by Kristen Carney
Updated: June 20, 2024
The richest county in Arkansas is Benton County with an average household income of $116,152 as of 2022 and 311,013 people as of 2023 according to the most current Census data available (citation).
Rank | County | Population | Average Income | Median Income |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Benton County | 311,013 | $116,152 | $85,269 |
2 | Pulaski County | 400,009 | $90,292 | $58,326 |
3 | Saline County | 129,574 | $89,502 | $73,236 |
4 | Washington County | 261,549 | $89,423 | $61,985 |
5 | Grant County | 18,383 | $88,493 | $68,598 |
6 | Lonoke County | 75,944 | $85,865 | $68,078 |
7 | Sebastian County | 129,098 | $81,552 | $54,047 |
8 | Faulkner County | 129,951 | $80,941 | $61,273 |
9 | Craighead County | 113,993 | $80,561 | $55,169 |
10 | Crawford County | 61,891 | $74,478 | $56,702 |
11 | Garland County | 99,784 | $73,126 | $54,229 |
12 | Pope County | 64,593 | $73,118 | $51,678 |
13 | Polk County | 19,436 | $72,330 | $48,449 |
14 | Columbia County | 22,150 | $72,061 | $47,441 |
15 | Union County | 37,397 | $71,752 | $49,745 |
16 | Carroll County | 28,814 | $71,631 | $56,826 |
17 | Mississippi County | 38,663 | $71,494 | $50,012 |
18 | Independence County | 38,320 | $71,260 | $52,361 |
19 | Little River County | 11,805 | $71,108 | $58,627 |
20 | Cleburne County | 25,445 | $71,025 | $52,780 |
We usually suggest using median income data – either instead of or in addition to – average income data as a true indicator of wealth. If you haven’t thought about median versus average since your last standardized test, you aren’t alone. Here’s what they are:
Now let’s say you had the following simplified set of income data.
Household 1: $30,000
Household 2: $50,000
Household 3: $1,000,000
The average income for this set is $360,000. The outlier data point ($1,000,000) skews the average WAY up. Conversely, the average income would be skewed WAY down if someone had an income of $500. The median income for the same data set is $50,000. Outlier data doesn’t skew the median.
So most business owners should use the median income as a true indicator of wealth, because it provides a more accurate representation of a typical income, especially in areas with significant income disparity.
If your target market is high-income households, the average income may be more relevant. This is because the average income can highlight the presence of a higher concentration of wealthy individuals, which is beneficial for luxury goods and services marketing. We’re using average income on this page because using the Census’s highest reported median value of $250,001 could result in multiple ties for the richest geography.
The Census' American Community Survey uses $250,000+ as a jam value for median income estimates to protect privacy, ensure data consistency, and simplify reporting. A "jam value" in survey data refers to a placeholder or default value used when actual data points are unavailable, incomplete, or exceed certain thresholds. We represent this jam value as $250,001 to make it easy for you to sort.
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United States Census Bureau. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Web. May 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B01001 SEX BY AGE, 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 7 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B19013 Median Household Income, 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 7 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. “DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS.” 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 07 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.
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