Lee County, Arkansas Income Statistics
Lee 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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F
Lee County Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in Arkansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Lee County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $34,072 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $40,759 | $49,255 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.9% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.1% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.3% | 6.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Lee County is about 44% lower than in Arkansas. Income has been growing slower in Lee County (3.9%/yr) than in Arkansas (4.6%/yr).
About 4% of adults in Lee 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 Lee County, Arkansas grew by 27.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $34,072 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Lee County
| Metric | Lee County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.694 | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $54,263 | $57,045 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,901 | $46,102 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 20.9% | 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 Lee County, it is 0.694, 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 26% more than women's income in Lee County, Arkansas. Over a 35-year career, a 26% wage gap accumulates to roughly $397,670 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lee County, Arkansas has narrowed from about 22% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2010, and in 2022 women out-earned men by 8%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,523 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Lee County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 19.1% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 16.8% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 489 people are unemployed in Lee County, Arkansas.
The average commute time in Lee County is 20 minutes, longer than the 18 minutes in Arkansas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Lee County, Arkansas has risen from 17.7% to 19.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 12.2% in 2019.
Lee County, AR Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Lee County, AR is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 8,359 residents against a local median of 15,415. The measure that sets Lee County, AR apart most is unemployment: 19.1%, 79% above the local median of 10.7%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income inequality tells the same story from another angle: 0.694 against a local median of 0.558, 24% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Lee County, AR reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 5.1% on unemployment, so Lee County, AR sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Lee County, AR has the 6th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County, AR | 8,359 | $34,072 #6/6 | 3.9%/yr #3/6 | 19.1% #6/6 | 0.694 #6/6 |
| St. Francis County, AR | 22,398 | $43,413 | 2.9%/yr | 9.2% | 0.595 |
| Phillips County, AR | 15,415 | $40,138 | 5.1%/yr | 14.4% | 0.558 |
| Tunica County, MS | 9,475 | $39,239 | 2.6%/yr | 13.3% | 0.579 |
| Monroe County, AR | 6,589 | $43,668 | 4.2%/yr | 9.8% | 0.534 |
| Cross County, AR | 16,543 | $50,913 | 3.5%/yr | 10.7% | 0.512 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lee County, Arkansas has an overall wealth index grade of F, making it worse than Arkansas, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Lee County, Arkansas.
How Rich Is Lee County, Arkansas?
Lee County has a wealth index grade of F. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an F grade means residents are well below the U.S. average. The median household income is $34,072, about 44% lower than the Arkansas average of $60,940.
How fast is household income rising in Lee County, Arkansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Lee County, Arkansas rose 28%, from $26,641 to $34,072. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Arkansas as a whole: +28% against +58%.
What was the median household income in Lee County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Lee County, Arkansas was $37,232, up 10% from $33,740 in 2022. The Arkansas median that year was $58,782.
What was the median household income in Lee County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Lee County, Arkansas was $27,103. By 2024 it had risen 26% to $34,072.
Is it hard to find a job in Lee County, Arkansas?
Unemployment in Lee County, Arkansas is 19.1%, well above the Arkansas rate of 4.9%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Lee County, Arkansas?
The Gini coefficient in Lee County is 0.694. 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 Lee County, Arkansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lee County, Arkansas has narrowed from about 22% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2010, and in 2022 women out-earned men by 8%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,523 since 2009.
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