schoolsbycounty

Hamilton County Schools & Education

School Score

82/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Higher Signal

Graduation Rate

97.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

97.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.8%

Per-Pupil Spending

$8,241

National avg $13,239

State avg $9,250

School Score

82/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 63/100

State Score Position

#10

of 102 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Hamilton County

Measured School Summary

Hamilton County has a higher measured school signal with a school score of 82/100 and a graduation rate of 97.0%, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-score inputs.

Funding Context

Hamilton County spends $8,241 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 31% above the Illinois average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 8.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 11% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Hamilton 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

4 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

82/100

Higher measured signal. Ranks #10 of 102 Illinois counties with school score data.

Completion

97.0%

8.2 pts above the state average

Funding context

$8,241

$1,009 below the state average

School coverage

4

1 district represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county screens well on the combined school metrics available here. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Hamilton County has 4 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 Hamilton 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.

Small-system county

Hamilton County has a compact public-school footprint. A single school change, boundary rule, or district update can move the lived experience more than the county score suggests.

State position

#10

of 102 Illinois counties with school score data. The county score is 19 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.

Hamilton Co CUSD 10

Elementary and high visible

1,169 students

Elementary 2Middle 0High 1Other 1

4 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Hamilton Co CUSD 10 is the largest listed district slice, with 4 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 Hamilton County?

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

Where do students transition after the visible grade band, and is that next school inside the same district path?

If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?

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

Education Overview

About Schools in Hamilton County, Illinois

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 Consolidated Rural Education Framework

Hamilton County operates a streamlined education system centered around a single school district that serves 1,169 students. The infrastructure consists of four public schools, including two elementary campuses and one junior/senior high school. This consolidated approach allows the county to manage its entire student population within a unified administrative structure.

Centralized Learning at Hamilton Co CUSD 10

Hamilton Co CUSD 10 is the sole provider of public education in the county, managing all 1,169 students across its four facilities. There are no charter schools in the county, meaning 100% of students are served by this single traditional public district. This centralization ensures a consistent educational path from preschool through high school graduation.

Small-Town Schools with Personalized Scale

Schooling in Hamilton County is primarily a town-based experience, with three of its four schools located in town settings and one in a rural area. With an average school size of 292 students, the environment is intimate and personalized. Enrollment ranges from the 91-student preschool center to the Hamilton County Jr/Sr High School, which serves 512 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

4

in Hamilton County

Reported Enrollment

1,169

4 schools reporting

School Districts

1

district

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary2
Middle0
High1
Other1

1 School District in Hamilton County

Hamilton Co CUSD 10

4 schools
1,169 students enrolled

4 Public Schools in Hamilton County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.

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

Level

Showing 4 of 4 matching schools

Hamilton County Jr/Sr High School

Hamilton Co CUSD 10

Mc Leansboro, 62859 / Town: Distant

Record7–12High512 students

East Side Elementary School

Hamilton Co CUSD 10

Mc Leansboro, 62859 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–6Primary419 students

Dahlgren Elem School

Hamilton Co CUSD 10

Dahlgren, 62828 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–6Primary147 students

Hamilton County Preschool Center

Hamilton Co CUSD 10

Mc Leansboro, 62859 / Town: Distant

RecordPKOther91 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$8,241

State avg $9,250

Compare Nearby Counties

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

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Browse Public Schools

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which Illinois counties have the highest graduation rates?
Edwards County (97.0%), Hamilton County (97.0%), and Johnson County (96.3%) currently lead Illinois 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 Illinois?
Across Illinois counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $9,250. The highest current county values are Lake County ($12,962), DuPage County ($12,349), and Jo Daviess County ($12,337). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Hamilton County?
Hamilton County has a school score of 82/100, which is a higher 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 Hamilton County?
The high school graduation rate in Hamilton County is 97.0%, 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 Hamilton County spend per student?
Hamilton County spends $8,241 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 Hamilton County, Illinois — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Hamilton County, Illinois?

Hamilton County operates a streamlined education system centered around a single school district that serves 1,169 students. The infrastructure consists of four public schools, including two elementary campuses and one junior/senior high school. This consolidated approach allows the county to manage its entire student population within a unified administrative structure.

What are the major school districts in Hamilton County, Illinois?

Hamilton Co CUSD 10 is the sole provider of public education in the county, managing all 1,169 students across its four facilities. There are no charter schools in the county, meaning 100% of students are served by this single traditional public district. This centralization ensures a consistent educational path from preschool through high school graduation.

What is the school experience like in Hamilton County?

Schooling in Hamilton County is primarily a town-based experience, with three of its four schools located in town settings and one in a rural area. With an average school size of 292 students, the environment is intimate and personalized. Enrollment ranges from the 91-student preschool center to the Hamilton County Jr/Sr High School, which serves 512 students.

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.