Phillips County, Arkansas Income Statistics
Phillips 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
Phillips County Well below averageAmong the 5 least wealthy counties in Arkansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Phillips County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $40,138 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $44,939 | $49,255 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.1% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 2.9% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.9% | 6.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Phillips County is about 34% lower than in Arkansas. Income has been growing faster in Phillips County (5.1%/yr) than in Arkansas (4.6%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Phillips 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 Phillips County, Arkansas grew by 50.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $40,138 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Phillips County
| Metric | Phillips County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.558 | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $49,045 | $57,045 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $46,792 | $46,102 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 4.6% | 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 Phillips County, it is 0.558, 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 5% more than women's income in Phillips County, Arkansas. Over a 35-year career, a 5% wage gap accumulates to roughly $78,855 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Phillips County, Arkansas has narrowed from about 15% to 5% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,090 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Phillips County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 14.4% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.1% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 13 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 832 people are unemployed in Phillips County, Arkansas.
The average commute time in Phillips County is 13 minutes, shorter than the 18 minutes in Arkansas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Phillips County, Arkansas has fallen from 17.7% to 14.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 20.0% in 2013 and fell as low as 10.5% in 2018.
Phillips County, AR Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Phillips County, AR is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 15,415 residents against a local median of 9,475. Phillips County, AR's unemployment, at 14.4%, runs 45% above the 9.9% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 5.1%/yr against a local median of 3.9%/yr, 31% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Phillips County, AR is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 11.0% on unemployment, so Phillips County, AR sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Phillips County, AR has the 5th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips County, AR | 15,415 | $40,138 #3/6 | 5.1%/yr #1/6 | 14.4% #5/6 | 0.558 #3/6 |
| Coahoma County, MS | 20,540 | $37,529 | 3.8%/yr | 9.9% | 0.574 |
| Lee County, AR | 8,359 | $34,072 | 3.9%/yr | 19.1% | 0.694 |
| Monroe County, AR | 6,589 | $43,668 | 4.2%/yr | 9.8% | 0.534 |
| Tunica County, MS | 9,475 | $39,239 | 2.6%/yr | 13.3% | 0.579 |
| Arkansas County, AR | 16,514 | $53,500 | 5.0%/yr | 8.1% | 0.539 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Phillips 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 Phillips County, Arkansas.
How Rich Is Phillips County, Arkansas?
Phillips 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 $40,138, about 34% lower than the Arkansas average of $60,940.
Are incomes growing in Phillips County, Arkansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Phillips County, Arkansas rose 51%, from $26,669 to $40,138. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Arkansas as a whole: +51% against +58%.
What was the median household income in Phillips County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Phillips County, Arkansas was $38,611, up 3% from $37,323 in 2022. The Arkansas median that year was $58,782.
What was the median household income in Phillips County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Phillips County, Arkansas was $33,432. By 2024 it had risen 20% to $40,138.
How strong is the job market in Phillips County, Arkansas?
Unemployment in Phillips County, Arkansas is 14.4%, well above the Arkansas rate of 4.9%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Phillips County, Arkansas?
The Gini coefficient in Phillips County is 0.558. 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 Phillips County, Arkansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Phillips County, Arkansas has narrowed from about 15% to 5% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,090 since 2009.
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