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 |
5,633 |
5,376 | 257 | 4.6% |
| Craighead, AR | 55,642 | 54,293 | 1,349 | 2.4% |
| Greene, AR | 19,944 | 19,307 | 637 | 3.2% |
| Lawrence, AR | 6,952 | 6,690 | 262 | 4.2% |
| Mississippi, AR | 17,529 | 16,787 | 742 | 4.2% |
| Poinsett, AR | 10,488 | 10,168 | 320 | 3.1% |
| Randolph, AR | 7,359 |
7,113 |
246 | 3.3% |
| Dunklin, MO | 11,425 | 10,773 | 652 | 5.7% |
| Pemiscot, MO | 6,355 | 5,990 | 365 | 5.7% |
Source: "Arkansas Labor Market," Department of Workforce Services, November 2019; "Local Area Unemployment Statistics," Missouri Economic Research & Information Center, December 2019.