“Counties like it” are non-metro counties with a similar population and a median household income near Johnson County's ($50,387). Ahead or behind means more than 15% better or worse than the typical one.
Ahead of similar counties on 5 measures:
Behind similar counties on 2 measures:
About the same on 5: life expectancy, adults under 65 without health insurance, unemployment, households with broadband internet, jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64.
| Measure | Johnson County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | 1.7% 25,727 → 26,172 | 0.5% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $12,367 | $13,547 |
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, Johnson County's general fund held $3,370,717 — enough to cover about 5.0 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $3,195,720. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 65 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 $50,387 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Johnson County is furthest behind on food insecurity, households with severe housing problems.
| Measure | Johnson County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 ahead of similar counties | 21.7 | 27.4 | Kleberg County, TX 10.9 Chambers County, AL 11.8 Graves County, KY 12.7 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 73.4 years | 72.1 years | Alpena County, MI 77.0 years Osceola County, MI 76.9 years McDonough County, IL 76.7 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance about the same | 11.4% | 11.9% | McDonough County, IL 6.0% Rowan County, KY 6.2% Alpena County, MI 6.2% |
| Residents per primary care doctor ahead of similar counties | 1,846 | 2,496 | Greenbrier County, WV 665 Carroll County, VA 1,076 Taos County, NM 1,154 |
| Residents per mental health provider ahead of similar counties | 402 | 878 | Pike County, OH 74 San Miguel County, NM 91 Taos County, NM 115 |
| Children in poverty ahead of similar counties | 19.6% | 24.9% | Logan County, CO 15.7% Cass County, IN 16.5% Marion County, KY 17.3% |
| Food insecurity behind similar counties | 21.2% | 17.8% | Abbeville County, SC 12.8% Halifax County, VA 12.8% Logan County, CO 13.0% |
| Households with severe housing problems behind similar counties | 14.6% | 12.6% | McNairy County, TN 7.3% Taylor County, KY 7.6% Mason County, WV 7.8% |
| Unemployment about the same | 4.4% | 3.8% | Union County, MS 2.3% Chambers County, AL 2.4% Franklin County, AL 2.6% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 70.2% | 80.4% | Rowan County, KY 92.1% Curry County, OR 89.9% Montgomery County, KY 89.1% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 about the same | 487 | 466 | Chambers County, AL 9 Barry County, MO 96 Hardin County, TN 159 |
| Bridges rated poor ahead of similar counties | 1.9% | 4.8% | Cook County, GA 0.0% Berrien County, GA 0.0% Appling County, GA 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.