Clay County, Arkansas Income Statistics
Clay 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
Clay County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Clay County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $51,698 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $40,557 | $49,255 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.0% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.4% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.7% | 6.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Clay County is about 15% lower than in Arkansas. Income has been growing faster in Clay County (6.0%/yr) than in Arkansas (4.6%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Clay 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 Clay County, Arkansas grew by 75.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $51,698 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Clay County
| Metric | Clay County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.488 | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $47,306 | $57,045 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $41,033 | $46,102 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 13.3% | 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 Clay County, it is 0.488, 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 15% more than women's income in Clay County, Arkansas. Over a 35-year career, a 15% wage gap accumulates to roughly $219,555 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Clay County, Arkansas has widened from about 12% to 13% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 25% in 2020, and was narrowest at 9% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,267 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Clay County widened by 0.9 points while Arkansas's narrowed by 4.6 points.
Employment
| Metric | Clay County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.0% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 413 people are unemployed in Clay County, Arkansas.
The average commute time in Clay County is 20 minutes, longer than the 18 minutes in Arkansas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Clay County, Arkansas has fallen from 13.0% to 6.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.2% in 2012 and fell as low as 5.0% in 2018.
Clay County, AR Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Clay County, AR is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 14,278 residents against a local median of 42,020. The measure that sets Clay County, AR apart most is income growth: 6.0%/yr, 54% above the local median of 3.9%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 6.3% against a local median of 4.8%, 31% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Clay County, AR is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 2.9%/yr on income growth, so Clay County, AR sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Clay County, AR has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County, AR | 14,278 | $51,698 #3/6 | 6.0%/yr #1/6 | 6.3% #6/6 | 0.488 #1/6 |
| Greene County, AR | 46,432 | $58,818 | 3.9%/yr | 5.9% | 0.544 |
| Dunklin County, MO | 23,538 | $48,339 | 5.6%/yr | 4.8% | 0.537 |
| Butler County, MO | 42,020 | $48,932 | 3.8%/yr | 4.8% | 0.531 |
| Ripley County, MO | 10,707 | $41,973 | 2.7%/yr | 3.7% | 0.536 |
| Craighead County, AR | 113,245 | $59,696 | 3.9%/yr | 5.6% | 0.548 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Clay 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 Clay County, Arkansas.
How Rich Is Clay County, Arkansas?
Clay 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 $51,698, about 15% lower than the Arkansas average of $60,940.
How fast is household income rising in Clay County, Arkansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Clay County, Arkansas rose 76%, from $29,422 to $51,698. Over the same years, income here outpaced Arkansas as a whole: +76% against +58%.
What was the median household income in Clay County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Clay County, Arkansas was $48,712, up 9% from $44,800 in 2022. The Arkansas median that year was $58,782.
What was the median household income in Clay County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Clay County, Arkansas was $38,712. By 2024 it had risen 34% to $51,698.
Is it hard to find a job in Clay County, Arkansas?
Unemployment in Clay County, Arkansas is 6.3%, well above the Arkansas rate of 4.9%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Clay County, Arkansas?
The Gini coefficient in Clay County is 0.488. 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 Clay County, Arkansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Clay County, Arkansas has widened from about 12% to 13% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 25% in 2020, and was narrowest at 9% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,267 since 2009.
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