Economic Development

Whether it's a small, locally-owned retail business, or a multi-thousand square-foot warehouse or manufacturing business, or something in-between, we've got a spot for you in Marion. Mayor & Economic Development Director Tracy Brick is ready to work with you on behalf of the City of Marion to accomplish your desire to locate in Marion. Contact Mayor Brick at 870-739-6041 or tracy.brick@marionarkansas.org.

Read on to determine why Marion is the right fit for you...

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION:
Marion is situated in a prime location to service the entire United States in a fast, efficient manner. With easy access to rail, river, road, and air outlets, we have multiple transportation options to guarantee fast delivery of your goods.​

Located just minutes away from the Memphis International Airport, and with easy access to I-55 and I-40, we offer the benefits of being close to Memphis without the day-to-day big-city hassle.

TRADE AREA:
Marion is ideally situated to service a 1,000,000-plus trade area population. In addition to local residents, there is a substantial pool of regional consumers located within a 60-minute drive of Marion. Marion also has a 100,000-plus daily traffic count.

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transportation and trade area

Demographics and cost of living

DEMOGRAPHIC SNAPSHOT:
Population - 13,752
Median Income - $73,190
Median Age - 36
Average Home Price - $180,734
Current Unemployment Rate - 4.2%

COST OF LIVING:
According to the Sperling's Best Places website, Marion's overall cost of living places 7.3% under the national average and 8.3% over the AR state average. The breakdown by item as compared to the national average is as follows: Grocery - 99.4%, Healthcare - 84.7%, Housing - 78%, Utilities - $94.3%, Transportation - 109.5%, and Miscellaneous - 97.9%. The median home cost for Marion is $150,100.

Additional demographic information is available through AR Site Selection, or contact our office at 870-739-6041 to obtain information.

WORKFORCE:
An essential component of a successful community is a well-trained workforce. Marion is fortunate to have a large labor shed and excellent training opportunities that will give you a variety of employee candidates from which to choose. Marion is five minutes away from AR State University Mid-South (located in West Memphis), 60 minutes from ASU in Jonesboro, and multiple higher education options just minutes away in Memphis. 

ASU Mid-South offers various technical programs such as diesel maintenance, welding technology, aviation technology, nursing assistant, respiratory therapy, digital media, emergency technician, and others. The progressive institution has proven experience in developing training programs for existing or new industry, and we will be happy to assist you in coordinating with them for your specific needs.​

Marion is a part of the Memphis MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) and our region has excellent resources in education and specialized training that result in lower unemployment rates and better lives for our citizens.​

Crittenden County also achieved the ACT Work Ready Communities (WRC) certification in May 2019. WRC empowers states, regions and counties with data, processes, and tools that drive economic growth. Participants are leveraging the ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate to measure and close the skills gap - and building common frameworks that link, align and match their workforce development efforts.

population, education, labor

Entergy Site Selectors

SITES:
In addition to the two industrial sites listed with AR Site Selection, we maintain a database of available local commercial properties for sale or rent. Contact Mayor Tracy Brick at 870-739-6041 or email Tracy.Brick@MarionArkansas.org for more information.​

To view our Site Selection property listings, please click on the links below to be directed to the appropriate Site Selection web page.

Jackson Property
Rieves Property