“Counties like it” are non-metro counties with a similar population and a median household income near Ouachita County's ($49,690). 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, children in poverty, food insecurity, households with severe housing problems, unemployment, households with broadband internet.
| Measure | Ouachita County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | -4.1% 22,617 → 21,684 | 0.3% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $13,409 | $13,563 |
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, Ouachita County's general fund held $6,643,702 — enough to cover about 13.1 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $5,327,153. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 29 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 $49,690 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Ouachita County is furthest behind on bridges rated poor, jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64.
| Measure | Ouachita County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 ahead of similar counties | 16.3 | 28.6 | Kleberg County, TX 10.9 Upson County, GA 13.4 Tattnall County, GA 13.8 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 70.8 years | 72.0 years | Trinity County, CA 77.0 years Alpena County, MI 77.0 years McDonough County, IL 76.7 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance ahead of similar counties | 7.9% | 12.3% | McDonough County, IL 6.0% Trinity County, CA 6.0% Rowan County, KY 6.2% |
| Residents per primary care doctor ahead of similar counties | 1,716 | 2,690 | Ashland County, WI 575 Greenbrier County, WV 665 Fayette County, AL 1,009 |
| Residents per mental health provider ahead of similar counties | 559 | 929 | Alamosa County, CO 66 Pike County, OH 74 Atoka County, OK 90 |
| Children in poverty about the same | 25.3% | 25.7% | Ashland County, WI 16.9% Marion County, KY 17.3% Stoddard County, MO 17.9% |
| Food insecurity about the same | 18.5% | 18.1% | Brunswick County, VA 11.7% Hill County, MT 12.5% Abbeville County, SC 12.8% |
| Households with severe housing problems about the same | 12.1% | 12.6% | McNairy County, TN 7.3% Taylor County, KY 7.6% Mason County, WV 7.8% |
| Unemployment about the same | 3.9% | 3.8% | Hill County, MT 2.5% Franklin County, AL 2.6% Arkansas County, AR 2.7% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 80.2% | 79.9% | Rowan County, KY 92.1% Alamosa County, CO 89.7% Logan County, WV 88.8% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 behind similar counties | 1,070 | 484 | Barbour County, AL 39 Jackson County, AR 90 Hardin County, TN 159 |
| Bridges rated poor behind similar counties | 10.5% | 4.6% | Jefferson County, GA 0.0% Jeff Davis County, GA 0.0% Alamosa County, CO 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.