Sharp County, Arkansas Income Statistics
Sharp 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
Sharp County Well below averageLess wealthy than 85% of counties in Arkansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Sharp County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $44,714 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $40,859 | $49,255 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.5% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.5% | 6.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Sharp County is about 27% lower than in Arkansas. Income has been growing faster in Sharp County (4.6%/yr) than in Arkansas (4.6%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Sharp 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 Sharp County, Arkansas grew by 50.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $44,714 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Sharp County
| Metric | Sharp County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.543 | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $54,858 | $57,045 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $33,582 | $46,102 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 38.8% | 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 Sharp County, it is 0.543, lower than Arkansas's 0.551, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 63% more than women's income in Sharp County, Arkansas. Over a 35-year career, a 63% wage gap accumulates to roughly $744,660 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sharp County, Arkansas has widened from about 27% to 39% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 11% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $13,255 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Sharp County widened by 12.2 points while Arkansas's narrowed by 4.6 points.
Employment
| Metric | Sharp County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 8.1% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.2% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 22 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 534 people are unemployed in Sharp County, Arkansas.
The average commute time in Sharp County is 22 minutes, longer than the 18 minutes in Arkansas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Sharp County, Arkansas has fallen from 10.2% to 8.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.4% in 2014 and fell as low as 4.3% in 2019.
Sharp County, AR Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Sharp County, AR is typical in size for this group, 17,772 residents against a local median of 16,233, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Where Sharp County, AR breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 54% above the local median of 5.3% at 8.1%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 3.3% on unemployment, so Sharp County, AR sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Sharp 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharp County, AR | 17,772 | $44,714 #5/6 | 4.6%/yr #2/6 | 8.1% #6/6 | 0.543 #4/6 |
| Lawrence County, AR | 16,233 | $44,859 | 3.7%/yr | 5.8% | 0.545 |
| Fulton County, AR | 12,303 | $41,878 | 2.2%/yr | 4.6% | 0.523 |
| Independence County, AR | 38,178 | $56,758 | 5.1%/yr | 3.9% | 0.539 |
| Izard County, AR | 14,007 | $49,618 | 4.4%/yr | 7.2% | 0.562 |
| Randolph County, AR | 18,840 | $50,780 | 4.2%/yr | 5.3% | 0.541 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Sharp 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 Sharp County, Arkansas.
How Rich Is Sharp County, Arkansas?
Sharp 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 $44,714, about 27% lower than the Arkansas average of $60,940.
How fast is household income rising in Sharp County, Arkansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Sharp County, Arkansas rose 51%, from $29,691 to $44,714. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Arkansas as a whole: +51% against +58%.
What was the median household income in Sharp County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Sharp County, Arkansas was $43,478, up 1% from $42,928 in 2022. The Arkansas median that year was $58,782.
What was the median household income in Sharp County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Sharp County, Arkansas was $35,521. By 2024 it had risen 26% to $44,714.
Is it hard to find a job in Sharp County, Arkansas?
Unemployment in Sharp County, Arkansas is 8.1%, well above the Arkansas rate of 4.9%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Sharp County, Arkansas?
The Gini coefficient in Sharp County is 0.543. 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 Sharp County, Arkansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sharp County, Arkansas has widened from about 27% to 39% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 11% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $13,255 since 2009.
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