Pickens 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.

Jasper, Georgia - 6 schools

An equity score of 45/100 ranks Pickens County #125 of 216 districts in Georgia (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,194 per pupil, Pickens County ranks #72 of 219 Georgia districts by per-pupil spending (Georgia districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

4,124
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$14,194
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Pickens County operates 6 public schools serving 4,124 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Georgia. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 combined, 1 high, 1 middle, 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 Pickens County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,194 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 219 Georgia districts by per-pupil spending. See how Georgia compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 50.4% local, 36.3% state, and 13.2% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 45/100, ranked #125 of 216 in Georgia 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 6 schools offering Advanced Placement (10 AP courses district-wide), a 473.1:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 26.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 88.3% White, 7.1% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Harmony Elementary School, with a diversity index of 26.8/100.

Its largest campus is Pickens County High School, enrolling 1,219 students (31% of the district's total enrollment).

Pickens County High School accounts for 29.6% of all Pickens County student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Pickens 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

Pickens County school enrollment varies 2.8× across entities

Pickens County school enrollment ranges from 429 students (lowest) to 1,219 students (highest), a spread of 790 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

Pickens County student-counselor ratio is 473:1 — 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

Pickens County chronic absenteeism rate is 26.8% — 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 Pickens County is typically wider than the Pickens 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?

13.2%
Federal
36.3%
State
50.4%
Local

Funding Equity

45
Equity Score
125 / 216
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 6 schools in Pickens County.

White 88.3%
Hispanic or Latino 7.1%
African American 1.0%
Multiracial 2.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 21.4/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Pickens County's schools, below the Georgia average of 50.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Harmony Elementary School 26.8
  2. 2 Tate Elementary School 23.9
  3. 3 Pickens County Junior High School 20.4
  4. 4 Jasper Middle School 19.3
  5. 5 Pickens County High School 19.2

Programs & Resources

1 / 6
Schools with AP
10 AP courses total
473.1:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
26.8%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Pickens County

School Enrollment
Pickens County High School
1,219
Pickens County Junior High School
638
Hill City Elementary School
602
Jasper Middle School
573
Harmony Elementary School
509
Tate Elementary School
429

How Pickens County Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Georgia districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Calhoun City Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Gilmer County Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Jefferson City Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Thomaston-Upson County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Emanuel County Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

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

Nearby Districts in Georgia

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

Gwinnett County
181,814 students · 140 schools · $13,113/pupil
Compare vs Pickens County →
Cobb County
106,703 students · 110 schools · $13,203/pupil
Compare vs Pickens County →
Dekalb County
92,368 students · 131 schools · $15,594/pupil
Compare vs Pickens County →
Fulton County
89,935 students · 108 schools · $13,999/pupil
Compare vs Pickens County →
Forsyth County
54,077 students · 42 schools · $10,928/pupil
Compare vs Pickens County →

Compare Pickens County

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

Compare vs Gwinnett County →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Pickens County?

Pickens County has 6 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 3 combined, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 4,124 students.

How much does Pickens County spend per student?

Pickens County spends $14,194 per student. The district has an equity score of 45/100, ranking #125 in Georgia.

What is the demographic composition of Pickens County?

Pickens County students are 88.3% White, 7.1% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% African American, 0.5% Asian, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Pickens County?

Pickens County has an equity score of 45/100, ranking #125 out of 216 districts in Georgia.