Kentucky Schools & Education
Public school metrics and education data for all 120 counties.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataAvg Graduation Rate
93.8%
Avg Per-Pupil Spending
$6,894
Avg School Score
57/100
Total Schools
1,542
174 districts
State Overview
About Schools in Kentucky
This summary is generated from the NCES metrics shown on this page and reviewed against the source data by the Data Editor. It is not school advice.
Kentucky Graduates Outpace the National Average
Kentucky maintains an impressive 93.8% graduation rate, significantly exceeding the national average of 87.0%. Despite this success, the state spends only $6,894 per pupil, which is roughly half of the $13,000 national benchmark.
Broad Educational Consistency Across 120 Counties
Education outcomes remain relatively stable across the Commonwealth's 120 counties, with school scores averaging 55.3. Graduation rates range from 84.0% in Jefferson County to a near-perfect 99.0% in Rockcastle County.
High Graduation Rates on a Lean Budget
The state achieves a strong return on investment, delivering high graduation rates despite spending far less than the national median. While Nicholas County spends a low $4,566 per student, Wolfe County invests $9,307 to drive its performance.
State Score Context
How Kentucky Counties Are Distributed
120 of 120 counties have enough NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data to receive a county school score. Use this distribution to understand whether the state has a concentrated cluster of high, midrange, or lower measured signals.
Scored county coverage
Counties with complete enough data for the composite score
100%
Higher measured signal
Score range 70-100
17
Midrange measured signal
Score range 40-69
92
Lower measured signal
Score range 0-39
11
Scores are comparative signals from available federal data, not ratings of individual schools.
Best school counties
Best Counties for Public School Research in Kentucky
For a first-pass answer to parent searches about where the best schools are in Kentucky, start with county-level evidence, then open individual school and district records. SchoolsByCounty ranks counties by public education signals, not by private opinions or paid school ratings.
Short answer for Kentucky
Knott County is the strongest county-level starting point in Kentucky by the current SchoolsByCounty score, with a measured school signal of 81/100. This is a county comparison signal, not a promise that every school in the county is the best fit for every family.
Ranking methodology
120 of 120 counties have enough federal education data for a county school score. The ranking favors counties with stronger available graduation-rate and school-finance signals, then asks parents to verify individual school fit locally. The table below should help parents choose what to compare next; it should not replace attendance-boundary checks, program eligibility, commute, services, or direct district confirmation.
State average per-pupil spending in this dataset: $6,894.
Top measured county school signals
Ranked by the county school score where enough federal data is available.
Rockcastle County
99.0%
Rockcastle County has the strongest reported county graduation-rate signal in Kentucky. Use this as a broad county context, then review individual high-school records.
Wolfe County
$9,307
Wolfe County reports the highest per-pupil spending among counties with available data. Higher spending is context, not a guarantee of student fit.
Laurel County
20/100
Laurel County has one of the lowest measured county school signals in Kentucky. Review missing data, district context, and individual school records before drawing conclusions.
District research
Compare Kentucky public school districts before narrowing by address
Kentucky has 174 public school district records and 1,542 school records in the NCES file. Use the district hub to sort large district systems by enrollment, school count, county context, and generated district-guide coverage.
All Kentucky Counties
| County | School Score |
|---|---|
Knott County
| 81/100 |
Johnson County
| 81/100 |
Carroll County
| 80/100 |
Bell County
| 77/100 |
Campbell County
| 76/100 |
Rockcastle County
| 75/100 |
Calloway County
| 75/100 |
Monroe County
| 75/100 |
McCreary County
| 75/100 |
Wolfe County
| 74/100 |
Martin County
| 74/100 |
Cumberland County
| 72/100 |
Elliott County
| 72/100 |
Whitley County
| 72/100 |
Hickman County
| 71/100 |
Marion County
| 71/100 |
Taylor County
| 70/100 |
Union County
| 70/100 |
Clark County
| 70/100 |
Leslie County
| 69/100 |
Boyd County
| 69/100 |
Mercer County
| 69/100 |
Oldham County
| 68/100 |
McLean County
| 68/100 |
Clinton County
| 67/100 |
Simpson County
| 67/100 |
Boone County
| 67/100 |
Floyd County
| 67/100 |
Fulton County
| 66/100 |
Pulaski County
| 66/100 |
Larue County
| 66/100 |
Hart County
| 66/100 |
Carlisle County
| 66/100 |
Letcher County
| 65/100 |
Adair County
| 65/100 |
Carter County
| 65/100 |
Woodford County
| 65/100 |
Green County
| 64/100 |
Rowan County
| 63/100 |
Lincoln County
| 63/100 |
Graves County
| 62/100 |
Knox County
| 62/100 |
Magoffin County
| 62/100 |
Breckinridge County
| 62/100 |
Boyle County
| 61/100 |
Owsley County
| 61/100 |
Fleming County
| 61/100 |
Butler County
| 61/100 |
Caldwell County
| 61/100 |
Greenup County
| 60/100 |
Owen County
| 60/100 |
Jackson County
| 60/100 |
Barren County
| 59/100 |
Anderson County
| 59/100 |
Bracken County
| 58/100 |
Lewis County
| 58/100 |
Nelson County
| 58/100 |
Warren County
| 58/100 |
Fayette County
| 58/100 |
Perry County
| 57/100 |
Russell County
| 57/100 |
Todd County
| 57/100 |
Pike County
| 57/100 |
Livingston County
| 57/100 |
Franklin County
| 57/100 |
Trigg County
| 56/100 |
Jessamine County
| 56/100 |
Pendleton County
| 56/100 |
Henderson County
| 55/100 |
Hancock County
| 55/100 |
Morgan County
| 55/100 |
Daviess County
| 55/100 |
Menifee County
| 55/100 |
Washington County
| 55/100 |
Grant County
| 53/100 |
Wayne County
| 53/100 |
Lawrence County
| 53/100 |
Madison County
| 53/100 |
Casey County
| 53/100 |
Lyon County
| 53/100 |
Kenton County
| 52/100 |
Mason County
| 52/100 |
Robertson County
| 51/100 |
Christian County
| 51/100 |
Harrison County
| 51/100 |
Muhlenberg County
| 51/100 |
Trimble County
| 50/100 |
Garrard County
| 50/100 |
Allen County
| 49/100 |
McCracken County
| 49/100 |
Meade County
| 49/100 |
Bourbon County
| 48/100 |
Hopkins County
| 47/100 |
Grayson County
| 47/100 |
Gallatin County
| 46/100 |
Breathitt County
| 46/100 |
Harlan County
| 46/100 |
Crittenden County
| 46/100 |
Jefferson County
| 45/100 |
Montgomery County
| 45/100 |
Scott County
| 45/100 |
Spencer County
| 45/100 |
Bullitt County
| 45/100 |
Marshall County
| 45/100 |
Metcalfe County
| 44/100 |
Logan County
| 43/100 |
Edmonson County
| 42/100 |
Ballard County
| 42/100 |
Ohio County
| 41/100 |
Henry County
| 38/100 |
Lee County
| 37/100 |
Estill County
| 37/100 |
Shelby County
| 35/100 |
Clay County
| 35/100 |
Hardin County
| 34/100 |
Nicholas County
| 34/100 |
Webster County
| 28/100 |
Powell County
| 26/100 |
Bath County
| 25/100 |
Laurel County
| 20/100 |
— = data not available for this county.
Compare county school profiles in Kentucky
Use the comparison tool to review school scores, graduation rates, and spending side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kentucky Schools
Which Kentucky counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Kentucky?
What are the best school counties in Kentucky?
Which Kentucky county has the strongest measured school score?
What is the average graduation rate in Kentucky?
Which county in Kentucky has the lowest school score?
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.