Jonesboro ranked among the poorest cities in the U.S.

Jonesboro, Arkansas – The battle against poverty remains a pressing concern across the United States. As communities struggle to break free from economic constraints, the online finance site Insider Monkey has recently shed light on this issue. By analyzing recent census data, the platform has pinpointed the poorest cities in each state based on metrics such as poverty rate, median household income, and unemployment rate.

From their extensive analysis, Jonesboro emerged as the “poorest city in Arkansas” with a troubling poverty rate of “22.6%.” To put this into a broader context, this figure lands Jonesboro as the “25th poorest city in the nation.” Located on Crowley’s Ridge in the northeastern section of Arkansas, Jonesboro is not a small town by any means. As of 2023, the city boasted a population of “81,969,” solidifying its position as “the fifth-largest city in Arkansas.”

Delving deeper into the data, the educational landscape in Jonesboro might be a contributing factor to its economic struggles. While education often correlates with higher incomes, in Jonesboro, “only 28.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or higher.” This figure is notably lower than the national average, which stands at “35.0% for all Americans in the same age group.”

The revelation of these statistics underscores the need for targeted interventions and supportive policies to uplift communities like Jonesboro. Focusing on education and skills training might be a crucial step toward breaking the cycle of poverty and ensuring a brighter future for the city’s residents.