Columbia County, Arkansas Income Statistics
Columbia 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
Columbia County Well below averageLess wealthy than 88% of counties in Arkansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Columbia County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $52,232 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $43,067 | $49,255 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.2% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.8% | 6.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Columbia County is about 14% lower than in Arkansas. Income has been growing faster in Columbia County (4.6%/yr) than in Arkansas (4.6%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Columbia 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 Columbia County, Arkansas grew by 48.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $52,232 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Columbia County
| Metric | Columbia County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.581 | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $48,980 | $57,045 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,913 | $46,102 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 12.4% | 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 Columbia County, it is 0.581, 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 14% more than women's income in Columbia County, Arkansas. Over a 35-year career, a 14% wage gap accumulates to roughly $212,345 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Columbia County, Arkansas has narrowed from about 37% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2010, and was narrowest at 4% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $9,445 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Columbia County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.4% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 16 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 321 people are unemployed in Columbia County, Arkansas.
The average commute time in Columbia County is 16 minutes, shorter than the 18 minutes in Arkansas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Columbia County, Arkansas has fallen from 10.1% to 3.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.5% in 2012 and fell as low as 3.1% in 2023.
Columbia County, AR Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Columbia County, AR is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 22,349 residents against a local median of 13,828. Columbia County, AR's unemployment, at 3.2%, runs 37% below the 5.1% typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $52,232 against a local median of $41,659, 25% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Columbia County, AR is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves sit within 0.7% of each other on unemployment, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Columbia County, AR, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Columbia 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia County, AR | 22,349 | $52,232 #2/6 | 4.6%/yr #3/6 | 3.2% #1/6 | 0.581 #5/6 |
| Lafayette County, AR | 6,108 | $41,161 | 4.1%/yr | 5.3% | 0.554 |
| Claiborne Parish, LA | 13,828 | $32,554 | 1.6%/yr | 5.1% | 0.623 |
| Nevada County, AR | 8,159 | $54,239 | 7.7%/yr | 4.6% | 0.506 |
| Webster Parish, LA | 35,820 | $41,659 | 3.4%/yr | 5.1% | 0.564 |
| Ouachita County, AR | 22,085 | $48,857 | 5.9%/yr | 5.2% | 0.547 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Columbia County, Arkansas has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Arkansas, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Columbia County, Arkansas.
How Rich Is Columbia County, Arkansas?
Columbia 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 $52,232, about 14% lower than the Arkansas average of $60,940.
Are incomes growing in Columbia County, Arkansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Columbia County, Arkansas rose 48%, from $35,223 to $52,232. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Arkansas as a whole: +48% against +58%.
What was the median household income in Columbia County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Columbia County, Arkansas was $47,016, down 3% from $48,579 in 2022. The Arkansas median that year was $58,782.
What was the median household income in Columbia County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Columbia County, Arkansas was $38,092. By 2024 it had risen 37% to $52,232.
Is unemployment high in Columbia County, Arkansas?
Unemployment in Columbia County, Arkansas is only 3.2%, 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 Columbia County, Arkansas?
The Gini coefficient in Columbia County is 0.581. 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 Columbia County, Arkansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Columbia County, Arkansas has narrowed from about 37% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2010, and was narrowest at 4% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $9,445 since 2009.
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