Obion County

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.

Union City, Tennessee - 7 schools

An equity score of 53/100 ranks Obion County #18 of 140 districts in Tennessee (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,247 per pupil, Obion County ranks #48 of 141 Tennessee districts by per-pupil spending (Tennessee districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,113
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$11,247
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Obion County operates 7 public schools serving 3,113 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Tennessee. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 combined, 1 high schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Obion County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,247 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 141 Tennessee districts by per-pupil spending. See how Tennessee compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 27.9% local, 51.4% state, and 20.7% 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 53/100, ranked #18 of 140 in Tennessee against a state average of 38, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 7 schools offering Advanced Placement (4 AP courses district-wide), a 376.1:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 15.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 81.8% White, 9.1% Hispanic or Latino, 5.0% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Ridgemont Elementary, with a diversity index of 56.4/100.

Its largest campus is Obion County Central High School, enrolling 652 students (22% of the district's total enrollment).

Obion County Central High School accounts for 20.9% of all Obion County student enrollment

That concentration means Obion County-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

Obion County school enrollment varies 3.0× across entities

Obion County school enrollment ranges from 220 students (lowest) to 652 students (highest), a spread of 432 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. 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

Obion County student-counselor ratio is 376:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Obion County chronic absenteeism rate is 15.7% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within Obion County is typically wider than the Obion County-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

20.7%
Federal
51.4%
State
27.9%
Local

Funding Equity

53
Equity Score
18 / 140
State Rank
38
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 7 schools in Obion County.

White 81.8%
Hispanic or Latino 9.1%
African American 5.0%
Multiracial 3.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 28.3/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Obion County's schools, below the Tennessee average of 38.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Ridgemont Elementary 56.4
  2. 2 South Fulton Elementary 37.0
  3. 3 South Fulton Middle / High School 33.8
  4. 4 Obion County Central High School 29.2
  5. 5 Lake Road Elementary 20.7

Programs & Resources

1 / 7
Schools with AP
4 AP courses total
376.1:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
15.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Obion County

School Enrollment
Obion County Central High School
652
Hillcrest Elementary
587
Lake Road Elementary
492
Ridgemont Elementary
385
South Fulton Middle / High School
334
South Fulton Elementary
289
Black Oak Elementary
220

How Obion County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Tennessee districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Grainger County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Overton County Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Smith County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Hickman County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Franklin Ssd Similar size Higher spending More locally funded

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

Nearby Districts in Tennessee

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

Memphis-Shelby County Schools
109,797 students · 222 schools · $13,650/pupil
Compare vs Obion County →
Davidson County
80,651 students · 161 schools · $15,421/pupil
Compare vs Obion County →
Knox County
60,609 students · 93 schools · $10,538/pupil
Compare vs Obion County →
Rutherford County
50,707 students · 51 schools · $10,141/pupil
Compare vs Obion County →
Hamilton County
45,902 students · 81 schools · $12,002/pupil
Compare vs Obion County →

Compare Obion County

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

Compare vs Memphis-Shelby County Schools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Obion County?

Obion County has 7 schools, including 1 high, 6 combined. Total enrollment is 3,113 students.

How much does Obion County spend per student?

Obion County spends $11,247 per student. The district has an equity score of 53/100, ranking #18 in Tennessee.

What is the demographic composition of Obion County?

Obion County students are 81.8% White, 9.1% Hispanic or Latino, 5.0% African American, 0.5% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Obion County?

Obion County has an equity score of 53/100, ranking #18 out of 140 districts in Tennessee.