Workforce
Manufacturing forms the backbone of the Paragould labor market, with major employers including Tenneco, Inc., an automotive parts manufacturer; American Railcar Inc., 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 140,000 in a 45-mile radius. Median Household Income is $41,717, and 85.4 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 |
5,675 |
5,285 | 390 | 6.9% |
| Craighead, AR | 53,447 | 51,531 | 1,916 | 3.6% |
| Greene, AR | 19,713 | 18,863 | 850 | 4.3% |
| Lawrence, AR | 6,885 | 6,543 | 342 | 5.0% |
| Mississippi,AR | 16,952 | 15,946 | 1,006 | 5.9% |
| Poinsett, AR | 10,135 | 9,684 | 451 | 4.4% |
| Randolph, AR | 7,210 |
6,862 |
348 | 4.8% |
| Dunklin, MO | 11,897 | 11,123 | 774 | 6.5% |
| Pemiscot, MO | 6,271 | 5,909 | 362 | 5.8% |
Source: "Arkansas Labor Market," Department of Workforce Services, January 2019; "Local Area Unemployment Statistics," Missouri Economic Research & Information Center, January 2019.