“Counties like it” are metro-area counties with a similar population and a median household income near Crittenden County's ($52,153). Ahead or behind means more than 15% better or worse than the typical one.
Ahead of similar counties on 3 measures:
Behind similar counties on 3 measures:
About the same on 6: life expectancy, food insecurity, unemployment, households with broadband internet, jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64, bridges rated poor.
| Measure | Crittenden County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | -3.0% 48,090 → 46,633 | 0.9% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $12,933 | $13,475 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 population estimates; Census Annual Survey of School System Finances (school year 2023), current spending divided by enrollment across the districts based in the county.
At the end of 2024, Crittenden County's general fund held $19,926,303 — enough to cover about 23.0 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $8,911,819. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 5 of 75 for months covered; the typical county held about 10.6 months.
Source: each county's state audit, “Schedule of Selected Information for the Last Five Years — General Fund” (unaudited schedule). Latest years differ by county (2023, 2024). A larger reserve isn't automatically better or worse — it can be savings for a planned project, or money not yet spent. The year-by-year table.
“Counties like it” means other counties in a metro area with a similar number of people and a similar median household income (about $52,153 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Crittenden County is furthest behind on households with severe housing problems, residents per primary care doctor, children in poverty.
| Measure | Crittenden County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 ahead of similar counties | 22.5 | 38.9 | Polk County, MO 15.4 Marshall County, MS 19.4 Miller County, AR 19.5 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 69.2 years | 71.6 years | Polk County, MO 74.6 years Levy County, FL 74.4 years Lincoln County, OK 74.2 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance ahead of similar counties | 9.3% | 11.0% | Boyd County, KY 6.0% Jefferson County, OH 6.5% Lawrence County, OH 7.0% |
| Residents per primary care doctor behind similar counties | 3,656 | 2,824 | Boyd County, KY 998 Polk County, MO 1,232 Miller County, AR 1,471 |
| Residents per mental health provider ahead of similar counties | 413 | 581 | Lawrence County, OH 123 Boyd County, KY 128 Geary County, KS 238 |
| Children in poverty behind similar counties | 29.3% | 24.2% | Geary County, KS 14.6% Polk County, MO 18.1% Lawrence County, OH 20.9% |
| Food insecurity about the same | 17.0% | 17.3% | Preston County, WV 12.6% Chester County, SC 14.0% Levy County, FL 15.0% |
| Households with severe housing problems behind similar counties | 15.9% | 12.2% | Belmont County, OH 6.7% Preston County, WV 9.0% Vermilion Parish, LA 9.2% |
| Unemployment about the same | 4.2% | 3.9% | Russell County, AL 2.8% Polk County, MO 3.1% Lincoln County, OK 3.2% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 84.1% | 81.5% | Geary County, KS 93.2% Vermilion Parish, LA 88.6% Boyd County, KY 86.4% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 about the same | 402 | 466 | Lawrence County, OH 74 Polk County, MO 228 Jefferson County, OH 262 |
| Bridges rated poor about the same | 7.7% | 8.9% | Hamblen County, TN 2.5% Levy County, FL 2.7% Russell County, AL 2.9% |
“Behind” or “ahead” means more than 15% worse or better than the typical (median) similar county; small differences can be noise. Sources: County Health Rankings 2025 (health, money and internet), Vera Institute (jail, latest year from 2015 on), FHWA National Bridge Inventory 2025, HUD (metro areas), Census 2024 population. What has worked elsewhere on each of these.
“Highest” and “lowest” are just order, not grades: a high rank for poverty or hazard losses means more of it. Each figure's source is in its section below.
Related: By the numbers · The money trail · Audits · What has worked. Spot an error? Report it.