“Counties like it” are metro-area counties with a similar population and a median household income near Crawford County's ($63,905). Ahead or behind means more than 15% better or worse than the typical one.
Behind similar counties on 5 measures:
About the same on 7: drug overdose deaths per 100,000, life expectancy, adults under 65 without health insurance, children in poverty, households with severe housing problems, unemployment, households with broadband internet.
| Measure | Crawford County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | 3.5% 60,160 → 62,258 | 1.9% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $11,748 | $13,224 |
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, Crawford County's general fund held $10,844,624 — enough to cover about 14.3 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $5,476,720. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 26 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 $63,905 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Crawford County is furthest behind on residents per mental health provider, jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64, bridges rated poor.
| Measure | Crawford County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 about the same | 24.3 | 24.0 | Riley County, KS 7.9 Hall County, NE 8.1 Douglas County, WA 9.1 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 73.2 years | 74.5 years | Douglas County, WA 80.7 years Blue Earth County, MN 79.7 years Riley County, KS 79.7 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance about the same | 9.3% | 10.4% | Tioga County, NY 4.2% Livingston County, NY 4.3% Herkimer County, NY 4.7% |
| Residents per primary care doctor behind similar counties | 2,875 | 2,412 | Harrisonburg city, VA 745 Lynchburg city, VA 790 Lamar County, MS 807 |
| Residents per mental health provider behind similar counties | 1,474 | 641 | Josephine County, OR 104 Lynchburg city, VA 132 Harrisonburg city, VA 138 |
| Children in poverty about the same | 18.3% | 18.1% | Blue Earth County, MN 10.6% Livingston County, NY 12.2% Bannock County, ID 12.2% |
| Food insecurity behind similar counties | 19.3% | 15.0% | Blue Earth County, MN 10.6% Livingston County, NY 11.1% Campbell County, VA 11.2% |
| Households with severe housing problems about the same | 11.8% | 12.2% | Callaway County, MO 8.3% Campbell County, VA 8.6% Washington County, VA 8.7% |
| Unemployment about the same | 3.4% | 3.5% | Blount County, AL 2.1% Autauga County, AL 2.2% Chilton County, AL 2.2% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 85.2% | 86.8% | Liberty County, GA 93.1% Lynchburg city, VA 92.2% Autauga County, AL 90.9% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 behind similar counties | 499 | 366 | Riley County, KS 120 Anderson County, TN 161 Blue Earth County, MN 164 |
| Bridges rated poor behind similar counties | 7.7% | 5.8% | Upshur County, TX 0.0% Lamar County, MS 0.0% Caldwell County, TX 0.5% |
“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.