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

No. Use the Hillsdale 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 Hillsdale 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 Hillsdale County?

Start with the 23 listed public schools and 11 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Hillsdale County Schools & Education

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

Hillsdale County, Michigan

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

School Score

38/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

87.2%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

87.2%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 82.5%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,038

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,394

School Score

38/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 35/100

State Score Position

#33

of 83 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Hillsdale County

Measured School Summary

Hillsdale County faces educational challenges with a school score of 38/100 and a graduation rate of 87.2%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $7,038 per pupil, Hillsdale County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 8% above the Michigan average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 4.7 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 5% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Hillsdale 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

23 public schools and 11 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

38/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #33 of 83 Michigan counties with school score data.

Completion

87.2%

4.7 pts above the state average

Funding context

$7,038

$356 below the state average

School coverage

11 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

Hillsdale County has 23 public schools across 11 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 Hillsdale 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

Hillsdale 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

#33

of 83 Michigan counties with school score data. The county score is 3 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.

Jonesville Community Schools

Elementary to high school visible

1,273 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 2Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

Hillsdale Community Schools

Elementary to high school visible

1,268 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 2Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

Reading Community Schools

Elementary and high visible

696 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

Camden-Frontier School

Other grade structure

452 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

Hillsdale 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 Hillsdale County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Hillsdale 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?

Education Overview

About Schools in Hillsdale County, Michigan

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 Decentralized Network of 11 Districts

Hillsdale County manages 23 public schools serving a total of 5,340 students. This uniquely decentralized system features 11 different school districts, emphasizing local control and community identity.

Jonesville and Hillsdale Community Leaders

Jonesville Community Schools and Hillsdale Community Schools are the largest districts, serving 1,273 and 1,268 students respectively. Two charter schools operate in the county, accounting for 8.7% of the total public school inventory.

Rural Roots and Intimate Classrooms

The average school size is just 243 students, split across 13 rural and 10 town locales. Williams Elementary in Jonesville is the largest school with 549 students, while many other facilities offer very small, personalized learning environments.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Hillsdale County

Reported Enrollment

5,340

23 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

9% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary8

Middle2

High9

Other4

11 School Districts in Hillsdale County

Jonesville Community Schools

4 schools

1,273 students

Hillsdale Community Schools

5 schools

1,268 students

Reading Community Schools

2 schools

696 students

Camden-Frontier School

1 school

452 students

North Adams-Jerome Public Schools

2 schools

376 students

Pittsford Area Schools

2 schools

356 students

Will Carleton Charter School Academy

1 school

280 students

Waldron Area Schools

1 school

261 students

Litchfield Community Schools

2 schools

251 students

Hillsdale Preparatory School

1 school

88 students

23 Public Schools in Hillsdale 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

Search schools

Level

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Showing 20 of 23 matching schools

Public schools in Hillsdale County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Williams Elementary School	Record	Jonesville Community Schools	JONESVILLE, 49250Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	549
Gier Elementary School	Record	Hillsdale Community Schools	Hillsdale, 49242Town: Distant	KG–4	Primary	454
CamdenFrontier K12 School	Record	Camden-Frontier School	CAMDEN, 49232Rural: Distant	KG–12	Other	452
Hillsdale High School	Record	Hillsdale Community Schools	HILLSDALE, 49242Town: Distant	9–12	High	400
Reynolds Elementary School	Record	Reading Community Schools	Reading, 49274Rural: Distant	KG–6	Primary	387
Jonesville High School	Record	Jonesville Community Schools	JONESVILLE, 49250Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	367
Davis Middle School	Record	Hillsdale Community Schools	HILLSDALE, 49242Town: Distant	5–8	Middle	359
Reading High School	Record	Reading Community Schools	READING, 49274Rural: Distant	7–12	High	309
Will Carleton Charter School Academy	Record	Will Carleton Charter School Academy	HILLSDALE, 49242Rural: Fringe	KG–12	Charter	280
Jonesville Middle School	Record	Jonesville Community Schools	JONESVILLE, 49250Town: Distant	6–8	Middle	278
Waldron Area Schools	Record	Waldron Area Schools	WALDRON, 49288Rural: Remote	KG–12	Other	261
North AdamsJerome MiddleHigh School	Record	North Adams-Jerome Public Schools	NORTH ADAMS, 49262Rural: Distant	6–12	High	200
Pittsford Area High School	Record	Pittsford Area Schools	PITTSFORD, 49271Rural: Distant	6–12	High	198
North AdamsJerome Elem School	Record	North Adams-Jerome Public Schools	NORTH ADAMS, 49262Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	176
Pittsford Area Elem School	Record	Pittsford Area Schools	PITTSFORD, 49271Rural: Distant	KG–5	Primary	158
Litchfield High School	Record	Litchfield Community Schools	LITCHFIELD, 49252Rural: Distant	6–12	High	131
Litchfield Elementary School	Record	Litchfield Community Schools	LITCHFIELD, 49252Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	120
Hillsdale Preparatory School	Record	Hillsdale Preparatory School	HILLSDALE, 49242Town: Distant	KG–8	Charter	88
Jonesville Pathways	Record	Jonesville Community Schools	JONESVILLE, 49250Town: Distant	6–12	Alternative	79
Greenfield School	Record	Hillsdale ISD	HILLSDALE, 49242Town: Distant	PK–12	Special Education	39

Williams Elementary School

Jonesville Community Schools

JONESVILLE, 49250 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary549 students

Gier Elementary School

Hillsdale Community Schools

Hillsdale, 49242 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–4Primary454 students

CamdenFrontier K12 School

Camden-Frontier School

CAMDEN, 49232 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–12Other452 students

Hillsdale High School

Hillsdale Community Schools

HILLSDALE, 49242 / Town: Distant

Record9–12High400 students

Reynolds Elementary School

Reading Community Schools

Reading, 49274 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–6Primary387 students

Jonesville High School

Jonesville Community Schools

JONESVILLE, 49250 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High367 students

Davis Middle School

Hillsdale Community Schools

HILLSDALE, 49242 / Town: Distant

Record5–8Middle359 students

Reading High School

Reading Community Schools

READING, 49274 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High309 students

Will Carleton Charter School Academy

HILLSDALE, 49242 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–12Charter280 students

Jonesville Middle School

Jonesville Community Schools

JONESVILLE, 49250 / Town: Distant

Record6–8Middle278 students

Waldron Area Schools

WALDRON, 49288 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–12Other261 students

North AdamsJerome MiddleHigh School

North Adams-Jerome Public Schools

NORTH ADAMS, 49262 / Rural: Distant

Record6–12High200 students

Pittsford Area High School

Pittsford Area Schools

PITTSFORD, 49271 / Rural: Distant

Record6–12High198 students

North AdamsJerome Elem School

North Adams-Jerome Public Schools

NORTH ADAMS, 49262 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary176 students

Pittsford Area Elem School

Pittsford Area Schools

PITTSFORD, 49271 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–5Primary158 students

Litchfield High School

Litchfield Community Schools

LITCHFIELD, 49252 / Rural: Distant

Record6–12High131 students

Litchfield Elementary School

Litchfield Community Schools

LITCHFIELD, 49252 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary120 students

Hillsdale Preparatory School

HILLSDALE, 49242 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–8Charter88 students

Jonesville Pathways

Jonesville Community Schools

JONESVILLE, 49250 / Town: Distant

Record6–12Alternative79 students

Greenfield School

Hillsdale ISD

HILLSDALE, 49242 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–12Special Education39 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,038

State avg $7,394

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Hillsdale 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 Hillsdale County?

Hillsdale County has a school score of 38/100, 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 Hillsdale County?

The high school graduation rate in Hillsdale County is 87.2%, 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 Hillsdale County spend per student?

Hillsdale County spends $7,038 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 Hillsdale County, Michigan — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Hillsdale County, Michigan?

What are the major school districts in Hillsdale County, Michigan?

What is the school experience like in Hillsdale County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Chippewa County

Michigan

+0 pts

38/100

School score

Oscoda County

Michigan

+0 pts

38/100

School score

Midland County

Michigan

-0 pts

37/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 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.

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