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Cleveland County, Arkansas, exhibits a remarkable economic performance with an annual GDP of approximately 213.8 million dollars and a GDP per capita of 28,329 dollars. Notably, the county's GDP growth rate surged by 19.5% in the last year, significantly outpacing the state growth rate of 1.3% and the national rate of 1.9%. This growth is driven primarily by a robust goods-producing sector, contributing 60.8% to the GDP, which is substantially higher than the state average of 22%. In comparison to other counties in Arkansas, Cleveland County's GDP per capita is lower than that of Pulaski County (91,000 dollars) and Benton County (74,948 dollars), but its growth rate indicates a strong upward trajectory, suggesting potential for future economic development.
Cleveland County, AR exhibits an employment rate of 65.4% for individuals aged 20-64, which is notably lower than both the state average of 69.3% and the national average of 73.8%. The county's employment rate for those with a Bachelor's degree stands at 79.5%, slightly below the state rate of 83.5% and significantly lower than the national rate of 84.3%. Additionally, the high school graduate employment rate in Cleveland County is 62.1%, compared to 63.4% statewide. The county's employment rates for Black individuals (52.3%) and females (62%) also trail behind state averages of 52.1% and 65.9%, respectively. These figures suggest that Cleveland County faces challenges in employment compared to both state and national benchmarks, indicating potential areas for economic development and workforce improvement.
Cleveland County, AR, exhibits a mean household income of $48,913 and a median household income of $68,293, both significantly lower than the state averages of $56,335 and $79,592, respectively. The county's income per capita stands at $26,479, which is also below the state average of $31,868. Notably, Cleveland County has a higher percentage of households earning over $200K (11.7%) compared to the state average (8.6%), indicating a potential presence of affluent households amidst overall lower income levels. Additionally, the county's 19.4% of households earning less than $20K is higher than the state average of 16.3%, suggesting economic challenges. Compared to neighboring counties like Pulaski and Benton, Cleveland County's economic indicators reflect a more struggling economic landscape, highlighting the need for targeted economic development initiatives.