schoolsbycounty

Houghton County Schools & Education

School Score

26/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

81.3%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

81.3%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 82.5%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,015

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,394

School Score

26/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 35/100

State Score Position

#57

of 83 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Houghton County

Measured School Summary

Houghton County faces educational challenges with a school score of 26/100 and a graduation rate of 81.3%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $7,015 per pupil, Houghton County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 26% below the Michigan average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 5% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Houghton 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 10 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

26/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #57 of 83 Michigan counties with school score data.

Completion

81.3%

1.2 pts below the state average

Funding context

$7,015

$379 below the state average

School coverage

18

10 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

Houghton County has 18 public schools across 10 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.

Parent decision brief

What Houghton 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

Houghton 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

#57

of 83 Michigan counties with school score data. The county score is 9 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.

Houghton-Portage Township School District

Elementary to high school visible

1,445 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

Hancock Public Schools

Elementary and high visible

604 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

Adams Township School District

Elementary and high visible

466 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

Lake Linden-Hubbell School District

Other grade structure

376 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

Houghton-Portage Township School District 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 Houghton County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Houghton 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 Houghton 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.

Serving the Keweenaw Peninsula

Houghton County supports 5,271 students through 18 public schools and 10 districts. The infrastructure is well-balanced, including 7 elementary schools, 5 high schools, and several 'Other' schools providing PK-12 education.

Houghton-Portage and Calumet Districts

The Houghton-Portage Township School District is the largest with 1,445 students, followed by Public Schools of Calumet Laurium & Keweenaw. Only one charter school exists in the county, making up 5.6% of the school landscape.

A Perfect Split of Rural and Town

The county is evenly divided between 9 rural and 9 town schools, with an average size of 310 students. Houghton Elementary is the largest single campus with 643 students, though most schools remain small and community-oriented.

School Overview

Total Schools

18

in Houghton County

Reported Enrollment

5,271

18 schools reporting

School Districts

10

districts

Charter Schools

1

6% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary7
Middle2
High5
Other4

10 School Districts in Houghton County

Houghton-Portage Township School District

3 schools
1,445 students

Hancock Public Schools

2 schools
604 students

Adams Township School District

2 schools
466 students

Lake Linden-Hubbell School District

1 school
376 students

Copper Island Academy

1 school
324 students

Dollar Bay-Tamarack City Area Schools

1 school
306 students

Chassell Township School District

1 school
197 students

Stanton Township Public Schools

1 school
182 students

Copper Country ISD

2 schools
75 students

Elm River Township School District

1 school
5 students

18 Public Schools in Houghton 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 18 of 18 matching schools

Houghton Elementary School

Houghton-Portage Township School District

HOUGHTON, 49931 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–5Primary643 students

CLK Elementary School

Public Schools of Calumet Laurium & Keweenaw

CALUMET, 49913 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–5Primary515 students

Calumet High School

Public Schools of Calumet Laurium & Keweenaw

CALUMET, 49913 / Town: Remote

Record9–12High485 students

Houghton Central High School

Houghton-Portage Township School District

HOUGHTON, 49931 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High461 students

Lake LindenHubbell Schools

Lake Linden-Hubbell School District

LAKE LINDEN, 49945 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–12Other376 students

Houghton Middle School

Houghton-Portage Township School District

HOUGHTON, 49931 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle341 students

Hancock MiddleHigh School

Hancock Public Schools

HANCOCK, 49930 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–12High332 students

Copper Island Academy

Copper Island Academy

Calumet, 49913 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–8Charter324 students

Dollar BayTamarack City Area K12 School

Dollar Bay-Tamarack City Area Schools

Dollar Bay, 49922 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–12Other306 students

Washington Middle School

Public Schools of Calumet Laurium & Keweenaw

CALUMET, 49913 / Town: Remote

Record6–8Middle291 students

Barkell Elementary School

Hancock Public Schools

HANCOCK, 49930 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–5Primary272 students

Jeffers High School

Adams Township School District

Painesdale, 49955 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High254 students

South Range Elementary School

Adams Township School District

South Range, 49963 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–6Primary212 students

Chassell K12 School

Chassell Township School District

Chassell, 49916 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–12Other197 students

EB Holman Elementary School

Stanton Township Public Schools

ATLANTIC MINE, 49905 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–8Primary182 students

Copper Country Learning Center

Copper Country ISD

HANCOCK, 49930 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–12Special Education75 students

Elm River Township School

Elm River Township School District

TOIVOLA, 49965 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–8Primary5 students

Career and Technical Education

Copper Country ISD

HANCOCK, 49930 / Town: Remote

Record9–12Vocational0 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,015

State avg $7,394

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Houghton 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 Houghton County?
Houghton County has a school score of 26/100, 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 Houghton County?
The high school graduation rate in Houghton County is 81.3%, 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 Houghton County spend per student?
Houghton County spends $7,015 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 Houghton County, Michigan — FAQ

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

Houghton County supports 5,271 students through 18 public schools and 10 districts. The infrastructure is well-balanced, including 7 elementary schools, 5 high schools, and several 'Other' schools providing PK-12 education.

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

The Houghton-Portage Township School District is the largest with 1,445 students, followed by Public Schools of Calumet Laurium & Keweenaw. Only one charter school exists in the county, making up 5.6% of the school landscape.

What is the school experience like in Houghton County?

The county is evenly divided between 9 rural and 9 town schools, with an average size of 310 students. Houghton Elementary is the largest single campus with 643 students, though most schools remain small and community-oriented.

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.