“Counties like it” are metro-area counties with a similar population and a median household income near Sebastian County's ($58,112). 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 4 measures:
About the same on 4: life expectancy, households with severe housing problems, unemployment, households with broadband internet.
| Measure | Sebastian County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | 1.7% 127,813 → 130,035 | 0.6% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $12,112 | $13,273 |
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, Sebastian County's general fund held $17,895,822 — enough to cover about 6.3 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $15,985,817. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 63 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 $58,112 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Sebastian County is furthest behind on jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64, food insecurity, adults under 65 without health insurance.
| Measure | Sebastian County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 ahead of similar counties | 24.4 | 34.6 | Gregg County, TX 8.8 Lowndes County, GA 9.0 Tom Green County, TX 10.9 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 73.5 years | 73.8 years | Monongalia County, WV 77.6 years Tippecanoe County, IN 77.6 years Monroe County, IN 77.5 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance behind similar counties | 11.4% | 9.5% | Jefferson County, NY 4.8% Muskegon County, MI 5.1% Cambria County, PA 5.1% |
| Residents per primary care doctor ahead of similar counties | 764 | 1,464 | Washington County, TN 539 Cabell County, WV 595 Madison County, TN 721 |
| Residents per mental health provider ahead of similar counties | 255 | 374 | Josephine County, OR 104 Rapides Parish, LA 170 Pueblo County, CO 170 |
| Children in poverty ahead of similar counties | 17.7% | 21.1% | Tippecanoe County, IN 12.7% Monongalia County, WV 12.9% Shawnee County, KS 13.4% |
| Food insecurity behind similar counties | 19.6% | 15.7% | Black Hawk County, IA 11.8% Portsmouth city, VA 12.2% Sumter County, SC 12.3% |
| Households with severe housing problems about the same | 13.5% | 14.2% | Cambria County, PA 10.4% Sullivan County, TN 11.2% Burke County, NC 11.4% |
| Unemployment about the same | 3.4% | 3.6% | Lee County, AL 2.3% Lauderdale County, AL 2.5% Houston County, AL 2.6% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 83.8% | 87.0% | Clarke County, GA 91.5% Warren County, KY 91.2% Taylor County, TX 90.8% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 behind similar counties | 512 | 393 | Comanche County, OK 29 Bay County, MI 185 Ashtabula County, OH 204 |
| Bridges rated poor behind similar counties | 5.2% | 4.5% | Tom Green County, TX 0.0% Clarke County, GA 0.0% Newport News city, VA 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.