“Counties like it” are metro-area counties with a similar population and a median household income near Craighead County's ($60,204). Ahead or behind means more than 15% better or worse than the typical one.
Ahead of similar counties on 5 measures:
Behind similar counties on 3 measures:
About the same on 4: life expectancy, adults under 65 without health insurance, households with severe housing problems, households with broadband internet.
| Measure | Craighead County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | 3.8% 111,623 → 115,852 | 1.1% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $11,682 | $13,220 |
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, Craighead County's general fund held $16,871,342 — enough to cover about 6.4 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $10,670,768. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 62 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 $60,204 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Craighead County is furthest behind on food insecurity, jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64, children in poverty.
| Measure | Craighead County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 ahead of similar counties | 13.3 | 37.1 | Gregg County, TX 8.8 Lowndes County, GA 9.0 Tom Green County, TX 10.9 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 74.4 years | 73.7 years | Monongalia County, WV 77.6 years Monroe County, IN 77.5 years Henderson County, NC 77.4 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance about the same | 9.9% | 9.6% | Chemung County, NY 4.8% Jefferson County, NY 4.8% Cambria County, PA 5.1% |
| Residents per primary care doctor ahead of similar counties | 813 | 1,658 | Washington County, TN 539 Cabell County, WV 595 Madison County, TN 721 |
| Residents per mental health provider ahead of similar counties | 242 | 400 | Josephine County, OR 104 Lynchburg city, VA 132 Penobscot County, ME 150 |
| Children in poverty behind similar counties | 23.1% | 19.5% | Cascade County, MT 12.7% Monongalia County, WV 12.9% Penobscot County, ME 13.0% |
| Food insecurity behind similar counties | 18.7% | 15.3% | Black Hawk County, IA 11.8% Cascade County, MT 12.0% Woodbury County, IA 12.0% |
| Households with severe housing problems about the same | 13.3% | 13.4% | Wood County, WV 9.5% Howard County, IN 10.1% Cambria County, PA 10.4% |
| Unemployment ahead of similar counties | 2.7% | 3.7% | Lauderdale County, AL 2.5% Houston County, AL 2.6% Woodbury County, IA 2.9% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 87.4% | 87.5% | Lynchburg city, VA 92.2% Clarke County, GA 91.5% Warren County, KY 91.2% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 behind similar counties | 403 | 337 | Comanche County, OK 29 Penobscot County, ME 143 Anderson County, TN 161 |
| Bridges rated poor ahead of similar counties | 2.0% | 5.0% | Tom Green County, TX 0.0% Clarke County, GA 0.0% Clark County, OH 0.3% |
“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.