Ouachita County, Arkansas Income Statistics
Ouachita 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
Ouachita County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Ouachita County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $48,857 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $46,321 | $49,255 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.9% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.1% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.9% | 6.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Ouachita County is about 20% lower than in Arkansas. Income has been growing faster in Ouachita County (5.9%/yr) than in Arkansas (4.6%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Ouachita 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 Ouachita County, Arkansas grew by 62.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $48,857 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Ouachita County
| Metric | Ouachita County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.547 | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $54,919 | $57,045 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $44,739 | $46,102 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.5% | 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 Ouachita County, it is 0.547, about the same as Arkansas's 0.551, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 23% more than women's income in Ouachita County, Arkansas. Over a 35-year career, a 23% wage gap accumulates to roughly $356,300 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Ouachita County, Arkansas has narrowed from about 37% to 19% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $4,056 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Ouachita County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.6% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 458 people are unemployed in Ouachita County, Arkansas.
The average commute time in Ouachita County is 18 minutes, about the same as in Arkansas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Ouachita County, Arkansas has fallen from 13.3% to 5.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 4.6% in 2023.
Ouachita County, AR Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Ouachita County, AR is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 22,085 residents against a local median of 8,159. Ouachita County, AR's income growth, at 5.9%/yr, runs 27% above the 4.6%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 6.1%/yr on income growth, so Ouachita County, AR sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Ouachita County, AR has the 3rd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ouachita County, AR | 22,085 | $48,857 #5/6 | 5.9%/yr #3/6 | 5.2% #3/6 | 0.547 #4/6 |
| Calhoun County, AR | 4,704 | $68,884 | 8.7%/yr | 5.6% | 0.510 |
| Nevada County, AR | 8,159 | $54,239 | 7.7%/yr | 4.6% | 0.506 |
| Dallas County, AR | 6,237 | $43,008 | 2.7%/yr | 8.2% | 0.542 |
| Union County, AR | 37,897 | $54,805 | 4.1%/yr | 5.5% | 0.566 |
| Columbia County, AR | 22,349 | $52,232 | 4.6%/yr | 3.2% | 0.581 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Ouachita 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 Ouachita County, Arkansas.
How Wealthy Is Ouachita County, Arkansas?
Ouachita 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 $48,857, about 20% lower than the Arkansas average of $60,940.
Are incomes growing in Ouachita County, Arkansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Ouachita County, Arkansas rose 62%, from $30,150 to $48,857. Over the same years, income here outpaced Arkansas as a whole: +62% against +58%.
What was the median household income in Ouachita County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Ouachita County, Arkansas was $49,868, up 4% from $47,894 in 2022. The Arkansas median that year was $58,782.
What was the median household income in Ouachita County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Ouachita County, Arkansas was $37,537. By 2024 it had risen 30% to $48,857.
What is the Gini coefficient in Ouachita County, Arkansas?
The Gini coefficient in Ouachita County is 0.547. 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 Ouachita County, Arkansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Ouachita County, Arkansas has narrowed from about 37% to 19% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $4,056 since 2009.
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