Workforce
Manufacturing forms the backbone of the Paragould labor market, with major employers including Tenneco, Inc., an automotive parts manufacturer; Greenbrier Companies, a manufacturer of railway tank and hopper cars; and Anchor Industries, manufacturers of plastic wrap and packaging. Employees converge on Paragould to work from surrounding counties, providing a labor force of more than 141,000 in a 45-mile radius. Median Household Income is $47,497, and 87.3 percent of the adult population has a high school diploma or beyond in Greene County.
Workforce Labor force:
| County | Civilian Labor Force | Employed | Unemployed | Unemployment Rate |
| Clay, AR | 5,530 | 5,309 | 221 | 4.0% |
| Craighead, AR | 56,560 | 54,693 | 1,867 | 3.3% |
| Greene, AR | 18,806 | 18,137 | 669 | 3.6% |
| Lawrence, AR | 6,889 | 6,594 | 295 | 4.3% |
| Mississippi, AR | 16,776 | 15,560 | 1,216 | 7.2% |
| Poinsett, AR | 10,111 | 9,705 | 406 | 4.0% |
| Randolph, AR | 7,421 | 7,128 | 293 | 3.9% |
| Dunklin, MO | 11,864 | 11,225 | 639 | 5.4% |
| Pemiscot, MO | 6,368 | 5,919 | 449 | 7.1% |
Source: "Arkansas Labor Market," Department of Workforce Services, April 2021; "Local Area Unemployment Statistics," Missouri Economic Research & Information Center, April 2021.