“Counties like it” are non-metro counties with a similar population and a median household income near Cleveland County's ($54,458). Ahead or behind means more than 15% better or worse than the typical one.
Ahead of similar counties on 4 measures:
About the same on 5: life expectancy, children in poverty, food insecurity, unemployment, households with broadband internet.
| Measure | Cleveland County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | -2.5% 7,554 → 7,367 | -0.0% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $11,687 | $15,107 |
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, Cleveland County's general fund held $3,000,776 — enough to cover about 16.3 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $2,679,815. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 24 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 $54,458 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed.
| Measure | Cleveland County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy about the same | 71.5 years | 74.3 years | Brewster County, TX 79.7 years Washington County, KS 79.6 years Adams County, ID 79.2 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance ahead of similar counties | 8.3% | 12.0% | Essex County, VT 5.2% Lucas County, IA 5.4% Tyler County, WV 5.6% |
| Children in poverty about the same | 20.8% | 22.0% | Washington County, KS 12.1% Chariton County, MO 13.2% Brown County, KS 13.4% |
| Food insecurity about the same | 17.5% | 15.7% | Cumberland County, VA 9.3% Taylor County, IA 9.9% Grant County, WV 11.6% |
| Households with severe housing problems ahead of similar counties | 5.5% | 11.2% | Doddridge County, WV 5.0% Tyler County, WV 5.4% Edwards County, IL 5.8% |
| Unemployment about the same | 3.5% | 3.3% | Tripp County, SD 1.6% Kit Carson County, CO 1.8% Keith County, NE 1.8% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 79.1% | 80.8% | Norton County, KS 92.6% Sherman County, KS 91.8% Franklin city, VA 90.1% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 ahead of similar counties | 111 | 426 | Coosa County, AL 32 Alcona County, MI 73 Deer Lodge County, MT 115 |
| Bridges rated poor ahead of similar counties | 5.1% | 6.9% | Sheridan County, NE 0.0% Toole County, MT 0.0% Haskell 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.