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 |
5,818 |
5,538 | 280 | 4.8% |
| Craighead, AR | 55,404 | 53,757 | 1,647 | 3.0% |
| Greene, AR | 20,510 | 19,763 | 747 | 3.6% |
| Lawrence, AR | 6,720 | 6,424 | 296 | 4.4% |
| Mississippi, AR | 17,478 | 16,210 | 1268 | 7.3% |
| Poinsett, AR | 10,432 | 10,058 | 374 | 3.6% |
| Randolph, AR | 7,412 |
7,102 |
310 | 4.2% |
| Dunklin, MO | 11,290 | 10,536 | 754 | 6.7% |
| Pemiscot, MO | 6,140 | 5,730 | 410 | 6.7% |
Source: "Arkansas Labor Market," Department of Workforce Services, June 2019; "Local Area Unemployment Statistics," Missouri Economic Research & Information Center, July 2019.