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 |
5,639 |
5,348 | 291 | 5.2% |
| Craighead, AR | 55,271 | 53,852 | 1,419 | 2.6% |
| Greene, AR | 19,947 | 19,278 | 669 | 3.4% |
| Lawrence, AR | 6,865 | 6,587 | 278 | 4.0% |
| Mississippi, AR | 17,333 | 16,475 | 858 | 5.0% |
| Poinsett, AR | 10,483 | 10,125 | 358 | 3.4% |
| Randolph, AR | 7,366 |
7,075 |
291 | 4.0% |
| 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, December 2019; "Local Area Unemployment Statistics," Missouri Economic Research & Information Center, December 2019.