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 |
5,791 |
5,565 | 226 | 3.9% |
| Craighead, AR | 54,513 | 53,031 | 1,482 | 2.7% |
| Greene, AR | 19,645 | 19,051 | 594 | 3.0% |
| Lawrence, AR | 6,959 | 6,718 | 241 | 3.5% |
| Mississippi,AR | 17,658 | 16,881 | 777 | 4.4% |
| Poinsett, AR | 10,412 | 10,082 | 330 | 3.2% |
| Randolph, AR | 7,195 |
6,954 |
241 | 3.3% |
| Dunklin, MO | 12,039 | 11,566 | 473 | 3.9% |
| Pemiscot, MO | 6,142 | 5,903 | 239 | 3.9% |
Source: "Arkansas Labor Market," Department of Workforce Services, October 2018; "Local Area Unemployment Statistics," Missouri Economic Research & Information Center, October 2018.