“Counties like it” are non-metro counties with a similar population and a median household income near Jefferson County's ($49,581). 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, food insecurity, households with severe housing problems, households with broadband internet, jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64, bridges rated poor.
| Measure | Jefferson County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | -4.7% 66,835 → 63,672 | 0.8% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $14,462 | $12,937 |
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, Jefferson County's general fund held $12,387,286 — enough to cover about 7.3 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $6,747,392. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 59 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 $49,581 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Jefferson County is furthest behind on children in poverty, unemployment.
| Measure | Jefferson County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 ahead of similar counties | 20.5 | 33.4 | Lincoln Parish, LA 9.1 Lauderdale County, MS 9.2 Jackson County, AL 10.8 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 70.3 years | 72.2 years | Santa Cruz County, AZ 79.9 years Jefferson County, PA 75.9 years Oktibbeha County, MS 75.2 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance ahead of similar counties | 7.8% | 12.3% | Vermilion County, IL 5.4% Isabella County, MI 6.6% Pike County, KY 7.0% |
| Residents per primary care doctor ahead of similar counties | 1,372 | 2,185 | Jackson County, IL 618 Lauderdale County, MS 988 Baxter County, AR 1,171 |
| Residents per mental health provider ahead of similar counties | 416 | 530 | Scioto County, OH 109 Pittsburg County, OK 119 Bryan County, OK 120 |
| Children in poverty behind similar counties | 32.0% | 25.4% | Isabella County, MI 16.3% Phelps County, MO 17.0% Taney County, MO 18.5% |
| Food insecurity about the same | 17.0% | 17.6% | Jefferson County, PA 13.8% Vermilion County, IL 14.3% Henry County, VA 14.4% |
| Households with severe housing problems about the same | 13.7% | 14.2% | McDowell County, NC 9.3% Wilkes County, NC 9.8% Greene County, TN 10.1% |
| Unemployment behind similar counties | 4.6% | 3.9% | DeKalb County, AL 2.3% Jackson County, AL 2.5% Colquitt County, GA 2.8% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 78.5% | 83.1% | Taney County, MO 88.7% Phelps County, MO 88.4% Otero County, NM 88.0% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 about the same | 415 | 428 | Lauderdale County, MS 43 St. Mary Parish, LA 63 Washington Parish, LA 91 |
| Bridges rated poor about the same | 4.8% | 5.4% | Baxter County, AR 0.0% Baldwin County, GA 0.0% Curry 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.