“Counties like it” are metro-area counties with a similar population and a median household income near Arlington County's ($138,416). 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 7: life expectancy, adults under 65 without health insurance, residents per primary care doctor, residents per mental health provider, food insecurity, households with broadband internet, bridges rated poor.
| Measure | Arlington County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | 0.4% 238,829 → 239,807 | 4.3% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $23,424 | $16,502 |
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.
“Counties like it” means other counties in a metro area with a similar number of people and a similar median household income (about $138,416 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Arlington County is furthest behind on households with severe housing problems, children in poverty.
| Measure | Arlington County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 ahead of similar counties | 12.3 | 18.7 | Wright County, MN 9.5 Carver County, MN 11.7 Douglas County, CO 12.0 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 83.9 years | 80.5 years | Marin County, CA 84.3 years Hunterdon County, NJ 82.8 years Howard County, MD 82.5 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance about the same | 4.8% | 5.2% | Plymouth County, MA 2.4% District of Columbia, DC 3.1% Carver County, MN 3.3% |
| Residents per primary care doctor about the same | 1,294 | 1,273 | Howard County, MD 545 Marin County, CA 671 Delaware County, OH 677 |
| Residents per mental health provider about the same | 347 | 358 | Marin County, CA 104 District of Columbia, DC 138 Plymouth County, MA 154 |
| Children in poverty behind similar counties | 8.0% | 6.5% | Douglas County, CO 3.1% Carver County, MN 3.8% Hunterdon County, NJ 4.3% |
| Food insecurity about the same | 9.9% | 8.8% | Carver County, MN 6.0% Scott County, MN 6.2% Washington County, MN 6.5% |
| Households with severe housing problems behind similar counties | 15.9% | 12.0% | Hamilton County, IN 8.1% Delaware County, OH 8.3% Warren County, OH 8.3% |
| Unemployment ahead of similar counties | 2.1% | 2.8% | Howard County, MD 1.7% Carroll County, MD 1.7% Anne Arundel County, MD 1.8% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 94.5% | 94.2% | Douglas County, CO 97.7% Forsyth County, GA 97.2% Rockwall County, TX 96.6% |
| Bridges rated poor about the same | 3.3% | 3.5% | James City County, VA 0.0% Calvert County, MD 0.0% Spotsylvania County, VA 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.