“Counties like it” are metro-area counties with a similar population and a median household income near Bastrop County's ($77,345). 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 6 measures:
About the same on 3: life expectancy, unemployment, households with broadband internet.
| Measure | Bastrop County | Typical similar county |
|---|---|---|
| Population change, 2020–2024 | 17.2% 98,072 → 114,931 | 3.3% |
| School spending per student (day-to-day costs) | $11,558 | $13,718 |
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 $77,345 here). Comparing with them, instead of the whole country, shows what similar places have managed. Bastrop County is furthest behind on adults under 65 without health insurance, residents per mental health provider, residents per primary care doctor.
| Measure | Bastrop County | Typical similar county | Doing best among similar counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 ahead of similar counties | 13.7 | 25.3 | Limestone County, AL 6.5 Story County, IA 7.7 Coryell County, TX 9.3 |
| Life expectancy about the same | 76.7 years | 76.7 years | Benton County, OR 82.4 years Johnson County, IA 82.0 years Maui County, HI 81.7 years |
| Adults under 65 without health insurance behind similar counties | 20.8% | 8.0% | Hampshire County, MA 2.5% Berkshire County, MA 2.8% Ontario County, NY 4.3% |
| Residents per primary care doctor behind similar counties | 4,252 | 1,841 | Johnson County, IA 521 Eau Claire County, WI 705 La Crosse County, WI 717 |
| Residents per mental health provider behind similar counties | 1,335 | 469 | Benton County, OR 73 Hampshire County, MA 89 Berkshire County, MA 99 |
| Children in poverty behind similar counties | 16.2% | 13.0% | Roanoke County, VA 8.2% Cache County, UT 8.3% Leavenworth County, KS 9.0% |
| Food insecurity behind similar counties | 14.8% | 12.6% | Suffolk city, VA 8.6% Sheboygan County, WI 9.3% Hampshire County, MA 9.3% |
| Households with severe housing problems behind similar counties | 15.7% | 12.4% | Cole County, MO 7.6% Floyd County, IN 8.4% Bedford County, VA 8.4% |
| Unemployment about the same | 3.4% | 3.0% | Pennington County, SD 1.9% Morgan County, AL 2.0% Strafford County, NH 2.1% |
| Households with broadband internet about the same | 86.1% | 89.4% | Newton County, GA 93.7% Douglas County, GA 93.0% Barrow County, GA 92.7% |
| Bridges rated poor ahead of similar counties | 0.4% | 5.2% | Barrow County, GA 0.0% Rockdale County, GA 0.0% Douglas 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.