“Counties like it” are metro-area counties with a similar population and a median household income near Poinsett County's ($51,635). Ahead or behind means more than 15% better or worse than the typical one.
Ahead of similar counties on 2 measures:
Behind similar counties on 3 measures:
About the same on 7: drug overdose deaths per 100,000, life expectancy, children in poverty, households with severe housing problems, unemployment, households with broadband internet, jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64.
| Measure | Poinsett County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | -2.9% 22,955 → 22,300 | 0.4% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $12,372 | $13,581 |
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, Poinsett County's general fund held $3,899,157 — enough to cover about 16.4 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $2,321,928. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 23 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 $51,635 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Poinsett County is furthest behind on bridges rated poor, residents per primary care doctor, food insecurity.
| Measure | Poinsett County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 about the same | 29.2 | 30.6 | Polk County, MO 15.4 Geneva County, AL 16.3 Copiah County, MS 17.9 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 68.7 years | 72.1 years | Radford city, VA 74.8 years Bates County, MO 74.7 years Polk County, MO 74.6 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance ahead of similar counties | 9.2% | 11.1% | Brooke County, WV 5.7% Radford city, VA 5.9% Somerset County, MD 6.1% |
| Residents per primary care doctor behind similar counties | 11,330 | 3,392 | Waynesboro city, VA 1,187 Polk County, MO 1,232 Bibb County, AL 1,498 |
| Residents per mental health provider ahead of similar counties | 367 | 1,377 | Somerset County, MD 304 Iberville Parish, LA 337 Radford city, VA 386 |
| Children in poverty about the same | 27.1% | 25.0% | Bates County, MO 16.4% Brooke County, WV 17.5% Radford city, VA 17.9% |
| Food insecurity behind similar counties | 21.6% | 16.7% | Brooke County, WV 12.7% Fairfield County, SC 12.8% McDuffie County, GA 13.6% |
| Households with severe housing problems about the same | 11.8% | 12.2% | Brooke County, WV 7.3% Henry County, AL 8.4% Unicoi County, TN 9.4% |
| Unemployment about the same | 3.3% | 3.6% | Geneva County, AL 2.4% Bibb County, AL 2.5% Madison County, AR 2.6% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 79.6% | 80.8% | Madison County, AR 88.7% Radford city, VA 88.5% Waynesboro city, VA 87.5% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 about the same | 462 | 541 | Madison County, AR 10 Bates County, MO 111 Pawnee County, OK 228 |
| Bridges rated poor behind similar counties | 16.0% | 5.6% | Henry County, AL 0.0% Worth County, GA 0.0% Bibb County, AL 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.