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

No. Use the Mercer 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 Mercer 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 Mercer County?

Start with the 25 listed public schools and 1 district entry, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Mercer County Schools & Education

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

Mercer County, West Virginia

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

School Score

61/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

92.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

92.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 92.8%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,671

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,773

School Score

61/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 62/100

State Score Position

#26

of 55 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Mercer County

Measured School Summary

Mercer County performs at an average level with a school score of 61/100 and a solid graduation rate of 92.0%.

Funding Context

At $7,671 per pupil, Mercer County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 1% below the West Virginia average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 0.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 1% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Mercer 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

25 public schools and 1 district 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

61/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #26 of 55 West Virginia counties with school score data.

Completion

92.0%

0.8 pts below the state average

Funding context

$7,671

$102 below the state average

School coverage

1 district represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Mercer County has 25 public schools across 1 district, 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 Mercer 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

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS carries most of the listed public-school system, with 25 of 25 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#26

of 55 West Virginia counties with school score data. The county score is roughly in line with the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 96% 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.

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

Elementary to high school visible

8,686 students

Elementary 16Middle 3High 4Other 2

25 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS is the largest listed district slice, with 25 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 Mercer County?

Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?

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?

Which schools are missing enrollment or ratio fields, and does the district publish a newer local profile than the NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data?

Data Story

Mercer County Manages Extensive Network of Town-Based Public Schools

Education data brief for Mercer County, West Virginia.

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

Lead metric:District structure

Mercer County operates 25 public schools, the highest count among the reviewed counties, with a specific focus on town-based education. Sixteen of these schools are located in town locales, while nine are rural. The single district, Mercer County Schools, serves a total enrollment of 8,686 students, with Princeton Senior High School being the largest at 983 students. The county’s composite school score is 61.4, which nearly matches the state average of 62.3 and exceeds the national median of 50.0. The graduation rate of 92.0% is slightly below the state average of 92.8% but remains above the national benchmark of 87.0%. Spending per pupil is $7,671, which is close to the state average of $7,773 but lower than the national average of $13,000. No charter schools are present within the county. Refer to the NCES directory for detailed school enrollment figures.

Sources

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

School Overview

Total Schools

in Mercer County

Reported Enrollment

8,686

24 schools reporting

School Districts

district

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary16

Middle3

High4

Other2

1 School District in Mercer County

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

Guide

25 schools

8,686 students enrolled

Open district guide

25 Public Schools in Mercer 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 20 of 25 matching schools

Public schools in Mercer County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
PRINCETON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	PRINCETON, 24740Town: Distant	9–12	High	983
PIKEVIEW HIGH SCHOOL	Record	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	PRINCETON, 24739Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	630
BLUEFIELD HIGH SCHOOL	Record	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	BLUEFIELD, 24701Town: Distant	9–12	High	608
GLENWOOD SCHOOL (K-8)	Record	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	PRINCETON, 24739Town: Distant	KG–8	Primary	600
PIKEVIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL	Record	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	PRINCETON, 24739Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	568
PRINCETON MIDDLE SCHOOL	Record	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	PRINCETON, 24740Town: Distant	6–8	Middle	503
PRINCETON PRIMARY SCHOOL	Record	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	PRINCETON, 24739Town: Distant	KG–2	Primary	499
BLUEFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL	Record	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	BLUEFIELD, 24701Town: Distant	6–8	Middle	467
SILVER SPRINGS EARLY LEARNING CENTER	Record	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	PRINCETON, 24740Town: Distant	PK	Other	380
BLUEFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL	Record	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	BLUEFIELD, 24701Town: Distant	PK–2	Primary	346
MOUNTAIN VALLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	BLUEFIELD, 24701Town: Distant	PK–5	Primary	304
BLUEFIELD INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL	Record	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	BLUEFIELD, 24701Rural: Fringe	3–5	Primary	289
MERCER ELEMENTARY	Record	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	PRINCETON, 24740Town: Distant	3–5	Primary	288
MONTCALM HIGH SCHOOL	Record	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	ROCK, 24747Rural: Fringe	7–12	High	282
MONTCALM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	ROCK, 24747Rural: Fringe	PK–6	Primary	279
MELROSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	PRINCETON, 24739Town: Distant	KG–5	Primary	252
ATHENS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	ATHENS, 24712Town: Distant	PK–5	Primary	242
LASHMEET/MATOAKA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	MATOAKA, 24736Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	189
BRUSHFORK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	BLUEFIELD, 24701Town: Distant	KG–5	Primary	185
OAKVALE SCHOOL	Record	MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS	PRINCETON, 24739Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	181

PRINCETON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

PRINCETON, 24740 / Town: Distant

Profile9–12High983 students

PIKEVIEW HIGH SCHOOL

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

PRINCETON, 24739 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High630 students

BLUEFIELD HIGH SCHOOL

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

BLUEFIELD, 24701 / Town: Distant

Record9–12High608 students

GLENWOOD SCHOOL (K-8)

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

PRINCETON, 24739 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–8Primary600 students

PIKEVIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

PRINCETON, 24739 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle568 students

PRINCETON MIDDLE SCHOOL

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

PRINCETON, 24740 / Town: Distant

Record6–8Middle503 students

PRINCETON PRIMARY SCHOOL

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

PRINCETON, 24739 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–2Primary499 students

BLUEFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

BLUEFIELD, 24701 / Town: Distant

Record6–8Middle467 students

SILVER SPRINGS EARLY LEARNING CENTER

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

PRINCETON, 24740 / Town: Distant

RecordPKOther380 students

BLUEFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

BLUEFIELD, 24701 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–2Primary346 students

MOUNTAIN VALLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

BLUEFIELD, 24701 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary304 students

BLUEFIELD INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

BLUEFIELD, 24701 / Rural: Fringe

Record3–5Primary289 students

MERCER ELEMENTARY

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

PRINCETON, 24740 / Town: Distant

Record3–5Primary288 students

MONTCALM HIGH SCHOOL

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

ROCK, 24747 / Rural: Fringe

Record7–12High282 students

MONTCALM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

ROCK, 24747 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–6Primary279 students

MELROSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

PRINCETON, 24739 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–5Primary252 students

ATHENS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

ATHENS, 24712 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary242 students

LASHMEET/MATOAKA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

MATOAKA, 24736 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary189 students

BRUSHFORK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

BLUEFIELD, 24701 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–5Primary185 students

OAKVALE SCHOOL

MERCER COUNTY SCHOOLS

PRINCETON, 24739 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary181 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,671

State avg $7,773

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Mercer 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 West Virginia counties have the highest graduation rates?

Harrison County (98.0%), Ohio County (98.0%), and Putnam County (98.0%) currently lead West Virginia 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 West Virginia?

Across West Virginia counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $7,773. The highest current county values are Doddridge County ($12,943), Wetzel County ($11,343), and Tyler County ($10,519). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Mercer County?

Mercer County has a school score of 61/100, which is a midrange 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 Mercer County?

The high school graduation rate in Mercer County is 92.0%, 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 Mercer County spend per student?

Mercer County spends $7,671 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

Berkeley County

West Virginia

-0 pts

61/100

School score

Randolph County

West Virginia

-2 pts

59/100

School score

Mineral County

West Virginia

+3 pts

64/100

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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