“Counties like it” are non-metro counties with a similar population and a median household income near Carroll County's ($53,986). 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: drug overdose deaths per 100,000, life expectancy, food insecurity, households with broadband internet.
| Measure | Carroll County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | 2.6% 28,241 → 28,968 | 0.6% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $12,897 | $13,479 |
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, Carroll County's general fund held $3,828,668 — enough to cover about 8.1 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $4,002,928. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 49 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 $53,986 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Carroll County is furthest behind on jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64, residents per mental health provider, adults under 65 without health insurance.
| Measure | Carroll County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 about the same | 24.6 | 25.3 | Brown County, TX 9.6 Delta County, MI 10.1 Scotts Bluff County, NE 10.3 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 75.3 years | 72.6 years | Nodaway County, MO 80.2 years Ellis County, KS 79.0 years Menominee County, MI 78.4 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance behind similar counties | 14.3% | 11.6% | Mineral County, WV 5.4% Warren County, PA 5.9% McDonough County, IL 6.0% |
| Residents per primary care doctor ahead of similar counties | 1,497 | 2,458 | Adair County, MO 572 Franklin County, ME 958 Carroll County, VA 1,076 |
| Residents per mental health provider behind similar counties | 1,108 | 811 | Pike County, OH 74 Taos County, NM 115 Pittsburg County, OK 119 |
| Children in poverty ahead of similar counties | 19.4% | 22.9% | Ellis County, KS 11.5% Nodaway County, MO 13.0% Houghton County, MI 14.0% |
| Food insecurity about the same | 17.4% | 17.0% | Mineral County, WV 12.3% Langlade County, WI 12.5% Abbeville County, SC 12.8% |
| Households with severe housing problems behind similar counties | 14.7% | 12.4% | McNairy County, TN 7.3% Taylor County, KY 7.6% Mineral County, WV 7.6% |
| Unemployment ahead of similar counties | 2.9% | 3.7% | Ellis County, KS 1.9% Union County, MS 2.3% Chambers County, AL 2.4% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 85.7% | 81.9% | Ellis County, KS 92.3% Rowan County, KY 92.1% Curry County, OR 89.9% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 behind similar counties | 614 | 429 | Chambers County, AL 9 Howell County, MO 13 Houghton County, MI 73 |
| Bridges rated poor ahead of similar counties | 1.7% | 4.8% | Frio County, TX 0.0% Washington County, GA 0.0% Pierce County, GA 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.