“Counties like it” are metro-area counties with a similar population and a median household income near Benton County's ($92,632). 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 5 measures:
About the same on 3: life expectancy, children in poverty, households with broadband internet.
| Measure | Benton County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | 12.2% 286,621 → 321,566 | 3.0% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $11,852 | $16,569 |
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, Benton County's general fund held $24,149,301 — enough to cover about 4.1 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $25,967,496. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 70 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 $92,632 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Benton County is furthest behind on jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64, adults under 65 without health insurance, food insecurity.
| Measure | Benton County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 ahead of similar counties | 14.5 | 25.4 | Ellis County, TX 10.7 Hays County, TX 11.5 Dakota County, MN 14.6 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 78.2 years | 79.0 years | Collier County, FL 84.0 years Boulder County, CO 82.3 years Dakota County, MN 80.9 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance behind similar counties | 10.6% | 7.1% | Barnstable County, MA 3.0% Saratoga County, NY 3.7% Waukesha County, WI 3.9% |
| Residents per primary care doctor behind similar counties | 1,678 | 1,289 | Washtenaw County, MI 563 Cumberland County, ME 603 Waukesha County, WI 713 |
| Residents per mental health provider behind similar counties | 396 | 318 | Boulder County, CO 106 Cumberland County, ME 119 Anchorage Municipality, AK 128 |
| Children in poverty about the same | 9.0% | 9.9% | Waukesha County, WI 4.4% St. Charles County, MO 5.6% Dakota County, MN 6.4% |
| Food insecurity behind similar counties | 14.0% | 11.1% | Dakota County, MN 7.1% Anoka County, MN 7.2% Waukesha County, WI 7.7% |
| Households with severe housing problems ahead of similar counties | 10.5% | 14.3% | St. Charles County, MO 8.2% Shelby County, AL 10.0% Union County, NC 10.1% |
| Unemployment ahead of similar counties | 2.4% | 3.3% | Shelby County, AL 1.8% Madison County, AL 2.0% Cumberland County, ME 2.4% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 93.0% | 92.6% | McHenry County, IL 95.1% Boulder County, CO 95.0% Kitsap County, WA 94.8% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 behind similar counties | 257 | 162 | Dakota County, MN 63 Gloucester County, NJ 79 Clay County, MO 106 |
| Bridges rated poor ahead of similar counties | 2.4% | 3.8% | Anchorage Municipality, AK 0.0% Hays County, TX 0.4% Kitsap County, WA 0.8% |
“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.