Jobs, pay and daily life in Forrest City, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
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By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Forrest City is a city in Arkansas with 12,646 residents. The median household earns $35,689 a year and the median rent is $805 a month, which is 27.1% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Memphis, TN-MS-AR (611,670 jobs), about 35 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Forrest City compares. Among the 60 largest places in Arkansas, Forrest City is #33 by population, #60 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #58 for household income (#1 = highest), #54 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Saint Francis County, is #24 of 75 counties for average pay ($48,570).
Forrest City has 12,646 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of Arkansas. It covers 20 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 625 people per square mile. The median age is 36.9, 4% younger than the state median (36.9 against 38.5).
The median gross rent is $805 a month (rent plus utilities), 15% below the state median ($805 against $947). Over a year that is 27.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $92,000, which is 2.6 times the median household income ($35,689); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 39.2% of households own their home, 41% below the state average (39.2% against 66.4%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Memphis, TN-MS-AR, metropolitan area has 611,670 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $46,890 a year, 8% below the national median ($46,890 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are transportation and material moving (104,600 jobs, median $44,540); office and administrative support (83,140 jobs, median $45,940); sales and related (50,520 jobs, median $35,940). The area is most specialised in transportation and material moving (1.9 times) and protective service (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($116,680) and computer and mathematical ($89,420). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Saint Francis County was 5.3%. 39.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Saint Francis County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.2% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 2.6% walk, 2.7% work from home. 9.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 18% below the state average (9.3% against 11.4%).
13.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 46% below the state share (13.8% against 25.7%). 3.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 36% below the state share (3.5% against 5.4%). The poverty rate is 37.7%, 136% above the state rate (37.7% against 16.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 82°F (28.0°C), and the coolest is Jan at 39°F (4.0°C). About 1,304 mm (51 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (139 mm) and Sep the driest (76 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Wynne (15 miles, rent 6% lower); Helena-West Helena (35 miles, rent 4% lower); West Memphis (35 miles, rent 8% higher); Marion (36 miles, rent 43% higher). Rent differences are against Forrest City; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Arkansas (245) →State guide: ArkansasCountry guideSaint Francis CountyArkansas rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 245 federal postings open in Arkansas (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
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| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 37,750 | 3.25 | $39,510 | $32,600 | $48,040 | -2% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 19,460 | 2.40 | $63,070 | $44,200 | $96,150 | +8% |
| Retail Salespersons | 17,050 | 1.11 | $32,580 | $23,760 | $47,060 | -8% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 15,320 | 1.01 | $27,490 | $22,310 | $35,310 | -12% |
| Registered Nurses | 13,760 | 1.04 | $81,500 | $65,280 | $112,310 | -16% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 12,200 | 1.09 | $37,280 | $30,330 | $48,640 | -0% |
| Cashiers | 10,840 | 0.89 | $29,160 | $22,140 | $35,910 | -11% |
| General and Operations Managers | 9,730 | 0.71 | $102,510 | $50,180 | $231,770 | -3% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 9,360 | 0.92 | $44,090 | $31,570 | $60,470 | -2% |
| Office Clerks, General | 9,060 | 0.93 | $38,610 | $28,380 | $58,390 | -14% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 8,710 | 1.54 | $71,310 | $44,560 | $105,860 | +3% |
| Security Guards | 8,450 | 1.67 | $35,100 | $29,060 | $45,930 | -8% |
| Light Truck Drivers | 8,190 | 2.12 | $48,350 | $35,360 | $93,470 | +8% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 8,070 | 0.93 | $32,580 | $25,170 | $44,740 | -12% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 8,060 | 0.90 | $24,550 | $15,080 | $47,480 | -30% |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 7,950 | 2.61 | $44,540 | $36,810 | $52,000 | -4% |
| Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | 7,370 | 2.29 | $45,800 | $35,880 | $61,270 | +1% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 7,280 | 0.43 | $30,900 | $27,800 | $37,720 | -14% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 7,180 | 1.90 | $39,940 | $34,050 | $58,110 | -13% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 6,320 | 1.17 | $48,400 | $35,550 | $66,920 | -4% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 950 | 0.71 | $388,960 | $173,990 | $520,830 | +46% |
| Chief Executives | 680 | 0.84 | $196,680 | $78,420 | $459,580 | -8% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 1,710 | 0.65 | $161,790 | $98,320 | $221,880 | -8% |
| Financial Managers | 2,750 | 0.83 | $143,880 | $80,110 | $273,740 | -14% |
| Human Resources Managers | 760 | 0.87 | $138,560 | $86,900 | $219,780 | -7% |
| Lawyers | 1,670 | 0.56 | $134,440 | $74,270 | $322,970 | -16% |
| Pharmacists | 1,460 | 1.15 | $134,220 | $103,470 | $165,860 | -5% |
| Marketing Managers | 1,180 | 0.76 | $132,540 | $76,550 | $230,420 | -21% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 1,430 | 1.38 | $130,580 | $73,920 | $274,320 | +14% |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,630 | 1.88 | $128,860 | $46,720 | $211,190 | +20% |
| Sales Managers | 2,040 | 0.82 | $128,560 | $64,860 | $233,960 | -13% |
| Computer Network Architects | 630 | 0.89 | $126,400 | $79,800 | $168,850 | -6% |
| Software Developers | 2,270 | 0.34 | $125,580 | $77,520 | $168,000 | -8% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 1,800 | 1.42 | $124,600 | $83,770 | $154,040 | -6% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 910 | 0.93 | $118,120 | $53,380 | $205,340 | -6% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 2,310 | 0.98 | $112,800 | $72,800 | $196,130 | -9% |
| Construction Managers | 670 | 0.45 | $107,710 | $65,750 | $168,220 | -6% |
| Managers, All Other | 2,620 | 1.07 | $104,050 | $51,680 | $220,020 | -27% |
| General and Operations Managers | 9,730 | 0.71 | $102,510 | $50,180 | $231,770 | -3% |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 1,700 | 0.83 | $100,640 | $63,550 | $151,430 | -5% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Memphis, TN-MS-AR, about 35 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $46,890 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.1% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.2% |
| Retail trade | 15.9% |
| Manufacturing | 12.8% |
| Public administration | 11.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 8.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 7.6% |
| Other services | 5.0% |
| Construction | 4.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 2.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 0.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.7% |
| Information | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Forrest City lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Francis County | 22,400 | $943 million | $42,103 | 6,723 | 585 | $48,570 | -0.1% | 5.3% | 7,762 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 872 | 32.4% | $29,912 | 1.30 |
| Accommodation and food services | 539 | 20.0% | $18,145 | 0.88 |
| Wholesale trade | 512 | 19.0% | $59,734 | 1.93 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 217 | 8.1% | $53,333 | 0.76 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 174 | 6.5% | $47,381 | 3.20 |
| Finance and insurance | 123 | 4.6% | $44,436 | 0.45 |
| Utilities | 80 | 3.0% | $88,887 | 3.13 |
| Real estate and rental | 69 | 2.6% | $32,233 | 0.66 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 58 | 2.2% | $27,206 | 0.29 |
| Information | 37 | 1.4% | $47,453 | 0.29 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 14 | 0.5% | $45,702 | 0.12 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 79.2% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 2.6% |
| Work from home | 2.7% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 9.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $35,689 |
| Income per person | $16,688 |
| Median gross rent per month | $805 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 27.1% |
| Median home value | $92,000 |
| Homeowners | 39.2% |
| Poverty rate | 37.7% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 92.2 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $46,890 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 3.90%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 84.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 13.8% |
| Born abroad | 3.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 39.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.0 | 39 | 92 |
| Feb | 5.9 | 43 | 115 |
| Mar | 11.2 | 52 | 130 |
| Apr | 16.5 | 62 | 133 |
| May | 21.3 | 70 | 139 |
| Jun | 26.0 | 79 | 86 |
| Jul | 28.0 | 82 | 95 |
| Aug | 27.9 | 82 | 86 |
| Sep | 24.1 | 75 | 76 |
| Oct | 17.3 | 63 | 110 |
| Nov | 10.6 | 51 | 107 |
| Dec | 5.8 | 42 | 135 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wynne | AR | 15 mi | 8,120 | $43,250 | $760 |
| Helena-West Helena | AR | 35 mi | 8,935 | $36,019 | $771 |
| West Memphis | AR | 35 mi | 23,929 | $42,674 | $870 |
| Marion | AR | 36 mi | 13,623 | $78,330 | $1,148 |
| Horn Lake | MS | 42 mi | 26,647 | $53,311 | $1,435 |
| Southaven | MS | 46 mi | 56,226 | $78,483 | $1,445 |
| Hernando | MS | 47 mi | 17,949 | $76,950 | $1,302 |
| Memphis | TN | 47 mi | 618,980 | $51,736 | $1,181 |
| Trumann | AR | 48 mi | 7,410 | $38,881 | $586 |
| Newport | AR | 49 mi | 8,024 | $34,764 | $597 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
12,646 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$805 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 27.1% of the median household income.
$35,689 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
5.3% (BLS county, Saint Francis County (latest month 2026M09)).
Arkansas. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.