Schools, health, disaster risk, bridges and federal grants for Dallas County, from national public records — each with its source. The same page for every U.S. county is at countycommons.us/us.
How Dallas County compares — against the other counties in Arkansas
6,076 — people: 72nd highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
$16,770 — spending per student in its school districts: 4th highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
70.5 years — life expectancy: 62nd highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
9.1% — share of adults under 65 without health insurance: 51st highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
26.9% — child poverty: 24th highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
72.0% — households with broadband internet: 67th highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
$46,701 — median household income: 57th highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
4.8% — share of bridges rated poor: 38th highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
$704 — federal grant dollars per resident: 21st highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
$3.2 million — expected yearly losses from natural hazards: 73rd highest of 75 Arkansas counties.
“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.
Public schools — district budgets, fiscal 2023
1 school district has its office in Dallas County. School taxes are usually the largest part of a property tax bill.
FORDYCE SCH DIST 39732 students
Spent $15.5 million — $12.3 million to run schools, about $16,770 per student, plus $556,000 on buildings and equipment. Money in: $1.1 million local (mostly property tax), $9.4 million state, $3 million federal. Long-term debt: $10.4 million.
Overall risk: Very Low compared with other U.S. counties. FEMA estimates natural hazards cost Dallas County about $3.2 million a year on average in buildings, crops and lives. Ability to bounce back (community resilience): Relatively Low; social vulnerability: Very High.
The costliest hazards here
River and inland flooding$1.4 million a year · Very Low
Earthquake$462,175 a year · Relatively Low
Tornado$402,325 a year · Relatively Low
Heat wave$258,976 a year · Relatively Low
Strong wind$250,635 a year · Relatively Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), expected annual loss. Ratings compare counties nationwide; they're estimates, not predictions.
Bridges — condition of every public bridge, 2025
105 bridges in Dallas County: 53 in good condition, 47 fair, and 5 poor (4.8%). “Poor” means a main part — the deck, the beams, or the supports — is rated 4 or lower on the federal 0–9 scale. It doesn't mean unsafe to drive; unsafe bridges are closed.
Busiest bridges rated poor
US79B-S6/B LM 2.39 over CRI&P RR · built 1949
6,094 vehicles a day
SH 8 S-6 LM 5.37 over Jordan Creek · built 1954
261 vehicles a day
SH 8 S-6 LM 9.92 over W FORK TULIP CK RELIEF · built 1954
261 vehicles a day
SH 8 S-6 LM 10.02 over WEST FORK TULIP CREEK · built 1954
Federal grants — the money that came in, and what's open now
Federal grants paid for $4.6 million of work in Dallas County in fiscal 2025, about $704 per resident — to the county, cities, schools, hospitals, nonprofits and others.
Source: USAspending.gov, grants by place of performance, fiscal 2025 (Oct. 2024 to Sept. 2025). Search it by county to see each award.
Open now: federal grants county governments can apply for
From Grants.gov: posted grants listing county governments as eligible, soonest deadline first; research-only and overseas programs left out; list updated 2026-10-13, refreshed weekly. 62 are open in all. Cities, towns, school districts and nonprofits have their own lists there.