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 | 5,749 | 5,346 | 403 | 7.0% |
| Craighead, AR | 57,146 | 55,020 | 2,126 | 3.7% |
| Greene, AR | 20,647 | 19,676 | 971 | 4.7% |
| Lawrence, AR | 7,015 | 6,647 | 368 | 5.2% |
| Mississippi, AR | 17,592 | 16,338 | 1,254 | 7.1% |
| Poinsett, AR | 10,598 | 10,095 | 503 | 4.7% |
| Randolph, AR | 7,605 | 7,202 | 403 | 5.3% |
| Dunklin, MO | 11,881 | 10,910 | 971 | 8.2% |
| Pemiscot, MO | 6,516 | 6,071 | 445 | 6.8% |
Source: "Arkansas Labor Market," Department of Workforce Services, March 2020; "Local Area Unemployment Statistics," Missouri Economic Research & Information Center, March 2020.