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 |
5,649 |
5,429 | 220 | 3.9% |
| Craighead, AR | 55,674 | 54,299 | 1,375 | 2.5% |
| Greene, AR | 19,985 | 19,363 | 622 | 3.1% |
| Lawrence, AR | 6,974 | 6,730 | 244 | 3.5% |
| Mississippi, AR | 17,657 | 16,937 | 720 | 4.1% |
| Poinsett, AR | 10,534 | 10,214 | 320 | 3.0% |
| Randolph, AR | 7,385 |
7,149 |
236 | 3.2% |
| Dunklin, MO | 11,790 | 11,354 | 436 | 3.7% |
| Pemiscot, MO | 6,467 | 6,234 | 233 | 3.6% |
Source: "Arkansas Labor Market," Department of Workforce Services, October 2019; "Local Area Unemployment Statistics," Missouri Economic Research & Information Center, October 2019.