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Evan BrooksData Editor
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The four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR) is a core completion indicator for high school systems. It measures the percentage of ninth graders who graduate within four years, and at the county level it identifies where reported completion rates are strongest.
The national average graduation rate is 87.5%. We identified the 25 counties that significantly exceed this benchmark. The average across these top performers is 98.0%.
The 25 Counties with the Highest Graduation Rates
Ranked by graduation rate from highest to lowest.
Rank
1
County
- State
- Kentucky
- Graduation Rate
- 99.0%
- School Score
- 75.3
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $7,470
Rank
2
County
- State
- Louisiana
- Graduation Rate
- 99.0%
- School Score
- 68.1
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $6,931
Rank
3
County
- State
- Louisiana
- Graduation Rate
- 99.0%
- School Score
- 65.5
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $6,737
Rank
4
County
- State
- Tennessee
- Graduation Rate
- 99.0%
- School Score
- 60.5
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $6,304
Rank
5
County
- State
- Kentucky
- Graduation Rate
- 98.5%
- School Score
- 70.3
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $7,103
Rank
6
County
- State
- Texas
- Graduation Rate
- 98.5%
- School Score
- 66.9
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $6,854
Rank
7
County
- State
- Texas
- Graduation Rate
- 98.5%
- School Score
- 52.5
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $5,529
Rank
8
County
- State
- Georgia
- Graduation Rate
- 98.0%
- School Score
- 75.3
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $7,479
Rank
9
County
- State
- Kentucky
- Graduation Rate
- 98.0%
- School Score
- 64.7
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $6,692
Rank
10
County
- State
- Louisiana
- Graduation Rate
- 98.0%
- School Score
- 73.4
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $7,337
Rank
11
County
- State
- Tennessee
- Graduation Rate
- 98.0%
- School Score
- 59.5
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $6,238
Rank
12
County
- State
- West Virginia
- Graduation Rate
- 98.0%
- School Score
- 83.8
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $8,258
Rank
13
County
- State
- West Virginia
- Graduation Rate
- 98.0%
- School Score
- 86.1
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $8,576
Rank
14
County
- State
- West Virginia
- Graduation Rate
- 98.0%
- School Score
- 73.3
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $7,332
Rank
15
County
- State
- Kentucky
- Graduation Rate
- 97.8%
- School Score
- 66.1
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $6,808
Rank
16
County
- State
- Texas
- Graduation Rate
- 97.8%
- School Score
- 65.7
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $6,773
Rank
17
County
- State
- Texas
- Graduation Rate
- 97.6%
- School Score
- 78.5
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $7,747
Rank
18
County
- State
- Texas
- Graduation Rate
- 97.6%
- School Score
- 54.5
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $5,784
Rank
19
County
- State
- Wisconsin
- Graduation Rate
- 97.6%
- School Score
- 78.4
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $7,736
Rank
20
County
- State
- Indiana
- Graduation Rate
- 97.5%
- School Score
- 51.1
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $5,311
Rank
21
County
- State
- Kentucky
- Graduation Rate
- 97.5%
- School Score
- 80.6
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $7,940
Rank
22
County
- State
- Texas
- Graduation Rate
- 97.5%
- School Score
- 62.2
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $6,468
Rank
23
County
- State
- Iowa
- Graduation Rate
- 97.3%
- School Score
- 67.6
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $6,920
Rank
24
County
- State
- Texas
- Graduation Rate
- 97.3%
- School Score
- 58.9
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $6,206
Rank
25
County
- State
- Alabama
- Graduation Rate
- 97.0%
- School Score
- 59.2
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $6,316
| Rank | County | State | Graduation Rate | School Score | Per-Pupil Spending |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rockcastle County | Kentucky | 99.0% | 75.3 | $7,470 |
| 2 | Jefferson Davis Parish | Louisiana | 99.0% | 68.1 | $6,931 |
| 3 | Vermilion Parish | Louisiana | 99.0% | 65.5 | $6,737 |
| 4 | Morgan County | Tennessee | 99.0% | 60.5 | $6,304 |
| 5 | Taylor County | Kentucky | 98.5% | 70.3 | $7,103 |
| 6 | Moore County | Texas | 98.5% | 66.9 | $6,854 |
| 7 | Rockwall County | Texas | 98.5% | 52.5 | $5,529 |
| 8 | Oconee County | Georgia | 98.0% | 75.3 | $7,479 |
| 9 | Carter County | Kentucky | 98.0% | 64.7 | $6,692 |
| 10 | Allen Parish | Louisiana | 98.0% | 73.4 | $7,337 |
| 11 | Henry County | Tennessee | 98.0% | 59.5 | $6,238 |
| 12 | Harrison County | West Virginia | 98.0% | 83.8 | $8,258 |
| 13 | Ohio County | West Virginia | 98.0% | 86.1 | $8,576 |
| 14 | Putnam County | West Virginia | 98.0% | 73.3 | $7,332 |
| 15 | Pulaski County | Kentucky | 97.8% | 66.1 | $6,808 |
| 16 | Titus County | Texas | 97.8% | 65.7 | $6,773 |
| 17 | Chambers County | Texas | 97.6% | 78.5 | $7,747 |
| 18 | Kendall County | Texas | 97.6% | 54.5 | $5,784 |
| 19 | Ozaukee County | Wisconsin | 97.6% | 78.4 | $7,736 |
| 20 | Boone County | Indiana | 97.5% | 51.1 | $5,311 |
| 21 | Johnson County | Kentucky | 97.5% | 80.6 | $7,940 |
| 22 | Lampasas County | Texas | 97.5% | 62.2 | $6,468 |
| 23 | Dallas County | Iowa | 97.3% | 67.6 | $6,920 |
| 24 | Medina County | Texas | 97.3% | 58.9 | $6,206 |
| 25 | Cleburne County | Alabama | 97.0% | 59.2 | $6,316 |
Ranking Data Profile
Within this highest graduation rate list, values run from 97.0% to 99.0%, with a median of 98.0%. This range matters because counties near the middle of the table can be closer to each other than the rank numbers suggest.
Texas contributes 7 of the 25 counties in this table. State clustering can point to funding formulas, reporting practices, district geography, or regional enrollment patterns that deserve local review.
0 ranked counties lack a reported graduation-rate value in this table, and 0 lack a reported per-pupil spending value. Missing companion fields are shown as not reported rather than estimated.
Regional Pattern in This Ranking
The most represented states are Texas (7), Kentucky (5), and Louisiana (3), together accounting for 15 of 25 counties in the table. County school metrics are shaped by state finance rules, state graduation reporting, district boundaries, enrollment scale, and regional labor markets.
For a highest graduation rate list, state clustering is a research cue rather than an explanation. Compare counties inside the same state first, then use national comparisons once the state baseline is clear.
Notable Counties in the Table
The ranking rows are linked to county profiles so each record can be checked against school lists, district context, and local source notes. These rows show the range inside the table:
- Rockcastle County, KY ranks #1 with a graduation rate of 99.0%; related signals show School Score 75.3 and $7,470 per pupil.
- Jefferson Davis Parish, LA ranks #2 with a graduation rate of 99.0%; related signals show School Score 68.1 and $6,931 per pupil.
- Vermilion Parish, LA ranks #3 with a graduation rate of 99.0%; related signals show School Score 65.5 and $6,737 per pupil.
- Morgan County, TN ranks #4 with a graduation rate of 99.0%; related signals show School Score 60.5 and $6,304 per pupil.
- Taylor County, KY ranks #5 with a graduation rate of 98.5%; related signals show School Score 70.3 and $7,103 per pupil.
How to Use This Ranking
Rankings are useful when they help you decide where to look next. They are weaker when treated as a final verdict on a county or school system.
- Use the highest graduation-rate ranking as a completion signal, then verify cohort rules, alternative programs, transfers, and local accountability notes in state sources.
- Compare graduation rate with per-pupil spending and School Score; a strong or weak completion rate is easier to interpret with finance context beside it.
- Review school-level records for attendance, coursework, and support programs before drawing conclusions about a specific district.
Data Caveats for Graduation Rate Rankings
A highest graduation-rate rank describes reported four-year completion, not coursework rigor or postsecondary readiness. Counties with similar rates can still differ in attendance, credit recovery, advanced classes, and career pathways.
State report cards are the best next source for subgroup data, cohort definitions, and local accountability notes that are not visible in county-level NCES tables.
Why Graduation Rate Matters
Graduation rates matter because they are a widely used measure of public high school completion. Counties with graduation rates above 95% are reporting unusually high completion in the current NCES-backed data, but the metric should still be read alongside coursework, attendance, and state accountability records.
However, graduation rate alone does not tell the whole story. Some counties report high graduation rates while still requiring review of advanced coursework, attendance, or school-level options. The strongest county profiles combine high graduation rates, transparent school-level records, and clear finance context.
Methodology
Graduation rate data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data, using the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR). The national average of 87.5% is based on the most recent available NCES release. Counties with missing or suppressed data were excluded.
Sources and Review
Data vintage: NCES 2022-23 public school and school-finance releases. Data sources are selected for this article's metric focus. County figures are informational estimates and may differ from other published analyses due to methodology, aggregation, suppression, or reporting-year differences. Last editorial review checked source links, data vintage, visible caveats, and county-profile links.
Continue the Research
Use this article as a starting point, then verify county-level signals against official district and state records.