Ashley County, Arkansas Income Statistics
Ashley County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Ashley County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Ashley County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $44,065 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $44,417 | $49,255 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.5% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.4% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.3% | 6.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Ashley County is about 28% lower than in Arkansas. Income has been growing slower in Ashley County (2.5%/yr) than in Arkansas (4.6%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Ashley County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Arkansas average of 8%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Ashley County, Arkansas grew by 33.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $44,065 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Ashley County
| Metric | Ashley County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.546 | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $54,569 | $57,045 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $38,041 | $46,102 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 30.3% | 19.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Ashley County, it is 0.546, lower than Arkansas's 0.551, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 43% more than women's income in Ashley County, Arkansas. Over a 35-year career, a 43% wage gap accumulates to roughly $578,480 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Ashley County, Arkansas has narrowed from about 46% to 30% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 49% in 2012, and was narrowest at 24% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,021 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Ashley County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 3.3% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 15 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 384 people are unemployed in Ashley County, Arkansas.
The average commute time in Ashley County is 15 minutes, shorter than the 18 minutes in Arkansas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Ashley County, Arkansas has fallen from 9.7% to 5.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.0% in 2014 and fell as low as 4.5% in 2020.
Ashley County, AR Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Ashley County, AR is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 18,425 residents against a local median of 10,208. The measure that sets Ashley County, AR apart most is income growth: 2.5%/yr, 29% below the local median of 3.5%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 5.4% against a local median of 6.6%, 18% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Ashley County, AR is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 1.3%/yr on income growth, so Ashley County, AR sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Ashley County, AR has the 4th highest income growth of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashley County, AR | 18,425 | $44,065 #2/6 | 2.5%/yr #4/6 | 5.4% #1/6 | 0.546 #2/6 |
| Morehouse Parish, LA | 24,551 | $39,643 | 3.5%/yr | 9.4% | 0.578 |
| Drew County, AR | 17,048 | $43,170 | 3.6%/yr | 5.9% | 0.571 |
| Bradley County, AR | 10,208 | $41,611 | 2.4%/yr | 6.6% | 0.540 |
| Chicot County, AR | 9,757 | $39,123 | 3.7%/yr | 9.0% | 0.594 |
| West Carroll Parish, LA | 9,464 | $45,939 | 2.3%/yr | 5.7% | 0.567 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Ashley County, Arkansas has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with Arkansas, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Ashley County, Arkansas.
How Wealthy Is Ashley County, Arkansas?
Ashley County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $44,065, about 28% lower than the Arkansas average of $60,940.
Are incomes growing in Ashley County, Arkansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Ashley County, Arkansas rose 34%, from $32,921 to $44,065. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Arkansas as a whole: +34% against +58%.
What was the median household income in Ashley County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Ashley County, Arkansas was $44,311, down 1% from $44,893 in 2022. The Arkansas median that year was $58,782.
What was the median household income in Ashley County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Ashley County, Arkansas was $43,410. By 2024 it had risen 2% to $44,065.
What is the Gini coefficient in Ashley County, Arkansas?
The Gini coefficient in Ashley County is 0.546. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Ashley County, Arkansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Ashley County, Arkansas has narrowed from about 46% to 30% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 49% in 2012, and was narrowest at 24% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,021 since 2009.
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