Lorain City

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Lorain, Ohio - 15 schools

An equity score of 54/100 ranks Lorain City #259 of 806 districts in Ohio (state average 46). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $17,966 per pupil, Lorain City ranks #129 of 966 Ohio districts by per-pupil spending (Ohio districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

5,935
Total Enrollment
15
Schools
$17,966
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Lorain City operates 15 public schools serving 5,935 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Ohio. The school portfolio breaks down into 10 combined, 3 middle, 2 high schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Lorain County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,966 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 966 Ohio districts by per-pupil spending. See how Ohio compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 23.3% local, 61.2% state, and 15.5% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 54/100, ranked #259 of 806 in Ohio against a state average of 46, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 511:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 57.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 46.2% Hispanic or Latino, 24.5% African American, 18.4% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Admiral King Elementary School, with a diversity index of 72.4/100.

Its largest campus is Lorain High School, enrolling 1,773 students (29% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is New Beginnings, at 125 students, a 14x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Lorain High School accounts for 28.8% of all Lorain City student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Lorain City-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Lorain City school enrollment varies 14× across entities

Lorain City school enrollment ranges from 125 students (lowest) to 1,773 students (highest), a spread of 1,648 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Lorain City student-counselor ratio is 511:1 — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Lorain City chronic absenteeism rate is 57.7% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

15.5%
Federal
61.2%
State
23.3%
Local

Funding Equity

54
Equity Score
259 / 806
State Rank
46
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 15 schools in Lorain City.

White 18.4%
Hispanic or Latino 46.2%
African American 24.5%
Multiracial 10.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 66.7/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Lorain City's schools, above the Ohio average of 35.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Admiral King Elementary School 72.4
  2. 2 Hawthorne Elementary School 71.7
  3. 3 Larkmoor Elementary School 71.5
  4. 4 Longfellow Middle School 71.5
  5. 5 Toni Wofford Morrison Es 71.1

Programs & Resources

511:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
57.7%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Lorain City

School Enrollment
Lorain High School
1,773
General Johnnie Wilson Middle School
439
Larkmoor Elementary School
432
Southview Middle School
423
Longfellow Middle School
398
Toni Wofford Morrison Es
324
Frank Jacinto Elementary
307
Stevan Dohanos Elementary School
301
Palm Elementary School
295
Helen Steiner Rice Es
291
Washington Elementary School
287
Admiral King Elementary School
278
Garfield Elementary School
259
Hawthorne Elementary School
218
New Beginnings
125

How Lorain City Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Ohio districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Princeton City Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Newark City Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Huber Heights City Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Jackson Local Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Plain Local Similar size Lower spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Lorain City's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Ohio

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Columbus City Schools District
45,338 students · 118 schools · $20,324/pupil
Compare vs Lorain City →
Cincinnati Public Schools
35,585 students · 65 schools · $18,181/pupil
Compare vs Lorain City →
Cleveland Municipal
33,998 students · 95 schools · $21,661/pupil
Compare vs Lorain City →
Olentangy Local
23,281 students · 27 schools · $13,879/pupil
Compare vs Lorain City →
Toledo City
21,814 students · 57 schools · $18,515/pupil
Compare vs Lorain City →

Compare Lorain City

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Columbus City Schools District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Lorain City?

Lorain City has 15 schools, including 2 high, 3 middle, 10 combined. Total enrollment is 5,935 students.

How much does Lorain City spend per student?

Lorain City spends $17,966 per student. The district has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #259 in Ohio.

What is the demographic composition of Lorain City?

Lorain City students are 46.2% Hispanic or Latino, 24.5% African American, 18.4% White, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 15 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Lorain City?

Lorain City has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #259 out of 806 districts in Ohio.