West Memphis, Arkansas Income Statistics
West Memphis Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
West Memphis Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | West Memphis | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $47,137 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $42,007 | $49,255 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.8% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 2.6% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.0% | 6.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in West Memphis is about 23% lower than in Arkansas. Income has been growing faster in West Memphis (4.8%/yr) than in Arkansas (4.6%/yr).
About 3% of adults in West Memphis 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 West Memphis, Arkansas grew by 66.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $47,137 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.8% per year.
West Memphis has been far below the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024. Even at its closest, in 2013, its income was 39% lower. The gap has narrowed from 44% in 2009 to 41% in 2024.
Income Distribution in West Memphis
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 1,163 households (13.3% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 40.2% of households in West Memphis had an income under $35,000 and 5.2% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., West Memphis has a larger share of households earning $10,000 to $14,999 (11.7% vs 3.5%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (2.0% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 469 | 5.3% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 1,024 | 11.7% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 1,006 | 11.5% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 1,027 | 11.7% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 1,022 | 11.7% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 2,060 | 23.5% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 996 | 11.4% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 704 | 8.0% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 279 | 3.2% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 179 | 2.0% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 8,768 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 438 residents (2.6% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 3.0% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 13.8% of West Memphis residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 39.5% had some income but less than $25,000, and 6.6% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., West Memphis has a larger share of residents earning $25,000 to $34,999 (14.4% vs 9.5%) and a smaller share earning $100,000 or more (2.6% vs 13.9%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 2,366 | 13.8% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 2,192 | 12.8% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 1,956 | 11.4% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 2,620 | 15.3% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 2,476 | 14.4% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 2,166 | 12.6% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 2,234 | 13.0% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 697 | 4.1% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 438 | 2.6% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 17,144 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 13.8% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in West Memphis
| Metric | West Memphis | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.515 | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $48,041 | $57,045 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $39,177 | $46,102 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.5% | 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 West Memphis, it is 0.515, 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 23% more than women's income in West Memphis, Arkansas. Over a 35-year career, a 23% wage gap accumulates to roughly $310,240 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in West Memphis, Arkansas has narrowed from about 21% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2014, and was narrowest at 9% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,002 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | West Memphis | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 11.8% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.0% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 16 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 1,143 people are unemployed in West Memphis, Arkansas.
The average commute time in West Memphis is 16 minutes, shorter than the 18 minutes in Arkansas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in West Memphis, Arkansas has fallen from 13.8% to 11.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 14.4% in 2014 and fell as low as 8.2% in 2019.
West Memphis has stayed well above the U.S. unemployment rate in every year from 2011 to 2024 and has never dropped below it. It came closest in 2015, at 2.5 points higher. The gap has widened from 5.1 points in 2011 to 6.5 points in 2024.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, West Memphis, 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 West Memphis, Arkansas.
How Rich Is West Memphis, Arkansas?
West Memphis 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 $47,137, about 23% lower than the Arkansas average of $60,940.
Are incomes growing in West Memphis, Arkansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in West Memphis, Arkansas rose 66%, from $28,400 to $47,137. Over the same years, income here outpaced Arkansas as a whole: +66% against +58%.
What was the median household income in West Memphis in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in West Memphis, Arkansas was $46,983, up 6% from $44,396 in 2022. The Arkansas median that year was $58,782.
What was the median household income in West Memphis in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in West Memphis, Arkansas was $34,630. By 2024 it had risen 36% to $47,137.
How strong is the job market in West Memphis, Arkansas?
Unemployment in West Memphis, Arkansas is 11.8%, well above the Arkansas rate of 4.9%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in West Memphis, Arkansas?
The Gini coefficient in West Memphis is 0.515. 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 West Memphis, Arkansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in West Memphis, Arkansas has narrowed from about 21% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2014, and was narrowest at 9% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,002 since 2009.
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