“Counties like it” are non-metro counties with a similar population and a median household income near Sharp County's ($45,258). 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 2 measures:
About the same on 8: life expectancy, adults under 65 without health insurance, children in poverty, food insecurity, households with severe housing problems, unemployment, households with broadband internet, bridges rated poor.
| Measure | Sharp County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | 4.7% 17,315 → 18,130 | -1.5% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $12,851 | $13,833 |
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, Sharp County's general fund held $3,206,091 — enough to cover about 10.7 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $1,197,113. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 36 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 $45,258 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Sharp County is furthest behind on residents per primary care doctor, jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64.
| Measure | Sharp County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 ahead of similar counties | 28.4 | 33.9 | Tattnall County, GA 13.8 Emanuel County, GA 14.7 Scott County, TN 15.1 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 73.0 years | 70.9 years | Gogebic County, MI 76.6 years Cedar County, MO 74.7 years Zapata County, TX 74.7 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance about the same | 10.9% | 11.8% | Gogebic County, MI 6.1% Powell County, KY 6.2% Perry County, KY 6.6% |
| Residents per primary care doctor behind similar counties | 4,405 | 3,140 | Perry County, KY 873 Fayette County, AL 1,009 Drew County, AR 1,069 |
| Residents per mental health provider ahead of similar counties | 499 | 1,032 | San Miguel County, NM 91 Perry County, KY 121 Choctaw County, OK 121 |
| Children in poverty about the same | 25.4% | 28.5% | Tishomingo County, MS 18.1% Monroe County, WV 20.5% Cedar County, MO 21.3% |
| Food insecurity about the same | 19.9% | 19.1% | Hampton County, SC 13.4% Monroe County, WV 13.5% Washington County, GA 13.8% |
| Households with severe housing problems about the same | 13.9% | 12.5% | Monroe County, WV 5.2% Winn Parish, LA 6.3% Lawrence County, AR 8.0% |
| Unemployment about the same | 3.9% | 4.3% | Crenshaw County, AL 2.7% Covington County, MS 2.7% Grayson County, VA 2.7% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 74.1% | 78.0% | Perry County, KY 86.6% Johnson County, KY 86.5% Dunklin County, MO 86.3% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 behind similar counties | 513 | 446 | Barbour County, AL 39 Jackson County, AR 90 Bamberg County, SC 166 |
| Bridges rated poor about the same | 5.4% | 6.1% | Zapata County, TX 0.0% Martinsville city, VA 0.0% Grundy County, TN 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.