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 | 5,496 | 5,145 | 351 | 6.4% |
| Craighead, AR | 56,539 | 52,759 | 3,780 | 6.7% |
| Greene, AR | 19,874 | 18,567 | 1,307 | 6.6% |
| Lawrence, AR | 6,940 | 6,427 | 513 | 7.4% |
| Mississippi, AR | 17,429 | 15,538 | 1,891 | 10.8% |
| Poinsett, AR | 10,362 | 9,697 | 665 | 6.4% |
| Randolph, AR | 7,380 | 6,855 | 525 | 7.1% |
| Dunklin, MO | 11,296 | 10,697 | 599 | 5.3% |
| Pemiscot, MO | 6,409 | 5,948 | 667 | 10.1% |
Source: "Arkansas Labor Market," Department of Workforce Services, August 2020; "Local Area Unemployment Statistics," Missouri Economic Research & Information Center, September 2020.