Can I use Branch County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Branch County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Branch County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Branch County?

Start with the 18 listed public schools and 6 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Branch County Schools & Education

Name: Branch County, Michigan Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Branch County, Michigan

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

School Score

24/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

83.7%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

83.7%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 82.5%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,648

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,394

School Score

24/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 35/100

State Score Position

#61

of 83 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Branch County

Measured School Summary

Branch County faces educational challenges with a school score of 24/100 and a graduation rate of 83.7%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $6,648 per pupil, Branch County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 31% below the Michigan average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 1.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 10% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Branch 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

18 public schools and 6 districts 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

24/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #61 of 83 Michigan counties with school score data.

Completion

83.7%

1.2 pts above the state average

Funding context

$6,648

$746 below the state average

School coverage

6 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Branch County has 18 public schools across 6 districts, 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.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Branch 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.

Review-carefully county

Branch County has a lower measured county-level school signal. Use the school table to look for specific districts or grade bands that may differ from the county average.

State position

#61

of 83 Michigan counties with school score data. The county score is 11 points below 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.

Coldwater Community Schools

Elementary to high school visible

2,756 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 1Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

Quincy Community Schools

Elementary to high school visible

1,149 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

Bronson Community School District

Elementary and high visible

993 students

Elementary 2Middle 0High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

Union City Community Schools

Elementary to high school visible

922 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Coldwater Community Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 5 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 Branch County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Branch County district systems?

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?

Data Story

Branch County per-pupil spending half the national average

Education data brief for Branch County, Michigan.

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorPublished Jul 7, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Lead metric:Per-pupil spending

Per-pupil expenditure in Branch County is $6,648, which is approximately half the national average of $13,000 and below the Michigan state average of $7,394. Most of the county’s 18 schools are located in town settings, with 12 schools classified in this locale by the NCES. Coldwater Community Schools is the largest district, enrolling 2,756 students and operating the county’s largest facility, Coldwater High School, which serves 944 students. The graduation rate is 83.7%, which is higher than the state average of 82.5% but remains below the national average of 87%. The county’s composite school score is 24.1, compared to the state average of 35.1. There is one charter school, Pansophia Academy, which serves 433 students. Enrollment across the six districts totals 6,507 students. Access the NCES website to compare individual school-level financial data.

Sources

NCES Common Core of Data
U.S. Census Bureau ACS

School Overview

Total Schools

in Branch County

Reported Enrollment

6,507

18 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

6% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary7

Middle3

High6

Other2

6 School Districts in Branch County

Coldwater Community Schools

5 schools

2,756 students

Quincy Community Schools

3 schools

1,149 students

Bronson Community School District

3 schools

993 students

Union City Community Schools

3 schools

922 students

Pansophia Academy

1 school

433 students

Branch ISD

2 schools

254 students

18 Public Schools in Branch County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.

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

Search schools

Level

Sort

Showing 18 of 18 matching schools

Public schools in Branch County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Coldwater High School	Profile	Coldwater Community Schools	COLDWATER, 49036Town: Distant	9–12	High	944
Legg Middle School	Record	Coldwater Community Schools	COLDWATER, 49036Town: Distant	6–8	Middle	653
Bronson JrSr High School	Record	Bronson Community School District	BRONSON, 49028Rural: Distant	6–12	High	544
Jennings Elementary School	Record	Quincy Community Schools	QUINCY, 49082Town: Distant	PK–5	Primary	435
Pansophia Academy	Record	Pansophia Academy	COLDWATER, 49036Town: Distant	KG–12	Charter	433
Larsen Elementary School	Record	Coldwater Community Schools	COLDWATER, 49036Town: Distant	PK–1	Primary	416
Quincy High School	Record	Quincy Community Schools	QUINCY, 49082Town: Distant	7–12	High	391
Lakeland Elementary School	Record	Coldwater Community Schools	COLDWATER, 49036Town: Distant	4–5	Primary	373
Jefferson Elementary School	Record	Coldwater Community Schools	COLDWATER, 49036Town: Distant	2–3	Primary	370
Union City Elementary School	Record	Union City Community Schools	UNION CITY, 49094Rural: Distant	PK–4	Primary	353
Quincy Middle School	Record	Quincy Community Schools	QUINCY, 49082Town: Distant	5–8	Middle	323
Union City High School	Record	Union City Community Schools	UNION CITY, 49094Rural: Distant	9–12	High	293
Union City Middle School	Record	Union City Community Schools	UNION CITY, 49094Rural: Distant	5–8	Middle	276
Waldron Learning Center	Record	Branch ISD	COLDWATER, 49036Town: Distant	PK–12	Special Education	254
Ryan Elementary School	Record	Bronson Community School District	BRONSON, 49028Rural: Distant	3–5	Primary	229
Anderson Elementary School	Record	Bronson Community School District	BRONSON, 49028Rural: Distant	KG–2	Primary	220
Branch Area Careers Center	Record	Branch ISD	COLDWATER, 49036Town: Distant	11–12	Vocational	0
Lakeland Correctional Facility	Record	Michigan Department of Corrections	COLDWATER, 49036Town: Distant	9–12	Alternative	0

Coldwater High School

Coldwater Community Schools

COLDWATER, 49036 / Town: Distant

Profile9–12High944 students

Legg Middle School

Coldwater Community Schools

COLDWATER, 49036 / Town: Distant

Record6–8Middle653 students

Bronson JrSr High School

Bronson Community School District

BRONSON, 49028 / Rural: Distant

Record6–12High544 students

Jennings Elementary School

Quincy Community Schools

QUINCY, 49082 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary435 students

Pansophia Academy

COLDWATER, 49036 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–12Charter433 students

Larsen Elementary School

Coldwater Community Schools

COLDWATER, 49036 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–1Primary416 students

Quincy High School

Quincy Community Schools

QUINCY, 49082 / Town: Distant

Record7–12High391 students

Lakeland Elementary School

Coldwater Community Schools

COLDWATER, 49036 / Town: Distant

Record4–5Primary373 students

Jefferson Elementary School

Coldwater Community Schools

COLDWATER, 49036 / Town: Distant

Record2–3Primary370 students

Union City Elementary School

Union City Community Schools

UNION CITY, 49094 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary353 students

Quincy Middle School

Quincy Community Schools

QUINCY, 49082 / Town: Distant

Record5–8Middle323 students

Union City High School

Union City Community Schools

UNION CITY, 49094 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High293 students

Union City Middle School

Union City Community Schools

UNION CITY, 49094 / Rural: Distant

Record5–8Middle276 students

Waldron Learning Center

Branch ISD

COLDWATER, 49036 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–12Special Education254 students

Ryan Elementary School

Bronson Community School District

BRONSON, 49028 / Rural: Distant

Record3–5Primary229 students

Anderson Elementary School

Bronson Community School District

BRONSON, 49028 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–2Primary220 students

Branch Area Careers Center

Branch ISD

COLDWATER, 49036 / Town: Distant

Record11–12Vocational0 students

Lakeland Correctional Facility

Michigan Department of Corrections

COLDWATER, 49036 / Town: Distant

Record9–12Alternative0 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,648

State avg $7,394

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Branch 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.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Michigan counties have the highest graduation rates?

Alcona County (95.0%), Alger County (95.0%), and Schoolcraft County (95.0%) currently lead Michigan 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 Michigan?

Across Michigan counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $7,394. The highest current county values are Keweenaw County ($18,000), Lake County ($10,369), and Leelanau County ($9,877). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Branch County?

Branch County has a school score of 24/100, which is a lower 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 Branch County?

The high school graduation rate in Branch County is 83.7%, which is below 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 Branch County spend per student?

Branch County spends $6,648 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.

Counties with Similar School Profile

Cass County

Michigan

0 pts

24/100

School score

Clare County

Michigan

-0 pts

24/100

School score

Gratiot County

Michigan

-1 pts

24/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Jul 7, 2026Reviewed 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.

Explore more data for Branch County

Property Tax Cost of Living Crime Rate Income Health Disaster Risk Water Quality Weather County Score