Owen 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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Owenton, Kentucky - 3 schools

An equity score of 49/100 ranks Owen County #87 of 171 districts in Kentucky (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,329 per pupil, Owen County ranks #64 of 171 Kentucky districts by per-pupil spending (Kentucky districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,732
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$14,329
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Owen County operates 3 public schools serving 1,732 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Kentucky. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 high, 1 elementary 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 Owen County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,329 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 171 Kentucky districts by per-pupil spending. See how Kentucky compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 25.5% local, 56.6% state, and 17.9% 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 49/100, ranked #87 of 171 in Kentucky against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (3 AP courses district-wide), a 560:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 24.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 91.0% White, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 0.7% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Owen County Elementary/Primary School, with a diversity index of 18.9/100.

Its largest campus is Owen County Elementary/Primary School, enrolling 674 students (40% of the district's total enrollment).

Owen County Elementary/Primary School accounts for 38.9% of all Owen County student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Owen County-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Owen County reports 57.5% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share clears the 50% majority mark. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Owen County student-counselor ratio is 560:1 — 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

Owen County chronic absenteeism rate is 24.9% — 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 Owen County is typically wider than the Owen County-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

17.9%
Federal
56.6%
State
25.5%
Local

Funding Equity

49
Equity Score
87 / 171
State Rank
50
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 3 schools in Owen County.

White 91.0%
Hispanic or Latino 5.9%
African American 0.7%
Multiracial 2.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 16.8/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Owen County's schools, below the Kentucky average of 34.5.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Owen County Elementary/Primary School 18.9
  2. 2 Owen County High School 17.8
  3. 3 Maurice Bowling Middle School 13.5

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
3 AP courses total
560:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
24.9%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Owen County

School Enrollment
Owen County Elementary/Primary School
674
Owen County High School
531
Maurice Bowling Middle School
475

How Owen County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Kentucky districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Martin County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Breathitt County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Washington County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Monroe County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Leslie County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

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

Nearby Districts in Kentucky

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

Jefferson County
95,230 students · 168 schools · $18,189/pupil
Compare vs Owen County →
Fayette County
41,422 students · 80 schools · $18,318/pupil
Compare vs Owen County →
Boone County
20,200 students · 28 schools · $13,925/pupil
Compare vs Owen County →
Warren County
17,799 students · 34 schools · $12,051/pupil
Compare vs Owen County →
Hardin County
14,675 students · 26 schools · $13,734/pupil
Compare vs Owen County →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Owen County

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

Compare vs Jefferson County →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Owen County?

Owen County has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 1,732 students.

How much does Owen County spend per student?

Owen County spends $14,329 per student. The district has an equity score of 49/100, ranking #87 in Kentucky.

What is the demographic composition of Owen County?

Owen County students are 91.0% White, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 0.7% African American, 0.1% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Owen County?

Owen County has an equity score of 49/100, ranking #87 out of 171 districts in Kentucky.