 About 8.4% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.Paragould is home to the Arkansas State University Paragould campus, Crowley's Ridge College, and a campus of Black River Technical College.Paragould has two public school districts, the Greene County Tech School District and the Paragould School District, as well as Crowley's Ridge Academy and St. Mary's Catholic School private school systems.