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

No. Use the Hancock 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 Hancock 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 Hancock County?

Start with the 11 listed public schools and 2 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Hancock County Schools & Education

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

Hancock County, Mississippi

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

School Score

31/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

89.9%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

89.9%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 87.1%

Per-Pupil Spending

$5,998

National avg $13,239

State avg $5,954

School Score

31/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 27/100

State Score Position

#26

of 81 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Hancock County

Measured School Summary

Hancock County faces educational challenges with a school score of 31/100 and a graduation rate of 89.9%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $5,998 per pupil, Hancock County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 16% above the Mississippi average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 1% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Hancock 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

11 public schools and 2 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

31/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #26 of 81 Mississippi counties with school score data.

Completion

89.9%

2.8 pts above the state average

Funding context

$5,998

roughly matches the state average

School coverage

2 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

Hancock County has 11 public schools across 2 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 Hancock 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.

Dominant-district county

HANCOCK CO SCHOOL DIST carries most of the listed public-school system, with 7 of 11 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#26

of 81 Mississippi counties with school score data. The county score is 4 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.

HANCOCK CO SCHOOL DIST

Elementary to high school visible

4,060 students

Elementary 4Middle 1High 2Other 0

7 listed schools in this county slice.

BAY ST LOUIS WAVELAND SCHOOL DIST

Elementary to high school visible

1,672 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 1Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

HANCOCK CO SCHOOL DIST is the largest listed district slice, with 7 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 Hancock County?

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

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 Hancock County, Mississippi

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.

Strong Educational Framework on the Coast

Hancock County provides a robust school system for 5,732 students across 11 public schools. The infrastructure is well-distributed with 6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 3 high schools serving the coastal community.

A Mix of Rural and Suburban Spaces

The county features a blend of 7 rural schools and 4 suburban schools, creating diverse campus vibes. Schools average 573 students, with Hancock High School being the largest at 1,187 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Hancock County

Reported Enrollment

5,732

11 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary6

Middle2

High3

Other0

2 School Districts in Hancock County

HANCOCK CO SCHOOL DIST

BAY ST LOUIS WAVELAND SCHOOL DIST

4 schools

1,672 students

11 Public Schools in Hancock County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 2 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

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

Search schools

Level

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Showing 11 of 11 matching schools

Public schools in Hancock County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
HANCOCK HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HANCOCK CO SCHOOL DIST	Kiln, 39556Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,187
HANCOCK MIDDLE SCHOOL	Profile	HANCOCK CO SCHOOL DIST	Kiln, 39556Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	958
EAST HANCOCK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	HANCOCK CO SCHOOL DIST	Kiln, 39556Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	639
SOUTH HANCOCK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	HANCOCK CO SCHOOL DIST	Bay St. Louis, 39520Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	535
BAY HIGH SCHOOL	Record	BAY ST LOUIS WAVELAND SCHOOL DIST	BAY ST LOUIS, 39520Suburb: Midsize	9–12	High	491
WAVELAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	BAY ST LOUIS WAVELAND SCHOOL DIST	WAVELAND, 39576Suburb: Midsize	PK–2	Primary	425
HANCOCK NORTH CENTRAL ELEMENTARY	Record	HANCOCK CO SCHOOL DIST	Kiln, 39556Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	400
Bay Waveland Middle School	Record	BAY ST LOUIS WAVELAND SCHOOL DIST	Bay St. Louis, 39520Suburb: Midsize	6–8	Middle	392
NORTH BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	BAY ST LOUIS WAVELAND SCHOOL DIST	BAY ST LOUIS, 39520Suburb: Midsize	3–5	Primary	364
WEST HANCOCK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	HANCOCK CO SCHOOL DIST	Picayune, 39466Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	341
HANCOCK COUNTY CAREER TECHNICAL CEN	Record	HANCOCK CO SCHOOL DIST	Kiln, 39556Rural: Fringe	9–12	Vocational	0

HANCOCK HIGH SCHOOL

HANCOCK CO SCHOOL DIST

Kiln, 39556 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,187 students

HANCOCK MIDDLE SCHOOL

HANCOCK CO SCHOOL DIST

Kiln, 39556 / Rural: Fringe

Profile6–8Middle958 students

EAST HANCOCK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

HANCOCK CO SCHOOL DIST

Kiln, 39556 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary639 students

SOUTH HANCOCK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

HANCOCK CO SCHOOL DIST

Bay St. Louis, 39520 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary535 students

BAY HIGH SCHOOL

BAY ST LOUIS WAVELAND SCHOOL DIST

BAY ST LOUIS, 39520 / Suburb: Midsize

Record9–12High491 students

WAVELAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

BAY ST LOUIS WAVELAND SCHOOL DIST

WAVELAND, 39576 / Suburb: Midsize

RecordPK–2Primary425 students

HANCOCK NORTH CENTRAL ELEMENTARY

HANCOCK CO SCHOOL DIST

Kiln, 39556 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary400 students

Bay Waveland Middle School

BAY ST LOUIS WAVELAND SCHOOL DIST

Bay St. Louis, 39520 / Suburb: Midsize

Record6–8Middle392 students

NORTH BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

BAY ST LOUIS WAVELAND SCHOOL DIST

BAY ST LOUIS, 39520 / Suburb: Midsize

Record3–5Primary364 students

WEST HANCOCK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

HANCOCK CO SCHOOL DIST

Picayune, 39466 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary341 students

HANCOCK COUNTY CAREER TECHNICAL CEN

HANCOCK CO SCHOOL DIST

Kiln, 39556 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12Vocational0 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$5,998

State avg $5,954

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Hancock 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 Mississippi counties have the highest graduation rates?

Holmes County (97.0%), Montgomery County (97.0%), and Quitman County (97.0%) currently lead Mississippi 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 Mississippi?

Across Mississippi counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $5,954. The highest current county values are Choctaw County ($8,216), Kemper County ($7,706), and Franklin County ($7,289). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Hancock County?

Hancock County has a school score of 31/100, 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 Hancock County?

The high school graduation rate in Hancock County is 89.9%, 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 Hancock County spend per student?

Hancock County spends $5,998 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 Hancock County, Mississippi — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Hancock County, Mississippi?

What is the school experience like in Hancock County?

The county features a blend of 7 rural schools and 4 suburban schools, creating diverse campus vibes. Schools average 573 students, with Hancock High School being the largest at 1,187 students.

Counties with Similar School Profile

Pearl River County

Mississippi

-0 pts

31/100

School score

Tippah County

Mississippi

+0 pts

32/100

School score

Madison County

Mississippi

+1 pts

32/100

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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