2023 GDP in Arkansas’ 10 largest counties was almost 67% of state total

Of the top 10 largest Arkansas counties by GDP, only Washington County posted a GDP (gross domestic product) decline – down 0.6% – between 2022 and 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).

The BEA county and metro area GDP numbers were posted Wednesday (Dec. 4), and are the most recent metro and county GDP numbers available.

BEA data showed that real GDP increased in 2,357 counties, decreased in 734 counties, and was unchanged in 23 counties in 2023. The percent change in real GDP ranged from 125.8% in Throckmorton County, Texas, to a 39.6% decline in Lincoln County, Wash.

“GDP is the value of final goods and services produced within a county. The size of a county’s economy as measured by GDP varies considerably across the United States. In 2023, the total level of real GDP ranged from $17.0 million in Petroleum County, MT, to $802.0 billion in Los Angeles County, CA,” noted the BEA report.

Arkansas’ GDP ended 2023 at $142.86 billion, up 2.4% compared with $139.56 billion in 2022. Of Arkansas’s top 10 counties by GDP, only Craighead and Washington counties had percentage changes below that of the state. Following are the top 10 counties by GDP, with percentage increase from 2022.
• Pulaski: $31.61 billion, up 3.2%
• Benton: $19.712 billion, up 3.1%
• Washington: $13.24 billion, down 0.6%
• Sebastian: $7.271 billion, up 3%
• Craighead: $5.482 billion, up 1.1%
• Faulkner: $4.414 billion, up 4.4%
• Mississippi: $3.823 billion, up 8.6%
• Garland: $3.654 billion, up 2.7%
• Pope: $3.165 billion, up 7.6%
• Saline: $3.072 billion, up 5.3%

The 2023 GDP in the top 10 Arkansas counties accounts for 66.8% of Arkansas’ total GDP, which numerically reflects the state’s economic divide between urban and rural areas.

Following are 2023 GDP numbers in the eight metro areas in or connected to Arkansas, including the percentage increase from 2022.
• Memphis/West Memphis: $102.934 billion, up 6.3%
• Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway: $51.199 billion, up 7.9%
• Northwest Arkansas: $40.776 billion, up 6.1%
• Fort Smith metro: $12.729 billion, up 5.9%
• Jonesboro: $7.875 billion, up 7.7%
• Texarkana, Texas-Arkansas: $7.215 billion, up 6.4%
• Hot Springs: $4.806 billion, up 12.5%
• Pine Bluff: $4.146 billion, up 0.3%

OTHER NATIONAL DATA
In the 147 large counties, those with populations greater than 500,000 in 2023, real GDP increased in 142 counties and decreased in five counties. GDP ranged from $17.7 billion in Pasco County, Fla., to $802 billion in Los Angeles County, Calif.

In the 478 medium counties, those with populations between 100,000 and 500,000 in 2023, real GDP increased in 428 counties, decreased in 45 counties, and was unchanged in five counties. GDP ranged from $2.5 billion in Liberty County, Texas, to $45.9 billion in Somerset County, N.J.

In the 2,489 small counties, those with populations less than 100,000 in 2023, real GDP increased in 1,787 counties, decreased in 684 counties, and was unchanged in 18 counties. GDP ranged from $17 million in Petroleum County, Mont., to $11.6 billion in Reeves County, Texas.