“Counties like it” are non-metro counties with a similar population and a median household income near Van Buren County's ($50,332). Ahead or behind means more than 15% better or worse than the typical one.
Behind similar counties on 3 measures:
About the same on 8: life expectancy, adults under 65 without health insurance, residents per mental health provider, children in poverty, households with severe housing problems, unemployment, households with broadband internet, jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64.
| Measure | Van Buren County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | 2.2% 15,797 → 16,152 | -0.2% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $13,723 | $13,560 |
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 2023, Van Buren County's general fund held $4,290,759 — enough to cover about 7.8 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2019) it held $1,963,216. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 52 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 $50,332 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Van Buren County is furthest behind on bridges rated poor, residents per primary care doctor, food insecurity.
| Measure | Van Buren County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy about the same | 73.9 years | 72.1 years | Glades County, FL 80.0 years Presque Isle County, MI 77.6 years Alleghany County, NC 77.3 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance about the same | 10.4% | 11.9% | Appanoose County, IA 5.6% Greensville County, VA 5.9% Clay County, IL 5.9% |
| Residents per primary care doctor behind similar counties | 3,923 | 3,037 | Ashland County, WI 575 Northampton County, VA 930 Alleghany County, NC 1,004 |
| Residents per mental health provider about the same | 1,076 | 1,110 | Alamosa County, CO 66 Atoka County, OK 90 Colfax County, NM 98 |
| Children in poverty about the same | 23.8% | 25.5% | Hardy County, WV 16.4% Ashland County, WI 16.9% Marion County, KY 17.3% |
| Food insecurity behind similar counties | 21.2% | 18.1% | Greensville County, VA 10.3% Grant County, WV 11.6% Brunswick County, VA 11.7% |
| Households with severe housing problems about the same | 11.7% | 12.3% | Monroe County, WV 5.2% Conecuh County, AL 6.3% Winn Parish, LA 6.3% |
| Unemployment about the same | 4.0% | 3.8% | Clay County, AL 2.4% Candler County, GA 2.5% Hill County, MT 2.5% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 79.3% | 79.4% | Curry County, OR 89.9% Alamosa County, CO 89.7% Newton County, TX 89.2% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 about the same | 512 | 450 | Jackson County, AR 90 Glacier County, MT 97 Appanoose County, IA 138 |
| Bridges rated poor behind similar counties | 8.2% | 5.0% | Candler County, GA 0.0% Lawrence County, MS 0.0% Morris 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.