Jobs, pay and daily life in Helena-West Helena, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Helena-West Helena is a city in Arkansas with 8,935 residents. The median household earns $36,019 a year and the median rent is $771 a month, which is 25.7% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Helena-West Helena compares. Among the 60 largest places in Arkansas, Helena-West Helena is #43 by population, #57 for household income (#1 = highest), #57 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #51 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Phillips County, is #61 of 75 counties for average pay ($41,596).
Helena-West Helena has 8,935 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Arkansas. It covers 13 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 681 people per square mile. The median age is 39.3, about the same as the state median (39.3 against 38.5).
The median gross rent is $771 a month (rent plus utilities), 19% below the state median ($771 against $947). Over a year that is 25.7% 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 $73,200, which is 2.0 times the median household income ($36,019); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 42.0% of households own their home, 37% below the state average (42.0% against 66.4%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Phillips County was 6.8%. 48.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Phillips County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 69.4% drive alone, 1.4% use public transit, 3.7% walk, 3.6% work from home. 12.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 6% above the state average (12.1% against 11.4%).
15.3% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 40% below the state share (15.3% against 25.7%). 2.2% of residents were born outside the United States, 60% below the state share (2.2% against 5.4%). The poverty rate is 31.7%, 98% above the state rate (31.7% against 16.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 83°F (28.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 40°F (4.6°C). About 1,331 mm (52 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (139 mm) and Sep the driest (79 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: Clarksdale (24 miles, similar rent); Forrest City (35 miles, rent 4% higher); Senatobia (37 miles, rent 16% higher); Hernando (42 miles, rent 69% higher). Rent differences are against Helena-West Helena; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Arkansas (242) →State guide: ArkansasCountry guidePhillips 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 242 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.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 30.6% |
| Retail trade | 15.2% |
| Manufacturing | 11.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 10.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.2% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.7% |
| Other services | 4.5% |
| Public administration | 4.4% |
| Construction | 4.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 1.7% |
| Information | 0.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.2% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Helena-West Helena 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips County | 15,450 | $678 million | $43,856 | 4,531 | 579 | $41,596 | +0.9% | 6.8% | 4,542 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 634 | 17.8% | $39,325 | 0.98 |
| Retail trade | 584 | 16.4% | $29,054 | 1.29 |
| Accommodation and food services | 401 | 11.2% | $18,356 | 0.97 |
| Manufacturing | 354 | 9.9% | $52,546 | 0.95 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 335 | 9.4% | $47,040 | 9.14 |
| Wholesale trade | 274 | 7.7% | $58,603 | 1.53 |
| Educational services | 258 | 7.2% | $43,692 | 2.75 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 151 | 4.2% | $64,868 | 0.79 |
| Finance and insurance | 143 | 4.0% | $66,717 | 0.78 |
| Administrative and waste services | 126 | 3.5% | $38,989 | 0.47 |
| Construction | 98 | 2.7% | $39,324 | 0.41 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 85 | 2.4% | $27,930 | 0.62 |
| Real estate and rental | 60 | 1.7% | $26,245 | 0.85 |
| Utilities | 34 | 1.0% | $72,862 | 1.97 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 17 | 0.5% | $20,366 | 0.22 |
| Information | 12 | 0.3% | $61,100 | 0.14 |
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 | 69.4% |
| Public transit | 1.4% |
| Walk | 3.7% |
| Work from home | 3.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 12.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $36,019 |
| Income per person | $18,871 |
| Median gross rent per month | $771 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 25.7% |
| Median home value | $73,200 |
| Homeowners | 42.0% |
| Poverty rate | 31.7% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
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 | 39.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 81.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 15.3% |
| Born abroad | 2.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 48.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.6 | 40 | 100 |
| Feb | 6.6 | 44 | 121 |
| Mar | 11.7 | 53 | 130 |
| Apr | 16.9 | 62 | 136 |
| May | 21.6 | 71 | 136 |
| Jun | 26.4 | 80 | 89 |
| Jul | 28.4 | 83 | 95 |
| Aug | 28.3 | 83 | 85 |
| Sep | 24.7 | 76 | 79 |
| Oct | 17.8 | 64 | 115 |
| Nov | 11.1 | 52 | 106 |
| Dec | 6.4 | 44 | 139 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksdale | MS | 24 mi | 14,231 | $36,382 | $774 |
| Forrest City | AR | 35 mi | 12,646 | $35,689 | $805 |
| Senatobia | MS | 37 mi | 8,380 | $54,167 | $895 |
| Hernando | MS | 42 mi | 17,949 | $76,950 | $1,302 |
| Batesville | MS | 42 mi | 7,387 | $51,727 | $895 |
| Horn Lake | MS | 44 mi | 26,647 | $53,311 | $1,435 |
| Southaven | MS | 47 mi | 56,226 | $78,483 | $1,445 |
| West Memphis | AR | 49 mi | 23,929 | $42,674 | $870 |
| Wynne | AR | 50 mi | 8,120 | $43,250 | $760 |
| Marion | AR | 52 mi | 13,623 | $78,330 | $1,148 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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8,935 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$771 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 25.7% of the median household income.
$36,019 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
6.8% (BLS county, Phillips County (latest month 2026M09)).
Arkansas. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.