While the U.S. is one of the most educated countries in the world, it doesn’t provide the same quality elementary school or secondary school education to all students. In many states, more affluent school districts receive a greater amount of funding per student than poorer districts.
Discrepancies between the rich and poor have been exacerbated even more this year by the COVID-19 pandemic. Low-income students have suffered the greatest “learning loss” due to partial or total remote learning. One contributing factor is that people in low-income districts are less likely to have the technological resources they need.
States that provide equitable funding to all school districts can help prevent poor students from having lower graduation rates, lower rates of pursuing higher education and smaller future incomes than their wealthy peers. The difference is dramatic: College graduates have $524 - $1,112 higher median weekly earnings than people with a high school diploma and no college experience, depending on the degree.
Kentucky has the 20th most equitable school districts in the U.S. overall, but some districts within the state are fairer than others. To find out where school funding is distributed most equitably, WalletHub scored 173 districts in Kentucky based on two metrics: average household income and expenditures for public elementary and secondary schools per pupil. Read on for the district ranking and a complete description of our methodology.
Main Findings
Note: For visual purposes, we included only the top 7 school districts by enrollment from each category.
Most & Least Equitable School Districts in Kentucky
| Rank* | School District | Score | Expeditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Schools per Pupil | Income by School District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greenup County | 0.16 | $10,646 | $47,420 |
| 2 | Union County | 0.39 | $10,854 | $46,673 |
| 3 | Henderson County | 0.61 | $10,328 | $48,926 |
| 4 | Owensboro Independent | 0.66 | $12,571 | $39,772 |
| 5 | Hickman County | 0.68 | $11,801 | $42,929 |
| 6 | Owen County | 0.73 | $10,372 | $48,801 |
| 7 | Murray Independent | 0.89 | $12,108 | $40,962 |
| 8 | Carlisle County | 1.17 | $11,063 | $45,109 |
| 9 | Madison County | 1.20 | $9,672 | $50,788 |
| 10 | Hopkins County | 1.54 | $10,096 | $48,896 |
| 11 | Raceland-Worthington Independent | 1.71 | $9,216 | $53,975 |
| 12 | Eminence Independent | 1.86 | $11,522 | $44,609 |
| 13 | Harrison County | 1.93 | $10,165 | $48,438 |
| 14 | Mason County | 2.78 | $10,819 | $45,377 |
| 15 | Russellville Independent | 3.13 | $13,930 | $32,488 |
| 16 | Barren County | 3.33 | $10,385 | $46,903 |
| 17 | Graves County | 3.67 | $10,301 | $50,427 |
| 18 | Muhlenberg County | 4.03 | $11,116 | $43,590 |
| 19 | Augusta Independent | 4.10 | $11,775 | $40,865 |
| 20 | Breckinridge County | 4.16 | $10,872 | $48,315 |
| 21 | Larue County | 5.19 | $11,150 | $47,643 |
| 22 | Dayton Independent | 5.21 | $11,591 | $45,847 |
| 23 | Lyon County | 5.29 | $9,967 | $52,528 |
| 24 | West Point Independent | 5.53 | $13,739 | $37,204 |
| 25 | Caverna Independent | 5.96 | $13,624 | $32,454 |
| 26 | Mclean County | 5.97 | $10,206 | $51,861 |
| 27 | Ashland Independent | 5.98 | $11,413 | $41,489 |
| 28 | Grant County | 6.14 | $10,441 | $50,978 |
| 29 | Logan County | 6.23 | $9,981 | $52,898 |
| 30 | Ballard County | 6.32 | $10,506 | $45,048 |
| 31 | Bracken County | 6.71 | $10,127 | $52,518 |
| 32 | Simpson County | 6.83 | $11,093 | $48,623 |
| 33 | Mccracken County | 6.92 | $10,198 | $52,324 |
| 34 | Fleming County | 7.10 | $10,526 | $44,612 |
| 35 | Lincoln County | 7.16 | $10,933 | $42,919 |
| 36 | Danville Independent | 7.57 | $13,682 | $38,367 |
| 37 | Robertson County | 7.62 | $11,130 | $41,902 |
| 38 | Anderson County | 7.87 | $9,568 | $55,334 |
| 39 | Berea Independent | 7.91 | $12,649 | $42,748 |
| 40 | Carroll County | 8.06 | $12,476 | $43,524 |
| 41 | Frankfort Independent | 8.31 | $12,725 | $42,617 |
| 42 | Trigg County | 8.63 | $10,825 | $50,536 |
| 43 | Menifee County | 8.78 | $11,631 | $39,325 |
| 44 | Bath County | 8.88 | $10,258 | $44,898 |
| 45 | Pendleton County | 9.21 | $9,951 | $54,375 |
| 46 | Paris Independent | 9.31 | $11,891 | $38,023 |
| 47 | Monroe County | 9.37 | $12,652 | $34,879 |
| 48 | Corbin Independent | 9.40 | $9,669 | $47,070 |
| 49 | Martin County | 9.46 | $11,143 | $41,013 |
| 50 | Owsley County | 9.92 | $13,715 | $30,284 |
| 51 | Science Hill Independent | 10.07 | $11,869 | $46,920 |
| 52 | Crittenden County | 10.38 | $10,007 | $45,244 |
| 53 | Montgomery County | 10.56 | $9,920 | $45,516 |
| 54 | Calloway County | 10.64 | $10,276 | $44,026 |
| 55 | Caldwell County | 10.85 | $10,069 | $44,775 |
| 56 | Christian County | 11.10 | $10,082 | $44,608 |
| 57 | Ohio County | 11.25 | $9,832 | $45,564 |
| 58 | Warren County | 11.55 | $9,792 | $56,091 |
| 59 | Trimble County | 11.98 | $10,581 | $53,056 |
| 60 | Allen County | 12.17 | $10,103 | $44,036 |
| 61 | Hart County | 12.31 | $11,285 | $39,136 |
| 62 | Todd County | 12.37 | $10,089 | $44,005 |
| 63 | Garrard County | 12.40 | $10,732 | $52,631 |
| 64 | Paducah Independent | 12.46 | $11,766 | $37,100 |
| 65 | Williamstown Independent | 13.05 | $10,794 | $40,808 |
| 66 | Marion County | 13.26 | $10,943 | $40,107 |
| 67 | Edmonson County | 13.87 | $10,069 | $43,401 |
| 68 | Meade County | 14.08 | $9,497 | $58,446 |
| 69 | Fulton Independent | 14.14 | $14,063 | $26,938 |
| 70 | Covington Independent | 14.46 | $13,874 | $40,712 |
| 71 | Taylor County | 15.05 | $10,009 | $56,795 |
| 72 | Marshall County | 15.57 | $10,477 | $55,113 |
| 73 | Webster County | 15.64 | $10,186 | $42,119 |
| 74 | Gallatin County | 15.84 | $11,227 | $52,167 |
| 75 | Elizabethtown Independent | 16.05 | $10,855 | $39,195 |
| 76 | Whitley County | 16.44 | $11,410 | $36,747 |
| 77 | Bourbon County | 16.56 | $10,309 | $56,250 |
| 78 | Cumberland County | 16.56 | $11,740 | $35,344 |
| 79 | Mercer County | 16.74 | $11,022 | $53,417 |
| 80 | Pulaski County | 16.82 | $10,098 | $41,945 |
| 81 | Erlanger-Elsmere Independent | 16.85 | $11,196 | $52,756 |
| 82 | Barbourville Independent | 17.06 | $9,938 | $57,995 |
| 83 | Hardin County | 18.17 | $10,388 | $56,661 |
| 84 | Clark County | 18.75 | $10,870 | $54,953 |
| 85 | Henry County | 18.77 | $10,722 | $55,568 |
| 86 | Laurel County | 18.96 | $9,866 | $41,919 |
| 87 | Bowling Green Independent | 19.30 | $11,279 | $35,985 |
| 88 | Bardstown Independent | 19.40 | $11,329 | $53,371 |
| 89 | Washington County | 19.62 | $11,262 | $53,743 |
| 90 | Johnson County | 19.75 | $10,937 | $37,181 |
| 91 | Butler County | 19.86 | $9,804 | $41,763 |
| 92 | Newport Independent | 19.97 | $15,061 | $38,361 |
| 93 | Metcalfe County | 20.11 | $10,846 | $37,386 |
| 94 | Adair County | 20.52 | $10,646 | $38,021 |
| 95 | Paintsville Independent | 21.18 | $12,020 | $32,100 |
| 96 | Jackson County | 21.33 | $11,994 | $32,138 |
| 97 | Jessamine County | 21.40 | $10,360 | $58,245 |
| 98 | Russell County | 21.81 | $10,412 | $38,390 |
| 99 | Franklin County | 21.86 | $10,442 | $58,119 |
| 100 | Russell Independent | 22.40 | $10,723 | $57,213 |
| 101 | Pikeville Independent | 22.48 | $12,037 | $31,438 |
| 102 | Casey County | 22.79 | $11,176 | $34,819 |
| 103 | Morgan County | 22.88 | $10,845 | $36,134 |
| 104 | Ludlow Independent | 23.22 | $11,590 | $54,036 |
| 105 | Pike County | 23.27 | $11,070 | $35,036 |
| 106 | Wayne County | 23.34 | $11,092 | $34,914 |
| 107 | Daviess County | 23.70 | $10,492 | $58,747 |
| 108 | Grayson County | 23.73 | $10,145 | $38,612 |
| 109 | Powell County | 23.86 | $10,410 | $37,469 |
| 110 | Boyle County | 24.11 | $11,080 | $56,529 |
| 111 | Rockcastle County | 24.75 | $10,738 | $35,720 |
| 112 | Nicholas County | 25.52 | $10,059 | $38,149 |
| 113 | Hancock County | 25.81 | $11,101 | $57,217 |
| 114 | Knott County | 25.91 | $11,715 | $31,198 |
| 115 | Green County | 26.18 | $10,536 | $35,899 |
| 116 | Letcher County | 26.59 | $11,691 | $30,984 |
| 117 | Jackson Independent | 26.91 | $11,831 | $30,268 |
| 118 | Jenkins Independent | 26.98 | $12,495 | $27,521 |
| 119 | Floyd County | 27.11 | $11,207 | $32,730 |
| 120 | Rowan County | 27.15 | $9,858 | $38,230 |
| 121 | Perry County | 27.20 | $10,934 | $33,805 |
| 122 | Campbellsville Independent | 27.38 | $12,269 | $28,262 |
| 123 | Glasgow Independent | 28.06 | $10,676 | $34,469 |
| 124 | Livingston County | 28.26 | $12,932 | $50,839 |
| 125 | Bullitt County | 28.84 | $9,939 | $63,348 |
| 126 | Clinton County | 29.01 | $11,129 | $32,184 |
| 127 | Carter County | 30.14 | $10,380 | $34,736 |
| 128 | Knox County | 31.13 | $11,712 | $28,838 |
| 129 | Fairview Independent | 31.15 | $9,720 | $36,975 |
| 130 | Elliott County | 31.26 | $10,849 | $32,306 |
| 131 | Fulton County | 32.11 | $10,828 | $32,009 |
| 132 | Boyd County | 32.62 | $12,150 | $56,019 |
| 133 | Williamsburg Independent | 32.80 | $10,951 | $31,193 |
| 134 | Wolfe County | 32.93 | $12,542 | $24,623 |
| 135 | Lawrence County | 33.21 | $10,513 | $32,798 |
| 136 | Breathitt County | 34.03 | $11,775 | $27,262 |
| 137 | Leslie County | 34.43 | $10,663 | $31,627 |
| 138 | Mayfield Independent | 35.04 | $10,326 | $32,731 |
| 139 | Hazard Independent | 35.63 | $10,724 | $30,833 |
| 140 | Burgin Independent | 36.19 | $11,122 | $61,848 |
| 141 | Middlesboro Independent | 36.30 | $12,004 | $25,290 |
| 142 | Cloverport Independent | 36.31 | $11,081 | $29,063 |
| 143 | Nelson County | 36.52 | $10,324 | $65,262 |
| 144 | Woodford County | 37.24 | $10,757 | $63,820 |
| 145 | Magoffin County | 38.55 | $11,056 | $28,147 |
| 146 | Mccreary County | 38.55 | $11,066 | $28,105 |
| 147 | Lewis County | 38.84 | $10,291 | $31,147 |
| 148 | Estill County | 40.32 | $9,994 | $31,688 |
| 149 | Bell County | 41.45 | $10,927 | $27,358 |
| 150 | Fayette County | 41.56 | $12,832 | $57,291 |
| 151 | Scott County | 41.67 | $9,538 | $70,817 |
| 152 | Clay County | 42.88 | $10,895 | $26,840 |
| 153 | Somerset Independent | 42.91 | $10,584 | $28,097 |
| 154 | Shelby County | 43.21 | $10,629 | $67,056 |
| 155 | Harlan County | 44.86 | $10,633 | $27,011 |
| 156 | Dawson Springs Independent | 46.65 | $10,872 | $25,221 |
| 157 | East Bernstadt Independent | 49.28 | $8,698 | $32,917 |
| 158 | Lee County | 49.83 | $10,505 | $25,275 |
| 159 | Campbell County | 51.21 | $11,424 | $67,439 |
| 160 | Jefferson County | 51.46 | $14,132 | $56,472 |
| 161 | Walton-Verona Independent | 56.04 | $10,171 | $74,760 |
| 162 | Bellevue Independent | 59.77 | $13,380 | $63,327 |
| 163 | Harlan Independent | 62.10 | $9,806 | $22,557 |
| 164 | Kenton County | 62.22 | $10,069 | $77,985 |
| 165 | Spencer County | 62.95 | $9,617 | $80,166 |
| 166 | Silver Grove Independent | 65.89 | $16,005 | $55,370 |
| 167 | Southgate Independent | 67.03 | $15,875 | $56,418 |
| 168 | Pineville Independent | 68.29 | $9,503 | $20,985 |
| 169 | Boone County | 70.56 | $10,823 | $78,695 |
| 170 | Fort Thomas Independent | 80.39 | $11,086 | $82,083 |
| 171 | Beechwood Independent | 90.00 | $10,387 | $89,312 |
| 172 | Oldham County | 108.80 | $10,076 | $99,128 |
| 173 | Anchorage Independent | 394.19 | $21,431 | $182,386 |
*1=Most Equitable
Methodology
In order to rank the states with the most and least equitable school districts, WalletHub first scored 12,927 school districts throughout the U.S. based on two metrics: average household income and expenditures for public elementary and secondary schools per pupil.
For expenditures, for each 1 percent above the state's average we removed 1 point from a base score of 50 points for each district. For household income, for each 1 percent above the state's average we added 1 point to a base score of 50 points for each district. The inverse was true for each 1 percent below the state's average.
The final score for each district was calculated by taking the absolute difference between the score for expenditures and the score for household income. We then ranked the districts based on the total score, with the lowest value, representing the most equitable, being ranked 1.
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics.