“Counties like it” are non-metro counties with a similar population and a median household income near St. Francis County's ($41,708). Ahead or behind means more than 15% better or worse than the typical one.
Ahead of similar counties on 4 measures:
Behind similar counties on 2 measures:
About the same on 6: life expectancy, adults under 65 without health insurance, food insecurity, unemployment, households with broadband internet, bridges rated poor.
| Measure | St. Francis County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | -5.2% 23,019 → 21,822 | -2.5% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $13,855 | $14,909 |
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, St. Francis County's general fund held $10,749,651 — enough to cover about 29.1 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $9,262,813. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 2 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 outside metro areas with a similar number of people and a similar median household income (about $41,708 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. St. Francis County is furthest behind on children in poverty, households with severe housing problems.
| Measure | St. Francis County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 ahead of similar counties | 17.2 | 27.4 | Sumter County, GA 12.6 Bolivar County, MS 15.6 Barbour County, AL 16.2 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 70.4 years | 70.5 years | Grayson County, VA 74.6 years Sharp County, AR 73.0 years Willacy County, TX 72.9 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance about the same | 11.0% | 11.7% | Perry County, KY 6.6% Johnson County, KY 6.7% Letcher County, KY 7.1% |
| Residents per primary care doctor ahead of similar counties | 1,749 | 3,084 | Perry County, KY 873 Adams County, MS 1,306 Crisp County, GA 1,420 |
| Residents per mental health provider ahead of similar counties | 270 | 854 | Perry County, KY 121 Concordia Parish, LA 161 Marlboro County, SC 306 |
| Children in poverty behind similar counties | 45.6% | 32.5% | Grayson County, VA 23.0% Sharp County, AR 25.4% Chickasaw County, MS 26.0% |
| Food insecurity about the same | 20.9% | 19.4% | Hampton County, SC 13.4% Jefferson County, GA 14.3% Northampton County, NC 14.7% |
| Households with severe housing problems behind similar counties | 16.6% | 14.0% | Grayson County, VA 8.4% Perry County, KY 8.5% Wayne County, KY 9.5% |
| Unemployment about the same | 5.0% | 4.4% | Grayson County, VA 2.7% Hampton County, SC 2.8% Butler County, AL 2.9% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 81.2% | 76.8% | Perry County, KY 86.6% Johnson County, KY 86.5% Dunklin County, MO 86.3% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 ahead of similar counties | 190 | 553 | Barbour County, AL 39 Jackson County, AR 90 Sunflower County, MS 247 |
| Bridges rated poor about the same | 7.0% | 7.0% | Jefferson County, GA 0.0% Willacy County, TX 0.0% Luna County, NM 0.0% |
“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.