According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, in 2001, Arkansas had a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $22,750 which ranked 50th in the United States (including the District of Columbia) and was 75% of the national average, $30,413. The 2001 PCPI reflected an increase of 3.4% from 2000 compared to the national change of 2.2%. In 2001, Arkansas had a total personal income (TPI) of $61,303,612,000 which ranked 34th in the United States and accounted for 0.7% of the national total. The 2001 TPI reflected an increase of 4.0% from 2000 compared to the national change of 3.3%.
Earnings of persons employed in Arkansas increased from $40,566,152,000 in 2000 to $41,727,223,000 in 2001, an increase of 2.9%. The largest industries in 2001 were services, 22.7% of earnings; state and local government, 12.9%; and retail trade, 11.4%. Of the industries that accounted for at least 5% of earnings in 2001, the slowest growing from 2000 to 2001 was durable goods manufacturing (10.8% of earnings in 2001), which decreased 5.3%; the fastest was state and local government, which increased 6.7%.
According to data released by the US Census Bureau, in 2000, the median household income was $30,293 compared to the national average of $42,148. In 2001, the median income for a family of four was $47,838 compared to the national average of $63,278. For the period 1999 to 2001, the average poverty rate was 16.3% which placed it 48th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia ranked lowest to highest.