Lafayette County, Arkansas Income Statistics
Lafayette 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
Lafayette County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Lafayette County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $41,161 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $39,497 | $49,255 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.1% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 2.8% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.5% | 6.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Lafayette County is about 32% lower than in Arkansas. Income has been growing slower in Lafayette County (4.1%/yr) than in Arkansas (4.6%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Lafayette 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 Lafayette County, Arkansas grew by 52.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $41,161 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Lafayette County
| Metric | Lafayette County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.554 | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $49,745 | $57,045 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $36,349 | $46,102 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 26.9% | 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 Lafayette County, it is 0.554, about the same as Arkansas's 0.551, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 37% more than women's income in Lafayette County, Arkansas. Over a 35-year career, a 37% wage gap accumulates to roughly $468,860 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lafayette County, Arkansas has narrowed from about 32% to 27% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2019, and was narrowest at 11% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $316 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Lafayette County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 3.4% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 28 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 122 people are unemployed in Lafayette County, Arkansas.
The average commute time in Lafayette County is 28 minutes, longer than the 18 minutes in Arkansas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Lafayette County, Arkansas has fallen from 11.5% to 5.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 15.2% in 2013.
Lafayette County, AR Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Lafayette County, AR is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 6,108 residents against a local median of 22,349. The measure that sets Lafayette County, AR apart most is median household income: $41,161, 21% below the local median of $52,232. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread $22,562 on median household income, so Lafayette County, AR sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Lafayette County, AR has the 6th highest median household income 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette County, AR | 6,108 | $41,161 #6/6 | 4.1%/yr #4/6 | 5.3% #3/6 | 0.554 #4/6 |
| Miller County, AR | 42,360 | $48,586 | 2.5%/yr | 7.1% | 0.572 |
| Columbia County, AR | 22,349 | $52,232 | 4.6%/yr | 3.2% | 0.581 |
| Hempstead County, AR | 19,508 | $47,075 | 4.3%/yr | 5.6% | 0.549 |
| Nevada County, AR | 8,159 | $54,239 | 7.7%/yr | 4.6% | 0.506 |
| Bossier Parish, LA | 129,734 | $69,637 | 3.7%/yr | 5.5% | 0.544 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lafayette 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 Lafayette County, Arkansas.
How Rich Is Lafayette County, Arkansas?
Lafayette 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 $41,161, about 32% lower than the Arkansas average of $60,940.
Are incomes growing in Lafayette County, Arkansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Lafayette County, Arkansas rose 53%, from $26,989 to $41,161. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Arkansas as a whole: +53% against +58%.
What was the median household income in Lafayette County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Lafayette County, Arkansas was $36,946, down 8% from $40,357 in 2022. The Arkansas median that year was $58,782.
What was the median household income in Lafayette County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Lafayette County, Arkansas was $33,931. By 2024 it had risen 21% to $41,161.
What is the Gini coefficient in Lafayette County, Arkansas?
The Gini coefficient in Lafayette County is 0.554. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Lafayette County, Arkansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lafayette County, Arkansas has narrowed from about 32% to 27% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2019, and was narrowest at 11% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $316 since 2009.
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