How Baxter County compares

Baxter County measured against counties like it across the country, and against the other counties in Arkansas — health, money, jobs, housing, the jail, bridges, people, schools and county finances. Every figure is computed from public data and cited; “ahead” and “behind” are measured differences, not grades. For what other places have tried on each measure, see what has worked.

In short — beside 90 counties like it

“Counties like it” are non-metro counties with a similar population and a median household income near Baxter County's ($48,804). Ahead or behind means more than 15% better or worse than the typical one.

Ahead of similar counties on 7 measures:

bridges rated poor: 0.0% here, 4.8% for the typical similar county
residents per mental health provider: 327 here, 646 for the typical similar county
residents per primary care doctor: 1,171 here, 2,293 for the typical similar county
drug overdose deaths per 100,000: 14.2 here, 27.2 for the typical similar county
children in poverty: 20.6% here, 26.9% for the typical similar county
households with severe housing problems: 10.9% here, 13.9% for the typical similar county
jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64: 377 here, 460 for the typical similar county

About the same on 5: life expectancy, adults under 65 without health insurance, food insecurity, unemployment, households with broadband internet.

People and schools — beside the same similar counties

Measure	Baxter County	Typical similar county
Population change, 2020–2024	3.1% 41,696 → 43,007	-0.1%
School spending per student (day-to-day costs)	$12,296	$13,611

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.

County finances — the general fund, beside Arkansas's other counties

At the end of 2024, Baxter County's general fund held $16,990,505 — enough to cover about 17.5 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $5,386,421. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 21 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.

How Baxter County compares — beside 90 counties like it

“Counties like it” means other counties outside metro areas with a similar number of people and a similar median household income (about $48,804 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed.

Measure	Baxter County	Typical similar county	Doing best among similar counties
Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 ahead of similar counties	14.2	27.2	Lincoln Parish, LA 9.1 Howell County, MO 10.8 Jackson County, AL 10.8
Life expectancy about the same	74.2 years	71.6 years	Santa Cruz County, AZ 79.9 years Alpena County, MI 77.0 years Jefferson County, PA 75.9 years
Adults under 65 without health insurance about the same	10.8%	11.7%	Alpena County, MI 6.2% Muhlenberg County, KY 6.9% Pike County, KY 7.0%
Residents per primary care doctor ahead of similar counties	1,171	2,293	Jackson County, IL 618 Greenbrier County, WV 665 Danville city, VA 898
Residents per mental health provider ahead of similar counties	327	646	Pittsburg County, OK 119 Bryan County, OK 120 Franklin County, IL 136
Children in poverty ahead of similar counties	20.6%	26.9%	Phelps County, MO 17.0% Pontotoc County, MS 18.7% Crawford County, KS 19.1%
Food insecurity about the same	19.7%	17.6%	Halifax County, VA 12.8% Colleton County, SC 13.4% Jefferson County, PA 13.8%
Households with severe housing problems ahead of similar counties	10.9%	13.9%	Laclede County, MO 9.0% Alpena County, MI 9.1% Pontotoc County, MS 9.2%
Unemployment about the same	3.6%	4.0%	Chambers County, AL 2.4% Jackson County, AL 2.5% Franklin County, AL 2.6%
Households with broadband internet about the same	85.5%	80.8%	Logan County, WV 88.8% Phelps County, MO 88.4% Laurel County, KY 87.9%
Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 ahead of similar counties	377	460	Chambers County, AL 9 Howell County, MO 13 Butler County, MO 57
Bridges rated poor ahead of similar counties	0.0%	4.8%	Kleberg County, TX 0.0% Hale County, TX 0.0% Tift 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.

How Baxter County compares — against the other counties in Arkansas

43,007 — people: 16th highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
$12,296 — spending per student in its school districts: 43rd highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
74.2 years — life expectancy: 11th highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
10.8% — share of adults under 65 without health insurance: 16th highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
20.6% — child poverty: 56th highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
85.5% — households with broadband internet: 15th highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
$48,804 — median household income: 50th highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
$995 a month — two-bedroom fair market rent: 16th highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
0.0% — share of bridges rated poor: 74th highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
$159 — federal grant dollars per resident: 58th highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
$21.0 million — expected yearly losses from natural hazards: 21st highest of 75 Arkansas counties.

“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.