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Drew County, AR Economy

Unemployment was 4.1% in Aug 2026 and jobs paid $44,379 a year on average.

Unemployment rate
4.1%
-1.0 pts in a year
Labor force
7,897
-0.5% in a year
Income per person
$49,891
28th of 75 in AR
Average annual pay
$44,379
6,325 jobs, 2025

Unemployment rate in Drew County

Monthly. County rates are not seasonally adjusted, so they rise and fall with the seasons.

Drew CountyArkansas (seasonally adjusted)
Show as a table
PeriodDrew County
Aug 20264.1%
Dec 20255.1%
Dec 20244.3%
Dec 20233.8%
Dec 20223.5%
Dec 20213.5%
Dec 20205.5%
Dec 20194.6%
Dec 20184.7%
Dec 20174.6%
Dec 20165.2%
Dec 20155.6%
Dec 20147.3%
Dec 20138.6%
Dec 20129.7%

Jobs and pay by industry

Private employers in Drew County, annual average 2025. Industries with too few employers to publish are left out.

Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.

IndustryJobs1-year changeAverage pay
Health care and social assistance1,248+1.8%$44,063
Retail trade892+2.2%$33,549
Manufacturing840-1.3%$54,324
Accommodation and food services607-0.8%$21,074
Agriculture, forestry and fishing210-17.0%$60,311
Finance and insurance181+7.7%$66,220
Professional and technical services169+35.2%$52,731
Construction149-13.4%$57,244
Wholesale trade128+6.7%$63,982
Administrative and support services115+4.5%$32,187
Other services72+1.4%$36,841
Management of companies68-2.9%$82,228
Transportation and warehousing64-29.7%$63,049
Real estate and rental53+6.0%$37,122
Utilities38+2.7%$68,304
Arts, entertainment and recreation36+2.9%$19,553
Information350.0%$39,079

Latest quarter (Q1 2026): 6,263 jobs (-0.6% from a year earlier), average weekly wage $840.

Income and output

Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

Total personal income
$845M
+3.5% in a year
Income per person
$49,891
AR: $59,320
GDP
$819M
Current dollars
Real GDP growth
+2.7%
Adjusted for inflation
Drew CountyArkansas
Show as a table
PeriodDrew County
2024$49,891
2023$48,037
2022$46,616
2021$46,495
2020$42,862
2019$38,521
2018$36,987
2017$36,247
2016$34,709
2015$33,935
2014$33,736
2013$33,458
2012$32,556
2011$31,481
2010$29,982

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts

Businesses by industry, trucking companies, banks and bankruptcies in Drew County.

Business profile

Businesses in Drew County

County Business Patterns 2023 and Nonemployer Statistics 2024

Employer businesses
423
Employees
5,271
Mid-March
Annual payroll
$213M
Self-employed businesses
1,231
$66.35M receipts

By industry

  • Retail trade7517.7%
  • Health care and social assistance5212.3%
  • Other services409.5%
  • Accommodation and food services368.5%
  • Agriculture, forestry and fishing358.3%
  • Construction276.4%
  • Finance and insurance266.1%
  • Manufacturing235.4%

By number of employees

  • 1 to 421350.6%
  • 5 to 98921.1%
  • 10 to 196214.7%
  • 20 to 49419.7%
  • 50 to 9992.1%
  • 100 to 24971.7%
  • 250 to 49900.0%
  • 500 to 99900.0%
  • 1,000 or more00.0%

Neighboring counties

Unemployment rate, Aug 2026

CountyRate1 year
Cleveland County4.0%-0.9 pts
Drew CountyThis county4.1%-1.0 pts
Bradley County4.8%-1.3 pts
Ashley County5.0%-0.8 pts
Lincoln County5.0%-0.7 pts
Chicot County5.8%-0.7 pts
Desha County6.6%-0.9 pts

Federal money in Drew County

Federal awards, pandemic loans and political donations

Frequently asked questions

What is the unemployment rate in Drew County, AR?
The unemployment rate in Drew County was 4.1% in Aug 2026, not seasonally adjusted, with 7,897 people in the labor force.
What is the average salary in Drew County?
Jobs in Drew County paid an average of $44,379 in 2025 ($853 a week), across 6,325 jobs covered by unemployment insurance.
What are the biggest industries in Drew County?
The largest private industries by jobs are health care and social assistance (1,248), retail trade (892), manufacturing (840).
What is the income per person in Drew County?
Personal income per person was $49,891 in 2024, compared with $59,320 for Arkansas. It counts wages, business income, investment income and government benefits.
How many businesses are in Drew County?
Drew County had 423 business establishments with paid employees in 2023, plus 1,231 businesses with no employees.