Cleveland County, Arkansas Income Statistics
Cleveland 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
Cleveland County Well below averageWealthier than 72% of counties in Arkansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Cleveland County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $55,134 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $49,914 | $49,255 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.4% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.8% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.8% | 6.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Cleveland County is about 10% lower than in Arkansas. Income has been growing slower in Cleveland County (3.4%/yr) than in Arkansas (4.6%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Cleveland 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 Cleveland County, Arkansas grew by 57.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $55,134 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Cleveland County
| Metric | Cleveland County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.564 | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $60,260 | $57,045 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $49,378 | $46,102 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.1% | 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 Cleveland County, it is 0.564, higher than Arkansas's 0.551, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 22% more than women's income in Cleveland County, Arkansas. Over a 35-year career, a 22% wage gap accumulates to roughly $380,870 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Cleveland County, Arkansas has narrowed from about 23% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2014, and was narrowest at 13% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,716 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Cleveland County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 2.2% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.7% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 62 people are unemployed in Cleveland County, Arkansas.
The average commute time in Cleveland County is 23 minutes, longer than the 18 minutes in Arkansas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Cleveland County, Arkansas has fallen from 9.3% to 2.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.8% in 2012 and fell as low as 1.0% in 2022.
Cleveland County, AR Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Cleveland County, AR is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 7,452 residents against a local median of 12,948. Where Cleveland County, AR breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 61% below the local median of 5.6% at 2.2%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 3.4%/yr against a local median of 4.7%/yr, 27% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Cleveland County, AR is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 5.4% on unemployment, so Cleveland County, AR sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Cleveland County, AR has the lowest unemployment 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland County, AR | 7,452 | $55,134 #3/6 | 3.4%/yr #5/6 | 2.2% #1/6 | 0.564 #4/6 |
| Bradley County, AR | 10,208 | $41,611 | 2.4%/yr | 6.6% | 0.540 |
| Jefferson County, AR | 64,799 | $50,870 | 4.3%/yr | 8.1% | 0.582 |
| Lincoln County, AR | 12,948 | $54,462 | 6.3%/yr | 2.7% | 0.698 |
| Grant County, AR | 18,243 | $71,163 | 4.7%/yr | 4.5% | 0.544 |
| Calhoun County, AR | 4,704 | $68,884 | 8.7%/yr | 5.6% | 0.510 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Cleveland 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 Cleveland County, Arkansas.
How Rich Is Cleveland County, Arkansas?
Cleveland 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 $55,134, about 10% lower than the Arkansas average of $60,940.
How has median household income changed in Cleveland County, Arkansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Cleveland County, Arkansas rose 57%, from $35,062 to $55,134. Over the same years, income here kept pace with Arkansas as a whole: +57% against +58%.
What was the median household income in Cleveland County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Cleveland County, Arkansas was $50,799, up 5% from $48,473 in 2022. The Arkansas median that year was $58,782.
What was the median household income in Cleveland County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Cleveland County, Arkansas was $46,079. By 2024 it had risen 20% to $55,134.
How strong is the job market in Cleveland County, Arkansas?
Unemployment in Cleveland County, Arkansas is only 2.2%, well below the Arkansas rate of 4.9%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Cleveland County, Arkansas?
The Gini coefficient in Cleveland County is 0.564. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Cleveland County, Arkansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Cleveland County, Arkansas has narrowed from about 23% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2014, and was narrowest at 13% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,716 since 2009.
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