Counties in Arkansas by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Benton County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 75 counties in 2021, at $1,377. Searcy County had the lowest, at $610. The median was $772 and the figure for Arkansas was $991. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,377Benton County
Lowest610Searcy County
Median77275 counties
Arkansas991History

Map of counties, 2021

Arkansas County: 887 USDAshley County: 858 USDBaxter County: 772 USDBenton County: 1,377 USDBoone County: 843 USDBradley County: 775 USDCalhoun County: 1,194 USDCarroll County: 705 USDChicot County: 736 USDClark County: 759 USDClay County: 706 USDCleburne County: 738 USDCleveland County: 751 USDColumbia County: 843 USDConway County: 841 USDCraighead County: 898 USDCrawford County: 819 USDCrittenden County: 822 USDCross County: 718 USDDallas County: 744 USDDesha County: 806 USDDrew County: 771 USDFaulkner County: 861 USDFranklin County: 766 USDFulton County: 713 USDGarland County: 802 USDGrant County: 896 USDGreene County: 815 USDHempstead County: 817 USDHot Spring County: 801 USDHoward County: 759 USDIndependence County: 851 USDIzard County: 699 USDJackson County: 788 USDJefferson County: 912 USDJohnson County: 744 USDLafayette County: 706 USDLawrence County: 734 USDLee County: 765 USDLincoln County: 766 USDLittle River County: 1,026 USDLogan County: 696 USDLonoke County: 741 USDMadison County: 788 USDMarion County: 730 USDMiller County: 863 USDMississippi County: 1,237 USDMonroe County: 698 USDMontgomery County: 624 USDNevada County: 807 USDNewton County: 634 USDOuachita County: 792 USDPerry County: 718 USDPhillips County: 750 USDPike County: 712 USDPoinsett County: 899 USDPolk County: 720 USDPope County: 903 USDPrairie County: 735 USDPulaski County: 1,103 USDRandolph County: 712 USDSt. Francis County: 831 USDSaline County: 796 USDScott County: 690 USDSearcy County: 610 USDSebastian County: 945 USDSevier County: 736 USDSharp County: 662 USDStone County: 713 USDUnion County: 1,035 USDVan Buren County: 768 USDWashington County: 1,036 USDWhite County: 813 USDWoodruff County: 825 USDYell County: 727 USD
  • Under 710
  • 710 to 740
  • 740 to 770
  • 770 to 820
  • 820 to 890
  • 890 and over
USD, 2021. 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, 2021

Benton County: 1,377 USDBenton County1,377Mississippi County: 1,237 USDMississippi County1,237Calhoun County: 1,194 USDCalhoun County1,194Pulaski County: 1,103 USDPulaski County1,103Washington County: 1,036 USDWashington County1,036Union County: 1,035 USDUnion County1,035Little River County: 1,026 USDLittle River County1,026Sebastian County: 945 USDSebastian County945Jefferson County: 912 USDJefferson County912Pope County: 903 USDPope County903Poinsett County: 899 USDPoinsett County899Craighead County: 898 USDCraighead County898Grant County: 896 USDGrant County896Arkansas County: 887 USDArkansas County887Miller County: 863 USDMiller County863Faulkner County: 861 USDFaulkner County861Ashley County: 858 USDAshley County858Independence County: 851 USDIndependence County851Boone County: 843 USDBoone County843Columbia County: 843 USDColumbia County843Conway County: 841 USDConway County841St. Francis County: 831 USDSt. Francis County831Woodruff County: 825 USDWoodruff County825Crittenden County: 822 USDCrittenden County822Crawford County: 819 USDCrawford County819Hempstead County: 817 USDHempstead County817Greene County: 815 USDGreene County815White County: 813 USDWhite County813Nevada County: 807 USDNevada County807Desha County: 806 USDDesha County806Garland County: 802 USDGarland County802Hot Spring County: 801 USDHot Spring County801Saline County: 796 USDSaline County796Ouachita County: 792 USDOuachita County792Jackson County: 788 USDJackson County788Madison County: 788 USDMadison County788Bradley County: 775 USDBradley County775Baxter County: 772 USDBaxter County772Drew County: 771 USDDrew County771Van Buren County: 768 USDVan Buren County768Benton County: 1,377 USDBenton County1,377Mississippi County: 1,237 USDMississippi County1,237Calhoun County: 1,194 USDCalhoun County1,194Pulaski County: 1,103 USDPulaski County1,103Washington County: 1,036 USDWashington County1,036Union County: 1,035 USDUnion County1,035Little River County: 1,026 USDLittle River County1,026Sebastian County: 945 USDSebastian County945Jefferson County: 912 USDJefferson County912Pope County: 903 USDPope County903Poinsett County: 899 USDPoinsett County899Craighead County: 898 USDCraighead County898Grant County: 896 USDGrant County896Arkansas County: 887 USDArkansas County887Miller County: 863 USDMiller County863Faulkner County: 861 USDFaulkner County861Ashley County: 858 USDAshley County858Independence County: 851 USDIndependence County851Boone County: 843 USDBoone County843Columbia County: 843 USDColumbia County843Conway County: 841 USDConway County841St. Francis County: 831 USDSt. Francis County831Woodruff County: 825 USDWoodruff County825Crittenden County: 822 USDCrittenden County822Crawford County: 819 USDCrawford County819Hempstead County: 817 USDHempstead County817Greene County: 815 USDGreene County815White County: 813 USDWhite County813Nevada County: 807 USDNevada County807Desha County: 806 USDDesha County806Garland County: 802 USDGarland County802Hot Spring County: 801 USDHot Spring County801Saline County: 796 USDSaline County796Ouachita County: 792 USDOuachita County792Jackson County: 788 USDJackson County788Madison County: 788 USDMadison County788Bradley County: 775 USDBradley County775Baxter County: 772 USDBaxter County772Drew County: 771 USDDrew County771Van Buren County: 768 USDVan Buren County768
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

RankCounties2021
USD
Change on 2020
1Benton County1,377+6.8%
2Mississippi County1,237+18.8%
3Calhoun County1,194+1.8%
4Pulaski County1,103+4.4%
5Washington County1,036+5.7%
6Union County1,035+1.7%
7Little River County1,026-4.4%
8Sebastian County945+5.4%
9Jefferson County912+5.8%
10Pope County903+6.7%
11Poinsett County899+7.8%
12Craighead County898+5.6%
13Grant County896+5.9%
14Arkansas County887+7.4%
15Miller County863+4.2%
16Faulkner County861+1.9%
17Ashley County858+1.9%
18Independence County851+4.2%
19Boone County843+4.3%
19Columbia County843+4.9%
21Conway County841+5.4%
22St. Francis County831+4.3%
23Woodruff County825+9.6%
24Crittenden County822+6.6%
25Crawford County819+7.9%
26Hempstead County817+7.4%
27Greene County815+4.2%
28White County813+4.4%
29Nevada County807+3.2%
30Desha County806+6.8%
31Garland County802+2.7%
32Hot Spring County801+4.3%
33Saline County796+5.9%
34Ouachita County792+8.9%
35Jackson County788+4.8%
35Madison County788+6.9%
37Bradley County775+6.5%
38Baxter County772+5.6%
39Drew County771+5%
40Van Buren County768+7.4%
41Franklin County766+4.2%
41Lincoln County766+4.6%
43Lee County765+6.3%
44Clark County759-0.3%
44Howard County759+5.3%
46Cleveland County751+6.1%
47Phillips County750+8.7%
48Dallas County744+5.1%
48Johnson County744+8.9%
50Lonoke County741+3.6%
51Cleburne County738+5.3%
52Chicot County736+5.1%
52Sevier County736+7.4%
54Prairie County735+5%
55Lawrence County734+4.9%
56Marion County730+8.5%
57Yell County727+6.6%
58Polk County720+6%
59Cross County718+4.2%
59Perry County718+3.5%
61Fulton County713+7.5%
61Stone County713+15.6%
63Pike County712+3%
63Randolph County712+3.6%
65Clay County706+5.7%
65Lafayette County706+5.8%
67Carroll County705+6%
68Izard County699+4.6%
69Monroe County698+4.3%
70Logan County696+3.4%
71Scott County690+7.6%
72Sharp County662+7.3%
73Newton County634+5.1%
74Montgomery County624+4.9%
75Searcy County610+6.1%

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/2021/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), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/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), 2021. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/arkansas-counties?period=2021. 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), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/arkansas-counties?period=2021.

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), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/arkansas-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_arkansas_by_2021,
  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), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/arkansas-counties?period=2021. 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/2021/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), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/arkansas-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/arkansas-counties?period=2021.
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/2021/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 $1,377 in 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

Searcy County, with $610 in 2021.

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