Jobs, pay and daily life in West Memphis, 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 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
West Memphis is a city in Arkansas with 23,929 residents. The median household earns $42,674 a year and the median rent is $870 a month, which is 24.5% of the median household income. It is part of the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan area, where BLS counts 611,670 jobs.
How West Memphis compares. Among the 60 largest places in Arkansas, West Memphis is #20 by population, #53 for college degrees (#1 = most), #52 for household income (#1 = highest), #52 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Crittenden County, is #28 of 75 counties for average pay ($47,790).
West Memphis has 23,929 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.8% of the population of Arkansas. It covers 30 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 802 people per square mile. The median age is 34.1, 11% younger than the state median (34.1 against 38.5).
The median gross rent is $870 a month (rent plus utilities), 8% below the state median ($870 against $947). Over a year that is 24.5% 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 $120,100, which is 2.8 times the median household income ($42,674); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 46.1% of households own their home, 31% below the state average (46.1% against 66.4%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The 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 Crittenden County was 4.6%. 58.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Crittenden County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 74.8% drive alone, 0.2% use public transit, 1.1% walk, 6.4% work from home. 7.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 31% below the state average (7.8% against 11.4%).
13.9% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 46% below the state share (13.9% 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 29.1%, 82% above the state rate (29.1% against 16.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 82°F (27.8°C), and the coolest is Jan at 39°F (3.8°C). About 1,358 mm (53 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (138 mm) and Sep the driest (81 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: Marion (4 miles, rent 32% higher); Memphis (13 miles, rent 36% higher); Horn Lake (16 miles, rent 65% higher); Southaven (19 miles, rent 66% higher). Rent differences are against West Memphis; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Arkansas (245) →State guide: ArkansasCountry guideCrittenden 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.
Open federal jobs in Arkansas →
| 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 whole Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $46,890 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.1% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 19.6% |
| Retail trade | 13.0% |
| Manufacturing | 12.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 11.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.8% |
| Public administration | 5.4% |
| Other services | 5.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 4.2% |
| Construction | 3.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.3% |
| Information | 0.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where West Memphis 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crittenden County | 47,266 | $2,345 million | $49,610 | 16,197 | 1,096 | $47,790 | +2.1% | 4.6% | 20,886 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,226 | 17.0% | $63,705 | 1.67 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,030 | 15.5% | $21,807 | 1.38 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,908 | 14.5% | $44,581 | 0.82 |
| Retail trade | 1,812 | 13.8% | $31,552 | 1.12 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,802 | 13.7% | $65,544 | 2.63 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 875 | 6.7% | $41,203 | 3.21 |
| Wholesale trade | 843 | 6.4% | $65,119 | 1.32 |
| Administrative and waste services | 504 | 3.8% | $44,778 | 0.53 |
| Construction | 304 | 2.3% | $64,744 | 0.36 |
| Finance and insurance | 245 | 1.9% | $74,857 | 0.37 |
| Professional and technical services | 228 | 1.7% | $61,674 | 0.20 |
| Real estate and rental | 185 | 1.4% | $46,521 | 0.74 |
| Educational services | 97 | 0.7% | $39,867 | 0.29 |
| Management of companies | 38 | 0.3% | $96,334 | 0.14 |
| Utilities | 34 | 0.3% | $88,337 | 0.55 |
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 | 74.8% |
| Public transit | 0.2% |
| Walk | 1.1% |
| Work from home | 6.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 7.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $42,674 |
| Income per person | $21,339 |
| Median gross rent per month | $870 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 24.5% |
| Median home value | $120,100 |
| Homeowners | 46.1% |
| Poverty rate | 29.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 92.2 |
| 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 | 34.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 83.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 13.9% |
| Born abroad | 2.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 58.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.8 | 39 | 100 |
| Feb | 5.8 | 42 | 123 |
| Mar | 11.0 | 52 | 134 |
| Apr | 16.3 | 61 | 136 |
| May | 21.1 | 70 | 138 |
| Jun | 25.8 | 78 | 96 |
| Jul | 27.8 | 82 | 105 |
| Aug | 27.8 | 82 | 87 |
| Sep | 24.1 | 75 | 81 |
| Oct | 17.2 | 63 | 113 |
| Nov | 10.4 | 51 | 107 |
| Dec | 5.7 | 42 | 138 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion | AR | 4 mi | 13,623 | $78,330 | $1,148 |
| Memphis | TN | 13 mi | 618,980 | $51,736 | $1,181 |
| Horn Lake | MS | 16 mi | 26,647 | $53,311 | $1,435 |
| Southaven | MS | 19 mi | 56,226 | $78,483 | $1,445 |
| Millington | TN | 21 mi | 11,289 | $49,979 | $1,111 |
| Bartlett | TN | 22 mi | 56,876 | $102,070 | $1,638 |
| Hernando | MS | 24 mi | 17,949 | $76,950 | $1,302 |
| Germantown | TN | 24 mi | 40,673 | $149,920 | $1,816 |
| Olive Branch | MS | 24 mi | 47,019 | $100,606 | $1,829 |
| Lakeland | TN | 28 mi | 14,192 | $116,250 | $1,755 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
23,929 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$870 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 24.5% of the median household income.
$42,674 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.6% (BLS county, Crittenden County (latest month 2026M09)).
Arkansas. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.