Unemployment Rate Comparison
Income

Arkansas vs South Carolina: Unemployment Rate

Arkansas has a lower unemployment rate than South Carolina.

Arkansas flag
Arkansas
AR • South
Winner
4.2%
Seasonally adjusted unemployment rate (BLS, December 2025).
South Carolina flag
South Carolina
SC • South
4.8%
Seasonally adjusted unemployment rate (BLS, December 2025).

Visual Comparison

Arkansas 4.2%
South Carolina 4.8%

Difference: 0.60 percentage points — Arkansas leads.

National Rankings

Where They Rank Nationally

See where both states fall among all 50 states for unemployment rate.

Arkansas #26 · 4.2%
South Carolina #45 · 4.8%
Best Worst

10 Best States — Unemployment Rate

Lower is better
#1 Hawaii flag Hawaii
2.2%
#2 South Dakota flag South Dakota
2.2%
#3 North Dakota flag North Dakota
2.6%
#4 Vermont flag Vermont
2.6%
#5 Alabama flag Alabama
2.7%
#6 Nebraska flag Nebraska
3.0%
#7 New Hampshire flag New Hampshire
3.1%
#8 Wisconsin flag Wisconsin
3.1%
#9 Maine flag Maine
3.2%
#10 Mississippi flag Mississippi
3.4%
Selected states
#26 Arkansas flag Arkansas
4.2%
#45 South Carolina flag South Carolina
4.8%

Arkansas ranks 26th and South Carolina ranks 45th nationally for unemployment rate.

Related Context

Jobs Picture

Unemployment is one signal — the employment ratio and job growth round out the full picture.

What This Means

Arkansas vs South Carolina: Unemployment Rate in context

Arkansas has a unemployment rate of 4.2%, compared with 4.8% in South Carolina. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rate (BLS, December 2025).

Arkansas
4.2%
South Carolina
4.8%
Difference
0.60 percentage points

People Also Ask

Arkansas vs South Carolina Unemployment Rate — Common Questions

Q What is Arkansas's unemployment rate?

Arkansas's unemployment rate is 4.2%.

Q What is South Carolina's unemployment rate?

South Carolina's unemployment rate is 4.8%.

Q Which state has a lower unemployment rate — Arkansas or South Carolina?

Arkansas has a lower unemployment rate than South Carolina.

Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.