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 |
5,637 |
5,266 | 371 | 6.6% |
| Craighead, AR | 54,460 | 52,570 | 1,890 | 3.5% |
| Greene, AR | 19,939 | 19,074 | 865 | 4.3% |
| Lawrence, AR | 6,950 | 6,584 | 366 | 5.3% |
| Mississippi,AR | 16,975 | 15,992 | 983 | 5.8% |
| Poinsett, AR | 10,224 | 9,797 | 427 | 4.2% |
| Randolph, AR | 7,307 |
6,957 |
350 | 4.8% |
| Dunklin, MO | 11,944 | 11,169 | 775 | 6.5% |
| Pemiscot, MO | 6,306 | 5,947 | 359 | 5.7% |
Source: "Arkansas Labor Market," Department of Workforce Services, February 2019; "Local Area Unemployment Statistics," Missouri Economic Research & Information Center, February 2019.