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Desha County, Arkansas, presents a challenging economic landscape, with an annual GDP of approximately 666 million dollars and a GDP per capita of about 59,038 dollars. The county's GDP growth rate has sharply declined by 9.9% over the last year, contrasting with the state's modest growth rate of 1.3% and the national rate of 1.9%. This decline is particularly concerning given Desha County's negative compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -0.12% over the past 13 years. The county's economy is heavily reliant on goods-producing sectors, contributing 41.4% to its GDP, which is significantly higher than the state average of 22%. In comparison to other counties in Arkansas, Desha's economic performance is notably weaker, highlighting the need for strategic interventions to stimulate growth and diversification.
Desha County, AR, exhibits a notably low employment rate of 60% for individuals aged 20-64, significantly trailing behind the Arkansas state average of 69.3% and the national average of 73.8%. While the county boasts a high employment rate of 86.8% for those with a Bachelor's degree, this figure is somewhat misleading given the low overall employment rate. The county's high school graduate employment rate stands at just 55%, which is considerably lower than the state (63.4%) and national (67.9%) averages. Additionally, the employment rate for Black residents in Desha County is 43.8%, below the state average of 52.1%. These figures suggest that while educational attainment may be high, broader economic challenges persist, indicating a need for targeted economic development initiatives to improve overall employment opportunities in the region.
Desha County, AR exhibits significantly lower income levels compared to both state and national averages, with a mean household income of $38,067 and a median household income of $51,673. This places it well below Arkansas's state averages of $56,335 and $79,592, respectively, and far from the national figures of $75,149 and $105,833. The county's income per capita of $21,588 is also notably lower than the state ($31,868) and national ($41,261) averages. Furthermore, Desha County has a high percentage of households earning less than $20,000 (23.9%), indicating a significant economic challenge. The income inequality, as measured by the Gini index (0.4552), is relatively moderate, suggesting that while there are disparities, they are less pronounced than in some neighboring counties like Pulaski (0.5170) and Sebastian (0.5036).