Counties in Arkansas by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Benton County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 75 counties in 2016, at $1,051. Newton County had the lowest, at $487. The median was $643 and the figure for Arkansas was $799. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest1,051Benton County
Lowest487Newton County
Median64375 counties
Arkansas799History

Map of counties, 2016

Arkansas County: 759 USDAshley County: 797 USDBaxter County: 641 USDBenton County: 1,051 USDBoone County: 691 USDBradley County: 620 USDCalhoun County: 983 USDCarroll County: 549 USDChicot County: 589 USDClark County: 644 USDClay County: 553 USDCleburne County: 603 USDCleveland County: 589 USDColumbia County: 733 USDConway County: 692 USDCraighead County: 716 USDCrawford County: 660 USDCrittenden County: 678 USDCross County: 626 USDDallas County: 581 USDDesha County: 637 USDDrew County: 650 USDFaulkner County: 744 USDFranklin County: 678 USDFulton County: 543 USDGarland County: 667 USDGrant County: 717 USDGreene County: 687 USDHempstead County: 651 USDHot Spring County: 663 USDHoward County: 607 USDIndependence County: 685 USDIzard County: 611 USDJackson County: 674 USDJefferson County: 751 USDJohnson County: 606 USDLafayette County: 633 USDLawrence County: 606 USDLee County: 617 USDLincoln County: 621 USDLittle River County: 976 USDLogan County: 592 USDLonoke County: 643 USDMadison County: 633 USDMarion County: 552 USDMiller County: 732 USDMississippi County: 828 USDMonroe County: 563 USDMontgomery County: 515 USDNevada County: 685 USDNewton County: 487 USDOuachita County: 629 USDPerry County: 618 USDPhillips County: 599 USDPike County: 562 USDPoinsett County: 671 USDPolk County: 574 USDPope County: 747 USDPrairie County: 618 USDPulaski County: 915 USDRandolph County: 572 USDSt. Francis County: 655 USDSaline County: 659 USDScott County: 549 USDSearcy County: 505 USDSebastian County: 782 USDSevier County: 607 USDSharp County: 557 USDStone County: 531 USDUnion County: 886 USDVan Buren County: 676 USDWashington County: 854 USDWhite County: 683 USDWoodruff County: 643 USDYell County: 579 USD
  • Under 570
  • 570 to 610
  • 610 to 640
  • 640 to 680
  • 680 to 740
  • 740 and over
USD, 2016. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2016

Benton County: 1,051 USDBenton County1,051Calhoun County: 983 USDCalhoun County983Little River County: 976 USDLittle River County976Pulaski County: 915 USDPulaski County915Union County: 886 USDUnion County886Washington County: 854 USDWashington County854Mississippi County: 828 USDMississippi County828Ashley County: 797 USDAshley County797Sebastian County: 782 USDSebastian County782Arkansas County: 759 USDArkansas County759Jefferson County: 751 USDJefferson County751Pope County: 747 USDPope County747Faulkner County: 744 USDFaulkner County744Columbia County: 733 USDColumbia County733Miller County: 732 USDMiller County732Grant County: 717 USDGrant County717Craighead County: 716 USDCraighead County716Conway County: 692 USDConway County692Boone County: 691 USDBoone County691Greene County: 687 USDGreene County687Independence County: 685 USDIndependence County685Nevada County: 685 USDNevada County685White County: 683 USDWhite County683Crittenden County: 678 USDCrittenden County678Franklin County: 678 USDFranklin County678Van Buren County: 676 USDVan Buren County676Jackson County: 674 USDJackson County674Poinsett County: 671 USDPoinsett County671Garland County: 667 USDGarland County667Hot Spring County: 663 USDHot Spring County663Crawford County: 660 USDCrawford County660Saline County: 659 USDSaline County659St. Francis County: 655 USDSt. Francis County655Hempstead County: 651 USDHempstead County651Drew County: 650 USDDrew County650Clark County: 644 USDClark County644Lonoke County: 643 USDLonoke County643Woodruff County: 643 USDWoodruff County643Baxter County: 641 USDBaxter County641Desha County: 637 USDDesha County637Benton County: 1,051 USDBenton County1,051Calhoun County: 983 USDCalhoun County983Little River County: 976 USDLittle River County976Pulaski County: 915 USDPulaski County915Union County: 886 USDUnion County886Washington County: 854 USDWashington County854Mississippi County: 828 USDMississippi County828Ashley County: 797 USDAshley County797Sebastian County: 782 USDSebastian County782Arkansas County: 759 USDArkansas County759Jefferson County: 751 USDJefferson County751Pope County: 747 USDPope County747Faulkner County: 744 USDFaulkner County744Columbia County: 733 USDColumbia County733Miller County: 732 USDMiller County732Grant County: 717 USDGrant County717Craighead County: 716 USDCraighead County716Conway County: 692 USDConway County692Boone County: 691 USDBoone County691Greene County: 687 USDGreene County687Independence County: 685 USDIndependence County685Nevada County: 685 USDNevada County685White County: 683 USDWhite County683Crittenden County: 678 USDCrittenden County678Franklin County: 678 USDFranklin County678Van Buren County: 676 USDVan Buren County676Jackson County: 674 USDJackson County674Poinsett County: 671 USDPoinsett County671Garland County: 667 USDGarland County667Hot Spring County: 663 USDHot Spring County663Crawford County: 660 USDCrawford County660Saline County: 659 USDSaline County659St. Francis County: 655 USDSt. Francis County655Hempstead County: 651 USDHempstead County651Drew County: 650 USDDrew County650Clark County: 644 USDClark County644Lonoke County: 643 USDLonoke County643Woodruff County: 643 USDWoodruff County643Baxter County: 641 USDBaxter County641Desha County: 637 USDDesha County637
USD. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016
USD
Change on 2015
1Benton County1,051-0.4%
2Calhoun County983+0.8%
3Little River County976+1.9%
4Pulaski County915+1.6%
5Union County886-1.3%
6Washington County854+3.5%
7Mississippi County828+4.9%
8Ashley County797+2.2%
9Sebastian County782+0.5%
10Arkansas County759+3.8%
11Jefferson County751+1.8%
12Pope County747+2.3%
13Faulkner County744-0.1%
14Columbia County733-0.7%
15Miller County732+2.7%
16Grant County717+5%
17Craighead County716+1.1%
18Conway County692+1%
19Boone County691+1.3%
20Greene County687+0.1%
21Independence County685+0.9%
21Nevada County685+1%
23White County683-0.3%
24Crittenden County678+2.7%
24Franklin County678-1.6%
26Van Buren County676-9.3%
27Jackson County674-0.3%
28Poinsett County671+1.8%
29Garland County667+1.2%
30Hot Spring County663+1.8%
31Crawford County660+1.4%
32Saline County659+1.9%
33St. Francis County655+1.1%
34Hempstead County651+2.7%
35Drew County650+4%
36Clark County644+3.4%
37Lonoke County643+2.9%
37Woodruff County643+2.1%
39Baxter County641+2.6%
40Desha County637+0.6%
41Lafayette County633-1.1%
41Madison County633+2.4%
43Ouachita County629+2.8%
44Cross County626+2.3%
45Lincoln County621-3.1%
46Bradley County620+1.1%
47Perry County618+0.3%
47Prairie County618-0.8%
49Lee County617-4%
50Izard County611+3.7%
51Howard County607+4.8%
51Sevier County607+2.5%
53Johnson County606+1.8%
53Lawrence County606+2.5%
55Cleburne County603+1%
56Phillips County599-0.5%
57Logan County592+1%
58Chicot County589+0.5%
58Cleveland County589+2.4%
60Dallas County581+1.2%
61Yell County579+2.7%
62Polk County574+1.1%
63Randolph County572+9.4%
64Monroe County563+0.7%
65Pike County562+3.3%
66Sharp County557+2.8%
67Clay County553-1.1%
68Marion County552-18.1%
69Carroll County549+3.8%
69Scott County549+3%
71Fulton County543+4.2%
72Stone County531+5.1%
73Montgomery County515+2.6%
74Searcy County505+3.9%
75Newton County487+5%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages paid during the year divided by the average number of covered jobs and by 52, in US dollars, all industries, private and government, from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Counted where the job is located, from the reports employers file each quarter; monthly employment counts the jobs in the pay period that includes the 12th.

In current dollars, not adjusted for inflation. An average per job, so part-time jobs pull it down and high earners pull it up; for the typical job use median_annual_wage. Wages include bonuses, stock options exercised, severance pay and tips, which makes counties with corporate headquarters stand out. Covers about 95 percent of US wage and salary jobs. Excludes the self-employed, most agricultural workers on small farms, the armed forces, elected officials in most states, most railroad employees, some domestic workers and most student workers at schools.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in Arkansas by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Arkansas by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/arkansas-counties?period=2016. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in Arkansas by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/arkansas-counties?period=2016.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Arkansas by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/arkansas-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_arkansas_by_2016,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Arkansas by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/arkansas-counties?period=2016. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Arkansas by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/arkansas-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/arkansas-counties?period=2016.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in Arkansas by average weekly wage (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

Benton County, with $1,051 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

Newton County, with $487 in 2016.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Average weekly wage (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in Arkansas: more rankings