“Counties like it” are non-metro counties with a similar population and a median household income near Mississippi County's ($49,484). Ahead or behind means more than 15% better or worse than the typical one.
Ahead of similar counties on 1 measure:
Behind similar counties on 5 measures:
About the same on 6: drug overdose deaths per 100,000, life expectancy, residents per mental health provider, food insecurity, households with severe housing problems, households with broadband internet.
| Measure | Mississippi County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | -6.0% 40,545 → 38,095 | 0.2% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $14,052 | $13,240 |
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, Mississippi County's general fund held $19,003,674 — enough to cover about 18.0 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $7,514,967. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 18 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 $49,484 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Mississippi County is furthest behind on bridges rated poor, unemployment, children in poverty.
| Measure | Mississippi County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 about the same | 28.7 | 27.2 | Lincoln Parish, LA 9.1 Howell County, MO 10.8 Jackson County, AL 10.8 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 67.9 years | 71.9 years | Santa Cruz County, AZ 79.9 years Alpena County, MI 77.0 years McDonough County, IL 76.7 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance ahead of similar counties | 8.4% | 12.2% | McDonough County, IL 6.0% Alpena County, MI 6.2% Taylor County, KY 6.4% |
| Residents per primary care doctor behind similar counties | 2,833 | 2,344 | Jackson County, IL 618 Greenbrier County, WV 665 Danville city, VA 898 |
| Residents per mental health provider about the same | 690 | 656 | Pike County, OH 74 San Miguel County, NM 91 Taos County, NM 115 |
| Children in poverty behind similar counties | 31.1% | 25.3% | Phelps County, MO 17.0% Stoddard County, MO 17.9% Pontotoc County, MS 18.7% |
| Food insecurity about the same | 20.1% | 17.6% | Halifax County, VA 12.8% Colleton County, SC 13.4% Randolph County, WV 13.7% |
| Households with severe housing problems about the same | 13.4% | 13.9% | Taylor County, KY 7.6% Prentiss County, MS 7.8% Laclede County, MO 9.0% |
| Unemployment behind similar counties | 4.9% | 3.9% | Chambers County, AL 2.4% Jackson County, AL 2.5% Franklin County, AL 2.6% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 82.7% | 81.3% | Logan County, WV 88.8% Phelps County, MO 88.4% Curry County, NM 87.9% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 behind similar counties | 531 | 444 | Chambers County, AL 9 Howell County, MO 13 Butler County, MO 57 |
| Bridges rated poor behind similar counties | 7.1% | 4.6% | Toombs County, GA 0.0% Kleberg County, TX 0.0% Bee County, TX 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.