Polk County, Arkansas Income Statistics
Polk 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
Polk County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Polk County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $49,512 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $40,129 | $49,255 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.2% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.6% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.1% | 6.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Polk County is about 19% lower than in Arkansas. Income has been growing faster in Polk County (5.2%/yr) than in Arkansas (4.6%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Polk 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 Polk County, Arkansas grew by 47.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $49,512 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Polk County
| Metric | Polk County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.547 | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $51,584 | $57,045 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $37,540 | $46,102 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 27.2% | 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 Polk County, it is 0.547, 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 Polk County, Arkansas. Over a 35-year career, a 37% wage gap accumulates to roughly $491,540 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Polk County, Arkansas has widened from about 20% to 27% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 31% in 2019, and was narrowest at 13% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,722 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Polk County widened by 7.6 points while Arkansas's narrowed by 4.6 points.
Employment
| Metric | Polk County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.3% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.8% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 15 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 616 people are unemployed in Polk County, Arkansas.
The average commute time in Polk County is 15 minutes, shorter than the 18 minutes in Arkansas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Polk County, Arkansas has risen from 5.7% to 7.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.5% in 2020.
Polk County, AR Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Polk County, AR is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 19,361 residents against a local median of 12,583. The measure that sets Polk County, AR apart most is income growth: 5.2%/yr, 40% above the local median of 3.7%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 7.3% against a local median of 5.4%, 35% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Polk County, AR is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 2.2%/yr on income growth, so Polk County, AR sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Polk County, AR has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County, AR | 19,361 | $49,512 #3/6 | 5.2%/yr #1/6 | 7.3% #6/6 | 0.547 #3/6 |
| Scott County, AR | 9,816 | $43,312 | 2.0%/yr | 6.2% | 0.516 |
| Howard County, AR | 12,583 | $45,731 | 3.6%/yr | 5.4% | 0.556 |
| Sevier County, AR | 15,710 | $52,135 | 3.7%/yr | 4.9% | 0.544 |
| Montgomery County, AR | 8,551 | $48,362 | 4.3%/yr | 5.8% | 0.552 |
| Le Flore County, OK | 49,055 | $51,814 | 4.1%/yr | 5.2% | 0.559 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Polk 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 Polk County, Arkansas.
How Rich Is Polk County, Arkansas?
Polk 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 $49,512, about 19% lower than the Arkansas average of $60,940.
How fast is household income rising in Polk County, Arkansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Polk County, Arkansas rose 47%, from $33,652 to $49,512. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Arkansas as a whole: +47% against +58%.
What was the median household income in Polk County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Polk County, Arkansas was $49,348, up 2% from $48,525 in 2022. The Arkansas median that year was $58,782.
What was the median household income in Polk County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Polk County, Arkansas was $39,182. By 2024 it had risen 26% to $49,512.
Is unemployment high in Polk County, Arkansas?
Unemployment in Polk County, Arkansas is 7.3%, well above the Arkansas rate of 4.9%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Polk County, Arkansas?
The Gini coefficient in Polk 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 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 Polk County, Arkansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Polk County, Arkansas has widened from about 20% to 27% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 31% in 2019, and was narrowest at 13% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,722 since 2009.
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