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 |
5,775 |
5,525 | 250 | 4.3% |
| Craighead, AR | 54,824 | 53,378 | 1,446 | 2.6% |
| Greene, AR | 20,292 | 19,678 | 614 | 3.0% |
| Lawrence, AR | 6,831 | 6,577 | 254 | 3.7% |
| Mississippi,AR | 17,103 | 16,339 | 764 | 4.5% |
| Poinsett, AR | 10,309 | 9,996 | 313 | 3.0% |
| Randolph, AR | 7,366 |
7,108 |
258 | 3.5% |
| Dunklin, MO | 11,849 | 11,239 | 610 | 5.1% |
| Pemiscot, MO | 6,301 | 6,007 | 294 | 4.7% |
Source: "Arkansas Labor Market," Department of Workforce Services, May 2019; "Local Area Unemployment Statistics," Missouri Economic Research & Information Center, May 2019.