schoolsbycounty

Hardin County Schools & Education

School Score

88/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Higher Signal

Graduation Rate

95.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

95.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.8%

Per-Pupil Spending

N/A

National avg $13,239

School Score

88/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 63/100

State Score Position

#6

of 102 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Hardin County

Measured School Summary

Hardin County has a higher measured school signal with a school score of 88/100 and a graduation rate of 95.0%, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-score inputs.

Funding Context

Per-pupil expenditure data for Hardin County is not available.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 39% above the Illinois average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 6.2 percentage points.

School Data Brief

How to read Hardin 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

3 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

88/100

Higher measured signal. Ranks #6 of 102 Illinois counties with school score data.

Completion

95.0%

6.2 pts above the state average

Funding context

Not reported

Per-pupil spending comparison is unavailable for this county.

School coverage

3

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

Hardin County has 3 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 Hardin 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

Hardin 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

#6

of 102 Illinois counties with school score data. The county score is 25 points above the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

2 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.

Hardin County CUSD 1

Elementary to high school visible

532 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Hardin County CUSD 1 is the largest listed district slice, with 3 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 Hardin 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?

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 Hardin 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.

Streamlined Rural Education Infrastructure

Hardin County operates just three public schools—one elementary, one middle, and one high school—to serve its 532 students. All schools are managed by a single county-wide district, ensuring a unified curriculum and transition for students. This simplified landscape provides a clear and direct path through the local education system.

The Single District Success Story

Hardin County CUSD 1 is the sole district in the county, providing a comprehensive PK-12 experience for all 532 local students. There are no charter schools, keeping the county's educational focus entirely on its traditional public school system. This structure fosters a strong, tight-knit community where every student attends the same sequence of schools.

Purely Rural, Small-Scale Learning

Every school in Hardin County is classified as rural, reflecting the county’s quiet and scenic geography. The schools are very small, with an average enrollment of just 177 students per building. Hardin County Elementary is the largest at 232 students, while the Junior High serves as the smallest hub with only 139 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

3

in Hardin County

Reported Enrollment

532

3 schools reporting

School Districts

1

district

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary1
Middle1
High1
Other0

1 School District in Hardin County

Hardin County CUSD 1

3 schools
532 students enrolled

3 Public Schools in Hardin 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 3 of 3 matching schools

Hardin County Elem School

Hardin County CUSD 1

Elizabethtown, 62931 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–5Primary232 students

Hardin County High School

Hardin County CUSD 1

Elizabethtown, 62931 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High161 students

Hardin County Jr High School

Hardin County CUSD 1

Elizabethtown, 62931 / Rural: Remote

Record6–8Middle139 students

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Hardin 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 Hardin County?
Hardin County has a school score of 88/100, 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 Hardin County?
The high school graduation rate in Hardin County is 95.0%, 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Hardin County, Illinois — FAQ

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

Hardin County operates just three public schools—one elementary, one middle, and one high school—to serve its 532 students. All schools are managed by a single county-wide district, ensuring a unified curriculum and transition for students. This simplified landscape provides a clear and direct path through the local education system.

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

Hardin County CUSD 1 is the sole district in the county, providing a comprehensive PK-12 experience for all 532 local students. There are no charter schools, keeping the county's educational focus entirely on its traditional public school system. This structure fosters a strong, tight-knit community where every student attends the same sequence of schools.

What is the school experience like in Hardin County?

Every school in Hardin County is classified as rural, reflecting the county’s quiet and scenic geography. The schools are very small, with an average enrollment of just 177 students per building. Hardin County Elementary is the largest at 232 students, while the Junior High serves as the smallest hub with only 139 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.