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

No. Use the Pearl River 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 Pearl River 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 Pearl River County?

Start with the 20 listed public schools and 3 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Pearl River County Schools & Education

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

Pearl River 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

90.6%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

90.6%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 87.1%

Per-Pupil Spending

$5,627

National avg $13,239

State avg $5,954

School Score

31/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 27/100

State Score Position

#27

of 81 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Pearl River County

Measured School Summary

Despite a lower school score of 31/100, Pearl River County maintains a strong graduation rate of 90.6%, suggesting effective student support systems.

Funding Context

At $5,627 per pupil, Pearl River County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 15% above the Mississippi average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 3.5 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 5% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Pearl River 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

20 public schools and 3 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 #27 of 81 Mississippi counties with school score data.

Completion

90.6%

3.5 pts above the state average

Funding context

$5,627

$327 below the state average

School coverage

3 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

Pearl River County has 20 public schools across 3 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 Pearl River 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

Pearl River 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

#27

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.

PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

3,431 students

Elementary 5Middle 1High 3Other 2

11 listed schools in this county slice.

PEARL RIVER CO SCHOOL DIST

Elementary to high school visible

3,284 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 2Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

POPLARVILLE SEPARATE SCHOOL DIST

Elementary to high school visible

1,909 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 2Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT is the largest listed district slice, with 11 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 Pearl River County?

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

Data Story

Pearl River Graduation Rate Surpasses State and National Averages

Education data brief for Pearl River County, Mississippi.

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

Lead metric:Graduation rate

Pearl River County reports a high school graduation rate of 90.6%, which is higher than both the Mississippi state average of 87.1% and the national average of 87.0%. The county's composite school score of 31.1 also exceeds the state average of 26.9. There are 20 public schools in the county serving 8,624 students, with Picayune School District being the largest district by school count with 11 facilities. The largest individual school is Pearl River Central Elementary, which enrolls 1,501 students. Despite the higher graduation rate, per-pupil spending in Pearl River County is $5,627, which is below the state average of $5,954 and less than half of the national average of $13,000. The school mix includes a majority of town locales (11 schools) and two alternative schools. No charter schools are currently operating in the county. See the NCES Common Core of Data for school-level records.

Sources

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

School Overview

Total Schools

in Pearl River County

Reported Enrollment

8,624

20 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary8

Middle3

High7

Other2

3 School Districts in Pearl River County

PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT

PEARL RIVER CO SCHOOL DIST

4 schools

3,284 students

POPLARVILLE SEPARATE SCHOOL DIST

5 schools

1,909 students

20 Public Schools in Pearl River County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 3 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

Sort

Showing 20 of 20 matching schools

Public schools in Pearl River County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
PEARL RIVER CENTRAL ELEMENTAR	Profile	PEARL RIVER CO SCHOOL DIST	CARRIERE, 39426Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	1,501
PEARL RIVER CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	PEARL RIVER CO SCHOOL DIST	CARRIERE, 39426Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,011
PICAYUNE MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT	Picayune, 39466Town: Distant	9–12	High	941
PEARL RIVER CENTRAL JUNIOR HIGH	Record	PEARL RIVER CO SCHOOL DIST	CARRIERE, 39426Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	772
POPLARVILLE JR SR HIGH SCHOOL	Record	POPLARVILLE SEPARATE SCHOOL DIST	POPLARVILLE, 39470Rural: Remote	9–12	High	556
PICAYUNE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL	Record	PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT	Picayune, 39466Town: Distant	7–8	Middle	510
POPLARVILLE LOWER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	POPLARVILLE SEPARATE SCHOOL DIST	POPLARVILLE, 39470Rural: Remote	PK–2	Primary	476
MIDDLE SCHOOL OF POPLARVILLE	Record	POPLARVILLE SEPARATE SCHOOL DIST	Poplarville, 39470Rural: Remote	6–8	Middle	448
POPLARVILLE UPPER ELEMENTARY SCH	Record	POPLARVILLE SEPARATE SCHOOL DIST	POPLARVILLE, 39470Rural: Remote	3–5	Primary	429
WEST SIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT	Picayune, 39466Town: Distant	KG–6	Primary	427
ROSELAND PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT	Picayune, 39466Town: Distant	KG–6	Primary	366
NICHOLSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT	Picayune, 39466Town: Distant	KG–6	Primary	363
SOUTH SIDE LOWER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT	Picayune, 39466Town: Distant	PK–2	Primary	335
SOUTH SIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT	Picayune, 39466Town: Distant	3–6	Primary	298
EARLY HEAD START ROSA STREET	Record	PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT	Picayune, 39466Town: Distant	PK	Other	151
EARLY HEAD START NICHOLSON	Record	PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT	Picayune, 39466Town: Distant	PK	Other	40
CENTER FOR ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION	Record	PEARL RIVER CO SCHOOL DIST	Carriere, 39426Rural: Fringe	6–12	Alternative	0
CENTER FOR ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION	Record	PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT	Picayune, 39466Town: Distant	7–12	Alternative	0
PMHS CAREER & TECHNOLOGY CENTER	Record	PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT	Picayune, 39466Town: Distant	9–12	Vocational	0
POPLARVILLE CAREER DEVELOPMENT CTR	Record	POPLARVILLE SEPARATE SCHOOL DIST	POPLARVILLE, 39470Rural: Remote	7–12	Vocational	0

PEARL RIVER CENTRAL ELEMENTAR

PEARL RIVER CO SCHOOL DIST

CARRIERE, 39426 / Rural: Distant

ProfilePK–5Primary1,501 students

PEARL RIVER CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

PEARL RIVER CO SCHOOL DIST

CARRIERE, 39426 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,011 students

PICAYUNE MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL

PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Picayune, 39466 / Town: Distant

Profile9–12High941 students

PEARL RIVER CENTRAL JUNIOR HIGH

PEARL RIVER CO SCHOOL DIST

CARRIERE, 39426 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle772 students

POPLARVILLE JR SR HIGH SCHOOL

POPLARVILLE SEPARATE SCHOOL DIST

POPLARVILLE, 39470 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High556 students

PICAYUNE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Picayune, 39466 / Town: Distant

Record7–8Middle510 students

POPLARVILLE LOWER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

POPLARVILLE SEPARATE SCHOOL DIST

POPLARVILLE, 39470 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–2Primary476 students

MIDDLE SCHOOL OF POPLARVILLE

POPLARVILLE SEPARATE SCHOOL DIST

Poplarville, 39470 / Rural: Remote

Record6–8Middle448 students

POPLARVILLE UPPER ELEMENTARY SCH

POPLARVILLE SEPARATE SCHOOL DIST

POPLARVILLE, 39470 / Rural: Remote

Record3–5Primary429 students

WEST SIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Picayune, 39466 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–6Primary427 students

ROSELAND PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Picayune, 39466 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–6Primary366 students

NICHOLSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Picayune, 39466 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–6Primary363 students

SOUTH SIDE LOWER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Picayune, 39466 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–2Primary335 students

SOUTH SIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Picayune, 39466 / Town: Distant

Record3–6Primary298 students

EARLY HEAD START ROSA STREET

PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Picayune, 39466 / Town: Distant

RecordPKOther151 students

EARLY HEAD START NICHOLSON

PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Picayune, 39466 / Town: Distant

RecordPKOther40 students

CENTER FOR ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION

PEARL RIVER CO SCHOOL DIST

Carriere, 39426 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–12Alternative0 students

CENTER FOR ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION

PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Picayune, 39466 / Town: Distant

Record7–12Alternative0 students

PMHS CAREER & TECHNOLOGY CENTER

PICAYUNE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Picayune, 39466 / Town: Distant

Record9–12Vocational0 students

POPLARVILLE CAREER DEVELOPMENT CTR

POPLARVILLE SEPARATE SCHOOL DIST

POPLARVILLE, 39470 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12Vocational0 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$5,627

State avg $5,954

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Pearl River 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 Pearl River County?

Pearl River 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 Pearl River County?

The high school graduation rate in Pearl River County is 90.6%, 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 Pearl River County spend per student?

Pearl River County spends $5,627 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

Hancock County

Mississippi

+0 pts

31/100

School score

Harrison County

Mississippi

-1 pts

31/100

School score

Monroe County

Mississippi

-1 pts

31/100

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.

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