“Counties like it” are non-metro counties with a similar population and a median household income near Polk County's ($47,766). Ahead or behind means more than 15% better or worse than the typical one.
Ahead of similar counties on 3 measures:
Behind similar counties on 2 measures:
About the same on 7: life expectancy, adults under 65 without health insurance, residents per mental health provider, children in poverty, food insecurity, unemployment, households with broadband internet.
| Measure | Polk County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | 1.3% 19,186 → 19,434 | -0.4% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $13,563 | $13,641 |
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, Polk County's general fund held $9,657,605 — enough to cover about 19.3 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $3,727,323. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 13 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 $47,766 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Polk County is furthest behind on bridges rated poor, households with severe housing problems.
| Measure | Polk County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 ahead of similar counties | 17.1 | 29.2 | Sumter County, GA 12.6 Tattnall County, GA 13.8 Clarke County, AL 14.6 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 72.2 years | 71.7 years | Trinity County, CA 77.0 years McDonough County, IL 76.7 years Gogebic County, MI 76.6 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance about the same | 11.2% | 11.8% | McDonough County, IL 6.0% Trinity County, CA 6.0% Gogebic County, MI 6.1% |
| Residents per primary care doctor ahead of similar counties | 1,290 | 3,029 | Ashland County, WI 575 Fayette County, AL 1,009 Drew County, AR 1,069 |
| Residents per mental health provider about the same | 926 | 1,047 | Alamosa County, CO 66 Atoka County, OK 90 San Miguel County, NM 91 |
| Children in poverty about the same | 26.2% | 27.0% | Hardy County, WV 16.4% Ashland County, WI 16.9% Stoddard County, MO 17.9% |
| Food insecurity about the same | 19.7% | 18.4% | Brunswick County, VA 11.7% Hill County, MT 12.5% Abbeville County, SC 12.8% |
| Households with severe housing problems behind similar counties | 14.6% | 12.5% | Winn Parish, LA 6.3% Mason County, WV 7.8% Prentiss County, MS 7.8% |
| Unemployment about the same | 3.6% | 4.1% | Clay County, AL 2.4% Hill County, MT 2.5% Arkansas County, AR 2.7% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 78.6% | 79.3% | Rowan County, KY 92.1% Alamosa County, CO 89.7% Beckham County, OK 87.0% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 ahead of similar counties | 220 | 462 | Barbour County, AL 39 Jackson County, AR 90 Glacier County, MT 97 |
| Bridges rated poor behind similar counties | 13.1% | 5.0% | Martinsville city, VA 0.0% Jefferson County, GA 0.0% Jeff Davis 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.