“Counties like it” are metro-area counties with a similar population and a median household income near Little River County's ($48,837). 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 4 measures:
About the same on 5: life expectancy, children in poverty, food insecurity, unemployment, households with broadband internet.
| Measure | Little River County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | -2.9% 11,971 → 11,626 | -0.4% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $12,882 | $14,017 |
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, Little River County's general fund held $2,809,191 — enough to cover about 8.0 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $1,558,868. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 50 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 $48,837 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Little River County is furthest behind on residents per mental health provider, jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64, residents per primary care doctor.
| Measure | Little River County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy about the same | 71.8 years | 71.6 years | Radford city, VA 74.8 years Lanier County, GA 74.6 years Henry County, AL 74.2 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance ahead of similar counties | 7.9% | 11.0% | Brooke County, WV 5.7% Radford city, VA 5.9% Boone County, WV 6.9% |
| Residents per primary care doctor behind similar counties | 5,972 | 3,935 | Bibb County, AL 1,498 Richland Parish, LA 1,523 Bristol city, VA 1,550 |
| Residents per mental health provider behind similar counties | 11,805 | 1,370 | Lawrence County, KY 66 Richland Parish, LA 162 Poinsett County, AR 367 |
| Children in poverty about the same | 25.3% | 28.1% | Brooke County, WV 17.5% Radford city, VA 17.9% Morgan County, TN 19.6% |
| Food insecurity about the same | 15.7% | 17.2% | Sussex County, VA 10.5% Brooke County, WV 12.7% Fairfield County, SC 12.8% |
| Households with severe housing problems ahead of similar counties | 7.2% | 11.9% | Brooke County, WV 7.3% Marion County, GA 8.2% Perry County, MS 8.2% |
| Unemployment about the same | 3.5% | 3.9% | Bibb County, AL 2.5% Madison County, AR 2.6% Henry County, AL 2.6% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 78.7% | 79.8% | Madison County, AR 88.7% Radford city, VA 88.5% Boone County, WV 86.3% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 behind similar counties | 817 | 516 | Bristol city, VA 1 Madison County, AR 10 Hale County, AL 22 |
| Bridges rated poor behind similar counties | 7.2% | 5.8% | Marion County, GA 0.0% Twiggs County, GA 0.0% Lanier 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.