Benton County wages up almost 11%, Arkansas average weekly wages up 5%
Benton County, home to Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, had the second highest rate of average weekly wage growth during the fourth quarter of 2025 among 372 of the nation’s largest counties, according to federal data posted Tuesday (June 2).
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that Benton County had an average weekly wage of $1,653 in the fourth quarter of 2025, up 10.8% compared with the same quarter in 2024.
San Mateo, Calif., a county in California’s silicon valley in the San Francisco metro, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in average weekly wages at 11.1%. Olmsted, Minn., which is home to the globally known Mayo Clinic in Rochester, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease – down 3.5% – in average weekly wages. Among the 372 largest counties, 346 had over-the-year increases in average weekly wages. In the fourth quarter of 2025, average weekly wages for the nation increased to $1,569, a 4.2% increase over the year.
Of the $20.796 billion in total fourth quarter 2025 wages paid in Arkansas, 56.4%, or $11.717 billion, were paid in 5 counties – Benton, Craighead, Pulaski, Sebastian, and Washington. Pulaski County had the highest total wages paid at $4.529 billion.
Following are the wage and business establishment numbers from the BLS in the fourth quarter of 2025 for Arkansas and the top five counties in terms of total wages paid. The counties are ranked by total wages paid in the quarter. The percentage shows the change compared with the fourth quarter of 2024.
Arkansas
Q4 2025 Establishments: 113,046 (6.7%)
Q4 2025 Average weekly wages: $1,213 (5%)
Q4 2025 Total wages paid in the quarter: $20.796 billion (5.6%)
Pulaski County
Q4 2025 Establishments: 14,951 (3.2%)
Q4 2025 Average weekly wages: $1,316 (4.6%)
Q4 2025 Total wages paid in the quarter: $4.529 billion (4.3%)
Benton County
Q4 2025 Establishments: 9,496 (9.5%)
Q4 2025 Average weekly wages: $1,492 (10.8%)
Q4 2025 Total wages paid in the quarter: $3.317 billion (15.9%)
Washington County
Q4 2025 Establishments: 7,594 (5.4%)
Q4 2025 Average weekly wages: $1,312 (1.7%)
Q4 2025 Total wages paid in the quarter: $2.097 billion (2.1%)
Sebastian County
Q4 2025 Establishments: 3,852 (2.2%)
Q4 2025 Average weekly wages: $1,109 (4.1%)
Q4 2025 Total wages paid in the quarter: $979.821 million (3.2%)
Craighead County
Q4 2025 Establishments: 3,145 (3.7%)
Q4 2025 Average weekly wages: $1,084 (3.2%)
Q4 2025 Total wages paid in the quarter: $792.472 million (3.7%)
Following are contiguous state average weekly wage comparisons ranked by percentage gain.
Mississippi: $1,075, up 5.1%
Arkansas: $1,318, up 5%
Missouri: $1,324, up 4.4%
Texas: $1,549, up 4.2%
Oklahoma: $1,217, up 4.1%
Tennessee: $1,424, up 3.8%
Louisiana: $1,267, up 3.2%