About
Life in Paragould
Paragould offers an affordable living situation in a stable, family-focused community that's grown steadily over the past decade. Housing costs are genuinely reasonable—median home values hover around $182,000 and rent averages $925 monthly—which stretches your budget further than most places. The job market is decent with unemployment near 4.4%, though the median household income of $56,980 reflects limited high-wage opportunities; many residents commute to nearby Jonesboro for broader employment options, though the average commute sits at just 19 minutes.
Paragould at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.8%
Foreign-Born
1.8%
Broadband Internet
87.1%
of households
Population Growth
+5.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.8% foreign-born, most often from Guatemala
Who lives in Paragould: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Paragould, the largest foreign-born group is from Guatemala (38.2%), and 1.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.3%
of residents
65 and Older
15.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.4%
of households
Married Couples
44.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.53
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for AR
Rent, home values, and income in Paragould
Rent and home values here are close to the AR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
45.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.5%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$872
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
56.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1991
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $195,319 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for AR
Unemployment in Paragould
Unemployment in Paragould is close to the AR average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Paragould Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20.4 min avg
How Paragould residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Paragould, most residents drive alone to work (83%), and 76% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Safetyviolent crime 152% above national average
Crime rates for 2024
Violent crime in Paragould runs 152% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
915.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (363 national, 2024)
Property Crime Rate
2,917.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,767 national, 2024)
Paragould Police Department
Natural DisastersHeat most common — 26 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
80.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Greene County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Greene County, which includes Paragould, the most common type is heat, with 26 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26 | Heat | $2.0M |
| 2024 | 19 | Heat | $1.2M |
| 2023 | 14 | Heat | $27,000 |
| 2022 | 30 | Heat | $55,000 |
| 2021 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $102,000 |
| 2020 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $324,000 |
| 2019 | 10 | Heat | $40,500 |
| 2018 | 32 | Thunderstorm Wind | $766,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
11 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Greene County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2023)
Data not yet available
Climate89°F summers, 30°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Paragould has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and cold winters (avg low 30°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
70°/49°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/69°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/50°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
48°/30°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
51.7"
Annual Snowfall
2.5"
Hot Days/Year
52
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
63
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
115
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°F | 28°F | 3.89" |
| Feb | 50°F | 31°F | 4.03" |
| Mar | 60°F | 40°F | 4.88" |
| Apr | 70°F | 49°F | 5.19" |
| May | 79°F | 59°F | 5.14" |
| Jun | 87°F | 68°F | 3.56" |
| Jul | 90°F | 71°F | 4.24" |
| Aug | 89°F | 69°F | 3.84" |
| Sep | 83°F | 62°F | 3.31" |
| Oct | 73°F | 50°F | 4.40" |
| Nov | 59°F | 39°F | 4.64" |
| Dec | 49°F | 32°F | 4.62" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Paragould
Paragould has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
8.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Arkansas Methodist Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Baptist Memorial Hospital Jonesboro, Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.9 mi away · Jonesboro
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Paragould
Paragould's student/teacher ratio is 13.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 16.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
11
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
16.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Paragould
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 165 students · in-state tuition $17,450 · 33% graduate · median earnings $44,146 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail, 47 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Paragould
Paragould has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail (47 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
47 mi awayOzark National Scenic Riverways
National Scenic Riverways
85 mi awayPublic Libraries in Paragould
Greene County Library
120 North 12th Street, Paragould
Cities Near Paragould
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Paragould?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Paragould FAQ
Is Paragould, Arkansas affordable?⌄
Paragould's median rent is $925/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $56,980/year. Median home value is $181,500.
Is Paragould, Arkansas safe?⌄
Paragould's violent crime rate was 915 per 100,000 residents in 2024, which is significantly above the national average of 363/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2918 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Paragould, Arkansas?⌄
Paragould has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Paragould, Arkansas?⌄
The cost of living in Paragould is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $925/month and median household income is $56,980/year. The median home value is $181,500. About 46% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Paragould, Arkansas?⌄
The average commute in Paragould is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from