“Counties like it” are non-metro counties with a similar population and a median household income near Franklin County's ($54,077). 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 4 measures:
About the same on 6: life expectancy, residents per primary care doctor, children in poverty, households with severe housing problems, unemployment, households with broadband internet.
| Measure | Franklin County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | 2.6% 17,141 → 17,586 | 0.5% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $11,245 | $13,657 |
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, Franklin County's general fund held $2,362,740 — enough to cover about 4.7 months of that year's spending. Five years earlier (2020) it held $1,673,252. Among the 75 Arkansas counties whose state audits include this five-year schedule, that ranks 68 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 $54,077 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Franklin County is furthest behind on bridges rated poor, residents per mental health provider, jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64.
| Measure | Franklin County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 ahead of similar counties | 19.1 | 29.4 | Cleburne County, AR 13.3 Tattnall County, GA 13.8 Clarke County, AL 14.6 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 72.3 years | 72.9 years | Nodaway County, MO 80.2 years Glades County, FL 80.0 years Crawford County, WI 78.7 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance ahead of similar counties | 9.5% | 11.6% | Union County, IA 5.6% Appanoose County, IA 5.6% Clay County, IL 5.9% |
| Residents per primary care doctor about the same | 2,862 | 2,853 | Adair County, MO 572 Ashland County, WI 575 Northampton County, VA 930 |
| Residents per mental health provider behind similar counties | 4,367 | 992 | Alamosa County, CO 66 Atoka County, OK 90 Colfax County, NM 98 |
| Children in poverty about the same | 23.7% | 23.3% | Nodaway County, MO 13.0% Custer County, MT 13.4% Wadena County, MN 15.3% |
| Food insecurity behind similar counties | 21.3% | 17.0% | Crawford County, WI 11.5% Brunswick County, VA 11.7% Union County, IA 11.9% |
| Households with severe housing problems about the same | 13.2% | 11.9% | Lawrence County, IL 6.7% Taylor County, WV 6.9% Lincoln County, AR 7.1% |
| Unemployment about the same | 3.2% | 3.8% | Clay County, AL 2.4% Livingston County, MO 2.4% Cherokee County, AL 2.4% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 76.5% | 80.7% | Rowan County, KY 92.1% Curry County, OR 89.9% Alamosa County, CO 89.7% |
| Jail population per 100,000 residents 15–64 behind similar counties | 691 | 423 | Glacier County, MT 97 Ohio County, KY 109 Idaho County, ID 130 |
| Bridges rated poor behind similar counties | 9.9% | 5.1% | Reeves County, TX 0.0% Morris County, TX 0.0% Bleckley 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.