“Counties like it” are non-metro counties with a similar population and a median household income near Conway County's ($53,863). Ahead or behind means more than 15% better or worse than the typical one.
Ahead of similar counties on 6 measures:
Behind similar counties on 1 measure:
About the same on 5: life expectancy, children in poverty, unemployment, households with broadband internet, jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64.
| Measure | Conway County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | 3.3% 20,734 → 21,422 | 0.6% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $12,043 | $13,636 |
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, Conway County's general fund held $2,114,657 — enough to cover about 3.5 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $2,223,549. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 71 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 $53,863 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Conway County is furthest behind on food insecurity.
| Measure | Conway County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 ahead of similar counties | 19.1 | 28.5 | Kleberg County, TX 10.9 Cleburne County, AR 13.3 Upson County, GA 13.4 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 73.1 years | 72.7 years | Nodaway County, MO 80.2 years Ellis County, KS 79.0 years Crawford County, WI 78.7 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance ahead of similar counties | 8.9% | 11.6% | Mineral County, WV 5.4% McDonough County, IL 6.0% Trinity County, CA 6.0% |
| Residents per primary care doctor ahead of similar counties | 1,739 | 2,496 | Adair County, MO 572 Ashland County, WI 575 Franklin County, ME 958 |
| Residents per mental health provider ahead of similar counties | 422 | 971 | Alamosa County, CO 66 Pike County, OH 74 Atoka County, OK 90 |
| Children in poverty about the same | 23.0% | 23.3% | Ellis County, KS 11.5% Nodaway County, MO 13.0% Wadena County, MN 15.3% |
| Food insecurity behind similar counties | 21.1% | 17.1% | Crawford County, WI 11.5% Brunswick County, VA 11.7% Wadena County, MN 12.0% |
| Households with severe housing problems ahead of similar counties | 9.8% | 12.0% | Lawrence County, IL 6.7% Taylor County, WV 6.9% McNairy County, TN 7.3% |
| Unemployment about the same | 3.8% | 3.7% | Ellis County, KS 1.9% Union County, MS 2.3% Cherokee County, AL 2.4% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 79.6% | 81.1% | Ellis County, KS 92.3% Rowan County, KY 92.1% Curry County, OR 89.9% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 about the same | 484 | 462 | Ohio County, KY 109 Franklin County, ME 109 Idaho County, ID 130 |
| Bridges rated poor ahead of similar counties | 0.0% | 4.9% | San Juan County, UT 0.0% Pecos County, TX 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.