schoolsbycounty

Chatham County Schools & Education

School Score

52/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

90.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

90.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.1%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,563

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,405

School Score

52/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 50/100

State Score Position

#71

of 159 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Chatham County

Measured School Summary

Chatham County performs at an average level with a school score of 52/100 and a solid graduation rate of 90.0%.

Funding Context

At $7,563 per pupil, Chatham County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 5% above the Georgia average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 1.9 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 2% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Chatham County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

59 public schools and 1 district are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

52/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #71 of 159 Georgia counties with school score data.

Completion

90.0%

1.9 pts above the state average

Funding context

$7,563

$158 above the state average

School coverage

59

1 district represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Chatham County has 59 public schools across 1 district, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

Parent decision brief

What Chatham County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Dominant-district county

Savannah-Chatham County carries most of the listed public-school system, with 58 of 59 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#71

of 159 Georgia counties with school score data. The county score is 2 points above the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Savannah-Chatham County

Elementary to high school visible

36,326 students

Elementary 34Middle 9High 12Other 3

58 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Savannah-Chatham County is the largest listed district slice, with 58 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Chatham County?

Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Chatham County, Georgia

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

A Large Coastal Educational Infrastructure

Chatham County supports a robust network of 59 public schools serving 36,342 students. The infrastructure includes 34 elementary, 9 middle, and 13 high schools organized primarily under a single unified district. This extensive system provides diverse educational pathways for the growing coastal population.

Savannah-Chatham Leads the Region

The Savannah-Chatham County district dominates the landscape, managing 58 schools and nearly all 36,326 local students. Charter schools play a significant role here, with 6 institutions representing over 10% of the total school count. This mix offers families a variety of specialized learning environments within the public system.

Historic City Classrooms and Suburban Campuses

Education here has a distinctly urban feel, with 37 schools located in city settings and another 16 in suburbs. The average school size is 616 students, ranging from smaller neighborhood sites to New Hampstead High School with 1,436 students. Only five schools are located in rural areas, reflecting the county's concentrated population.

School Overview

Total Schools

59

in Chatham County

Reported Enrollment

36,342

59 schools reporting

School Districts

1

district

Charter Schools

6

10% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary34
Middle9
High13
Other3

1 School District in Chatham County

Savannah-Chatham County

Guide
58 schools
36,326 students enrolled
Open district guide

59 Public Schools in Chatham County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 8 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 20 of 59 matching schools

New Hampstead High School

Savannah-Chatham County

Bloomingdale, 31302 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,436 students

Rice Creek School

Savannah-Chatham County

Port Wentworth, 31407 / Rural: Fringe

ProfilePK–8Primary1,167 students

Godley Station School

Savannah-Chatham County

Savannah, 31407 / City: Midsize

ProfilePK–8Primary1,135 students

Jenkins High School

Savannah-Chatham County

Savannah, 31406 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,118 students

Hesse School

Savannah-Chatham County

Savannah, 31406 / Suburb: Large

ProfilePK–8Primary1,022 students

Windsor Forest High School

Savannah-Chatham County

Savannah, 31419 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,012 students

Groves High School

Savannah-Chatham County

Garden City, 31408 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High992 students

West Chatham Middle School

Savannah-Chatham County

Pooler, 31322 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–8Middle953 students

Beach High School

Savannah-Chatham County

Savannah, 31405 / City: Midsize

Record9–12High914 students

Savannah Arts Academy

Savannah-Chatham County

Savannah, 31405 / City: Midsize

Record9–12High905 students

Islands High School

Savannah-Chatham County

Savannah, 31410 / Suburb: Large

Record9–12High862 students

West Chatham Elementary School

Savannah-Chatham County

Pooler, 31322 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–5Primary841 students

New Hampstead K-8 School

Savannah-Chatham County

Bloomingdale, 31302 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–8Primary827 students

Gould Elementary School

Savannah-Chatham County

Savannah, 31405 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary818 students

Johnson High School

Savannah-Chatham County

Savannah, 31404 / Suburb: Large

Record9–12High790 students

Esther F. Garrison School for the Arts

Savannah-Chatham County

Savannah, 31401 / City: Midsize

RecordPK–8Primary766 students

Southwest Elementary School

Savannah-Chatham County

Savannah, 31419 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–5Primary766 students

Savannah-Chatham E-Learning Academy

Savannah-Chatham County

Savannah, 31408 / City: Midsize

Record1–12Other760 students

Southwest Middle School

Savannah-Chatham County

Savannah, 31419 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle743 students

The School of Liberal Studies at Savannah High

Savannah-Chatham County

Savannah, 31404 / City: Midsize

Record9–12High701 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,563

State avg $7,405

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Chatham County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which Georgia counties have the highest graduation rates?
Oconee County (98.0%), Bleckley County (97.0%), and Haralson County (97.0%) currently lead Georgia among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Georgia?
Across Georgia counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $7,405. The highest current county values are Towns County ($10,107), Burke County ($9,829), and Quitman County ($9,756). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Chatham County?
Chatham County has a school score of 52/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Chatham County?
The high school graduation rate in Chatham County is 90.0%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Chatham County spend per student?
Chatham County spends $7,563 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Chatham County, Georgia — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Chatham County, Georgia?

Chatham County supports a robust network of 59 public schools serving 36,342 students. The infrastructure includes 34 elementary, 9 middle, and 13 high schools organized primarily under a single unified district. This extensive system provides diverse educational pathways for the growing coastal population.

What are the major school districts in Chatham County, Georgia?

The Savannah-Chatham County district dominates the landscape, managing 58 schools and nearly all 36,326 local students. Charter schools play a significant role here, with 6 institutions representing over 10% of the total school count. This mix offers families a variety of specialized learning environments within the public system.

What is the school experience like in Chatham County?

Education here has a distinctly urban feel, with 37 schools located in city settings and another 16 in suburbs. The average school size is 616 students, ranging from smaller neighborhood sites to New Hampstead High School with 1,436 students. Only five schools are located in rural areas, reflecting the county's concentrated population.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

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.