Union County, Arkansas Income Statistics
Union 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
Union County Well below averageWealthier than 88% of counties in Arkansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Union County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $54,805 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $47,779 | $49,255 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.1% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.1% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.5% | 6.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Union County is about 10% lower than in Arkansas. Income has been growing slower in Union County (4.1%/yr) than in Arkansas (4.6%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Union 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 Union County, Arkansas grew by 53.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $54,805 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Union County
| Metric | Union County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.566 | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $59,150 | $57,045 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $41,570 | $46,102 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 29.7% | 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 Union County, it is 0.566, 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 42% more than women's income in Union County, Arkansas. Over a 35-year career, a 42% wage gap accumulates to roughly $615,300 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Union County, Arkansas has narrowed from about 38% to 30% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 39% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,316 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Union County | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.9% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 16 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 929 people are unemployed in Union County, Arkansas.
The average commute time in Union County is 16 minutes, shorter than the 18 minutes in Arkansas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Union County, Arkansas has fallen from 8.7% to 5.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.4% in 2014 and fell as low as 3.7% in 2022.
Union County, AR Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Union County, AR is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 37,897 residents against a local median of 13,828. Union County, AR's income growth, at 4.1%/yr, runs 67% above the 2.4%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $54,805 against a local median of $42,659, 28% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Union County, AR is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 7.1%/yr on income growth, so Union County, AR sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Union 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County, AR | 37,897 | $54,805 #2/6 | 4.1%/yr #3/6 | 5.5% #4/6 | 0.566 #4/6 |
| Calhoun County, AR | 4,704 | $68,884 | 8.7%/yr | 5.6% | 0.510 |
| Union Parish, LA | 20,797 | $42,659 | 1.8%/yr | 5.1% | 0.588 |
| Ouachita County, AR | 22,085 | $48,857 | 5.9%/yr | 5.2% | 0.547 |
| Bradley County, AR | 10,208 | $41,611 | 2.4%/yr | 6.6% | 0.540 |
| Claiborne Parish, LA | 13,828 | $32,554 | 1.6%/yr | 5.1% | 0.623 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Union County, Arkansas has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat better than Arkansas, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Union County, Arkansas.
How Wealthy Is Union County, Arkansas?
Union 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 $54,805, about 10% lower than the Arkansas average of $60,940.
Are incomes growing in Union County, Arkansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Union County, Arkansas rose 53%, from $35,752 to $54,805. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Arkansas as a whole: +53% against +58%.
What was the median household income in Union County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Union County, Arkansas was $50,251, up 1% from $49,701 in 2022. The Arkansas median that year was $58,782.
What was the median household income in Union County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Union County, Arkansas was $45,269. By 2024 it had risen 21% to $54,805.
What is the Gini coefficient in Union County, Arkansas?
The Gini coefficient in Union County is 0.566. 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 Union County, Arkansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Union County, Arkansas has narrowed from about 38% to 30% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 39% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,316 since 2009.
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