“Counties like it” are non-metro counties with a similar population and a median household income near Phillips County's ($37,338). 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 5 measures:
About the same on 3: life expectancy, food insecurity, households with broadband internet.
| Measure | Phillips County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | -10.8% 16,441 → 14,661 | -4.0% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $14,946 | $15,411 |
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, Phillips County's general fund held $715,507 — enough to cover about 2.1 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $28,913. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 73 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 $37,338 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Phillips County is furthest behind on bridges rated poor, unemployment, children in poverty.
| Measure | Phillips County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy about the same | 67.4 years | 70.3 years | Kemper County, MS 75.7 years Zapata County, TX 74.7 years Grayson County, VA 74.6 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance ahead of similar counties | 8.7% | 11.6% | Leslie County, KY 5.4% Metcalfe County, KY 6.4% Harlan County, KY 6.6% |
| Residents per primary care doctor ahead of similar counties | 1,591 | 2,880 | Perry County, KY 873 Leflore County, MS 1,253 Chicot County, AR 1,670 |
| Residents per mental health provider behind similar counties | 1,360 | 1,073 | Madison Parish, LA 114 Perry County, KY 121 Latimer County, OK 140 |
| Children in poverty behind similar counties | 45.2% | 37.0% | Grayson County, VA 23.0% Grundy County, TN 26.9% Oregon County, MO 27.6% |
| Food insecurity about the same | 22.2% | 20.8% | Bamberg County, SC 15.0% Grayson County, VA 15.5% Marion County, SC 16.2% |
| Households with severe housing problems behind similar counties | 16.7% | 14.3% | Grayson County, VA 8.4% Perry County, KY 8.5% Metcalfe County, KY 8.6% |
| Unemployment behind similar counties | 6.5% | 5.2% | Bullock County, AL 2.4% Grayson County, VA 2.7% Tallahatchie County, MS 3.3% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 79.2% | 76.2% | Perry County, KY 86.6% Mingo County, WV 83.8% Magoffin County, KY 83.0% |
| Bridges rated poor behind similar counties | 19.6% | 6.7% | Jenkins County, GA 0.0% Turner County, GA 0.0% Telfair 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.