Arkansas Income Statistics
Arkansas Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a state's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Arkansas Well below averageAmong the 5 least wealthy states in US
Source: Map AI Methodology
Wealthiest and Least Wealthy Counties in Arkansas
- Benton County (106% of U.S. avg)
- Saline County (104% of U.S. avg)
- Lonoke County (97% of U.S. avg)
- Lincoln County (59% of U.S. avg)
- Lee County (61% of U.S. avg)
- St. Francis County (67% of U.S. avg)
Ranked by the Map AI Wealth Index, which combines income, employment, and income inequality metrics.
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Arkansas | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $49,255 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 6.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Arkansas is about 24% lower than in US. Income has been growing slower in Arkansas (4.6%/yr) than in US (4.8%/yr).
About 8% of adults in Arkansas earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the US average of 14%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Arkansas grew by 57.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $60,940 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Arkansas
| Metric | Arkansas | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $57,045 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $46,102 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 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 Arkansas, it is 0.551, about the same as US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 24% more than women's income in Arkansas. Over a 35-year career, a 24% wage gap accumulates to roughly $383,005 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Arkansas has narrowed from about 24% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2010, and was narrowest at 18% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,862 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Arkansas | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 69,633 people are unemployed in Arkansas.
The average commute time in Arkansas is 18 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in US.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Arkansas has fallen from 8.3% to 4.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.8% in 2013.
Arkansas Wealth Compared With Nearby States
Arkansas is the 5th largest of the 6 states compared here, 3,049,066 residents against a local median of 4,610,276. Nothing separates Arkansas sharply from the states around it. Each measure below lands within 15% of the local median, close enough that the differences are within what survey sampling alone would produce.
The largest of those small differences is income growth, 7% above the local median at 4.6%/yr against 4.3%/yr. Arkansas has the 2nd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | 3,049,066 | $60,940 #4/6 | 4.6%/yr #2/6 | 4.9% #3/6 | 0.551 #2/6 |
| Missouri | 6,186,340 | $70,801 | 4.6%/yr | 4.0% | 0.532 |
| Mississippi | 2,946,497 | $56,669 | 4.3%/yr | 5.7% | 0.566 |
| Louisiana | 4,610,276 | $60,934 | 3.7%/yr | 6.2% | 0.574 |
| Oklahoma | 4,028,385 | $65,606 | 3.9%/yr | 4.9% | 0.553 |
| Alabama | 5,083,438 | $64,544 | 4.7%/yr | 4.7% | 0.560 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Arkansas has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Arkansas.
How Wealthy Is Arkansas?
Arkansas 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 $60,940, about 24% lower than the US average of $80,455.
Are incomes growing in Arkansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Arkansas rose 58%, from $38,611 to $60,940. Over the same years, income here kept pace with the U.S. as a whole: +58% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Arkansas in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Arkansas was $58,782, up 4% from $56,342 in 2022. The US median that year was $78,147.
What was the median household income in Arkansas in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Arkansas was $49,499. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $60,940.
What is the Gini coefficient in Arkansas?
The Gini coefficient in Arkansas is 0.551. 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 Arkansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Arkansas has narrowed from about 24% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2010, and was narrowest at 18% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,862 since 2009.
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