 %Searcy County: 28.083 %Sebastian County: 12.174 %Sevier County: 9.298 %Sharp County: 14.5 %Stone County: 12.74 %Union County: 12.658 %Van Buren County: 10.099 %Washington County: 12.508 %White County: 10.098 %Woodruff County: 9.146 %Yell County: 6.91 %
  • Under 8.8
  • 8.8 to 10
  • 10 to 11
  • 11 to 13
  • 13 to 14
  • 14 and over
%, 2018. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2018

Cleveland County: 36.529 %Cleveland County36.529Searcy County: 28.083 %Searcy County28.083Montgomery County: 18.711 %Montgomery County18.711Pike County: 18.281 %Pike County18.281Prairie County: 18.203 %Prairie County18.203Boone County: 14.98 %Boone County14.98Saline County: 14.532 %Saline County14.532Sharp County: 14.5 %Sharp County14.5Garland County: 14.46 %Garland County14.46Conway County: 14.231 %Conway County14.231Cleburne County: 14.152 %Cleburne County14.152Chicot County: 14.075 %Chicot County14.075Miller County: 13.915 %Miller County13.915Franklin County: 13.902 %Franklin County13.902Benton County: 13.596 %Benton County13.596Independence County: 13.591 %Independence County13.591Phillips County: 13.347 %Phillips County13.347Faulkner County: 13.314 %Faulkner County13.314Poinsett County: 13.255 %Poinsett County13.255Monroe County: 13.105 %Monroe County13.105Desha County: 13.025 %Desha County13.025Lonoke County: 12.791 %Lonoke County12.791Stone County: 12.74 %Stone County12.74Dallas County: 12.69 %Dallas County12.69Union County: 12.658 %Union County12.658Washington County: 12.508 %Washington County12.508St. Francis County: 12.505 %St. Francis County12.505Lincoln County: 12.405 %Lincoln County12.405Columbia County: 12.269 %Columbia County12.269Sebastian County: 12.174 %Sebastian County12.174Craighead County: 11.61 %Craighead County11.61Hot Spring County: 11.591 %Hot Spring County11.591Clark County: 11.44 %Clark County11.44Clay County: 11.402 %Clay County11.402Pulaski County: 11.351 %Pulaski County11.351Madison County: 11.301 %Madison County11.301Crawford County: 11.221 %Crawford County11.221Little River County: 10.992 %Little River County10.992Drew County: 10.958 %Drew County10.958Baxter County: 10.872 %Baxter County10.872Cleveland County: 36.529 %Cleveland County36.529Searcy County: 28.083 %Searcy County28.083Montgomery County: 18.711 %Montgomery County18.711Pike County: 18.281 %Pike County18.281Prairie County: 18.203 %Prairie County18.203Boone County: 14.98 %Boone County14.98Saline County: 14.532 %Saline County14.532Sharp County: 14.5 %Sharp County14.5Garland County: 14.46 %Garland County14.46Conway County: 14.231 %Conway County14.231Cleburne County: 14.152 %Cleburne County14.152Chicot County: 14.075 %Chicot County14.075Miller County: 13.915 %Miller County13.915Franklin County: 13.902 %Franklin County13.902Benton County: 13.596 %Benton County13.596Independence County: 13.591 %Independence County13.591Phillips County: 13.347 %Phillips County13.347Faulkner County: 13.314 %Faulkner County13.314Poinsett County: 13.255 %Poinsett County13.255Monroe County: 13.105 %Monroe County13.105Desha County: 13.025 %Desha County13.025Lonoke County: 12.791 %Lonoke County12.791Stone County: 12.74 %Stone County12.74Dallas County: 12.69 %Dallas County12.69Union County: 12.658 %Union County12.658Washington County: 12.508 %Washington County12.508St. Francis County: 12.505 %St. Francis County12.505Lincoln County: 12.405 %Lincoln County12.405Columbia County: 12.269 %Columbia County12.269Sebastian County: 12.174 %Sebastian County12.174Craighead County: 11.61 %Craighead County11.61Hot Spring County: 11.591 %Hot Spring County11.591Clark County: 11.44 %Clark County11.44Clay County: 11.402 %Clay County11.402Pulaski County: 11.351 %Pulaski County11.351Madison County: 11.301 %Madison County11.301Crawford County: 11.221 %Crawford County11.221Little River County: 10.992 %Little River County10.992Drew County: 10.958 %Drew County10.958Baxter County: 10.872 %Baxter County10.872
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2018 (%)Change on 2017
1Cleveland County36.529+20.05 pts
2Searcy County28.083+14.78 pts
3Montgomery County18.711+9.28 pts
4Pike County18.281+6.18 pts
5Prairie County18.203-2.35 pts
6Boone County14.98+0.09 pts
7Saline County14.532-1.66 pts
8Sharp County14.5-2.31 pts
9Garland County14.46-2.02 pts
10Conway County14.231+1.5 pts
11Cleburne County14.152+1.36 pts
12Chicot County14.075+4.9 pts
13Miller County13.915+0.83 pts
14Franklin County13.902-3.77 pts
15Benton County13.596-3.09 pts
16Independence County13.591-0.6 pts
17Phillips County13.347-4.08 pts
18Faulkner County13.314+0.62 pts
19Poinsett County13.255-5.66 pts
20Monroe County13.105-3.33 pts
21Desha County13.025+4.04 pts
22Lonoke County12.791-1.44 pts
23Stone County12.74-7.22 pts
24Dallas County12.69+6.86 pts
25Union County12.658+3.09 pts
26Washington County12.508+0.18 pts
27St. Francis County12.505+2.41 pts
28Lincoln County12.405+4.11 pts
29Columbia County12.269+0.78 pts
30Sebastian County12.174-1.57 pts
31Craighead County11.61-1.16 pts
32Hot Spring County11.591+0.86 pts
33Clark County11.44+2.64 pts
34Clay County11.402+2.59 pts
35Pulaski County11.351-2.41 pts
36Madison County11.301+0.14 pts
37Crawford County11.221-2.45 pts
38Little River County10.992-0.93 pts
39Drew County10.958-9.27 pts
40Baxter County10.872-0.7 pts
41Lafayette County10.866-3.49 pts
42Crittenden County10.831-1 pts
43Polk County10.681+4.09 pts
44Jackson County10.509-1.2 pts
45Izard County10.329-8.86 pts
46Pope County10.303-2.3 pts
47Perry County10.278-15.28 pts
48Lee County10.234-1.49 pts
49Ouachita County10.216-0.85 pts
50Cross County10.208-0.9 pts
51Van Buren County10.099-0.81 pts
52White County10.098+0.82 pts
53Newton County10.094-1.67 pts
54Lawrence County9.993-5.92 pts
55Randolph County9.921-8.91 pts
56Mississippi County9.508-1.59 pts
57Sevier County9.298+3.57 pts
58Nevada County9.211+3.58 pts
59Woodruff County9.146-3.89 pts
60Arkansas County9.128+1.74 pts
61Ashley County8.885-0.4 pts
62Scott County8.845-1.98 pts
63Grant County8.814-1.66 pts
64Carroll County8.522+0.41 pts
65Jefferson County8.181-0.87 pts
66Marion County7.714-0.52 pts
67Greene County7.275-5.32 pts
68Logan County7.262-1.9 pts
69Bradley County7.147-2.34 pts
70Fulton County6.957-0.76 pts
71Yell County6.91-4.76 pts
72Hempstead County6.743-0.26 pts
73Johnson County5.242-2.72 pts
74Calhoun County4.261-6.02 pts
75Howard County3.601-8.59 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Jobs added at opening and expanding establishments during the year, as a percentage of average employment in the two years. United States: Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics.

A gross flow: jobs lost elsewhere are not subtracted, so the net change is this rate minus job_destruction_rate. Not the same as payroll job growth from the monthly employment surveys. The year is the twelve months to March: 2023 compares March 2022 with March 2023.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2025). Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010 (Counties in Arkansas by job creation rate, 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv

MLA 9

Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Arkansas by job creation rate, 2018. U.S. Census Bureau, 25 Sept. 2025, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/arkansas-counties?period=2018. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Counties in Arkansas by job creation rate, 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/arkansas-counties?period=2018.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Arkansas by job creation rate, 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/arkansas-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_arkansas_by_2018,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Arkansas by job creation rate, 2018}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/arkansas-counties?period=2018. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023\_st\_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Arkansas by job creation rate, 2018
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/09/25
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/arkansas-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/arkansas-counties?period=2018.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest job creation rate?

Cleveland County, with 36.529% in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest job creation rate?

Howard County, with 3.601% in 2018.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Job creation rate: other rankings

Counties in Arkansas: more rankings