“Counties like it” are non-metro counties with a similar population and a median household income near Greene County's ($55,444). 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 2 measures:
About the same on 6: life expectancy, residents per primary care doctor, children in poverty, households with severe housing problems, unemployment, households with broadband internet.
| Measure | Greene County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | 2.3% 45,861 → 46,928 | 0.8% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $11,592 | $13,287 |
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, Greene County's general fund held $9,618,689 — enough to cover about 19.9 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $4,904,193. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 12 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 $55,444 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Greene County is furthest behind on jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64, food insecurity.
| Measure | Greene County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 ahead of similar counties | 13.7 | 25.4 | Brown County, TX 9.6 Val Verde County, TX 9.7 Navarro County, TX 10.1 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 73.5 years | 73.4 years | Santa Cruz County, AZ 79.9 years Madison County, ID 79.1 years Albany County, WY 78.5 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance ahead of similar counties | 8.0% | 11.2% | Lee County, IA 4.8% Chenango County, NY 4.8% Williamson County, IL 5.0% |
| Residents per primary care doctor about the same | 2,014 | 2,207 | Harrison County, WV 795 Greenwood County, SC 855 Aroostook County, ME 891 |
| Residents per mental health provider ahead of similar counties | 417 | 568 | Taos County, NM 115 Pittsburg County, OK 119 Bryan County, OK 120 |
| Children in poverty about the same | 19.1% | 21.6% | Madison County, ID 11.5% Albany County, WY 12.0% Houghton County, MI 14.0% |
| Food insecurity behind similar counties | 19.9% | 16.6% | Bedford County, PA 12.5% Lee County, IA 12.8% Halifax County, VA 12.8% |
| Households with severe housing problems about the same | 13.1% | 13.1% | Weakley County, TN 8.1% Warren County, PA 8.8% Laclede County, MO 9.0% |
| Unemployment about the same | 3.3% | 3.9% | Madison County, ID 2.2% Chambers County, AL 2.4% Jackson County, AL 2.5% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 85.5% | 83.8% | Pasquotank County, NC 89.9% Albany County, WY 89.6% Rhea County, TN 88.9% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 behind similar counties | 963 | 424 | Chambers County, AL 9 St. Mary Parish, LA 63 Houghton County, MI 73 |
| Bridges rated poor ahead of similar counties | 2.4% | 5.3% | Hale County, TX 0.0% Accomack County, VA 0.0% Delta County, MI 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.