Enrollment
1,814
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Hammond, IN
Hammond Central High School
Federal NCES profile for Hammond Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 180432000736
👥 S:T ratio 24
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 60
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hammond Central High School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Indiana schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Indiana.
- #1 of 3
- high schools in Hammond · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.9:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 69.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Hammond Central High School has class sizes larger than 86% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hammond Central High School ranks #1 of 3 high schools in Hammond, IN.
School address
District: School City of Hammond · Indiana
NCES ID 180432000736 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
96.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.9:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.4%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hammond Central High School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hammond Central High School
Hammond Central High School is a higher-need, large high school in Hammond, Indiana, enrolling 1,814 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.9:1 is larger than about 86% of Indiana schools and 19% above the 15.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 69.4% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Indiana, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,814 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Among 33 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #1, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (54%) and African American (37%) (diversity index 57/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 2 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 202 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.1% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 19.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 458 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,814 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 6 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Hammond's high schools, it stands alongside Morton Senior High School (1,446 students): Hammond Central High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.9:1 vs 16.6:1).
School City of Hammond also operates Morton Senior High School (1,446 students) and Warren G Harding Elementary School (755 students) alongside Hammond Central High School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Hammond Central High School compares
Hammond Central High School on the metrics families compare, against Indiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Indiana | Indiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.9:1 | ▲ 19% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.4% | ▲ 40% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,814 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.9:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,814
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% above the Indiana average of 49.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.9:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 86% in Indiana - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
23.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$14,212
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors9.0 FTE
Per 202 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
216
in-school suspensions + 242 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 expulsions.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 53.6%
African American 36.8%
White 5.7%
Two or More 3.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Asian 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 53.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.3, Hammond Central High School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 2
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for School City of Hammond, which includes Hammond Central High School.
$14,212
Per student
+18%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.5%
State 53.8%
Federal 19.7%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Hammond Central High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morton Senior High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Warren G Harding Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Washington Irving Elementary Sch | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Thomas a Edison Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Henry W Eggers Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hammond Central High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,446
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 755
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 754
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 705
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 693
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar high schools in Hammond
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Indiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,814 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hammond Central High School's federal record.
- Compare Hammond Central High School against another school. Compare schools
- School City of Hammond's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Hammond Central High School
How many students attend Hammond Central High School?
Hammond Central High School has 1,814 students enrolled. It is a high school in Hammond, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hammond Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Hammond Central High School is 18.9:1, which is 19% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hammond Central High School?
69.4% of students at Hammond Central High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hammond Central High School?
The largest demographic group at Hammond Central High School is Hispanic or Latino at 53.6% of enrollment, in Hammond, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hammond Central High School?
Hammond Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Hammond Central High School rank among high schools in Hammond?
By Resource Investment Index, Hammond Central High School ranks #1 of 3 high schools in Hammond, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Hammond on the city page.
Is Hammond Central High School a good school?
Hammond Central High School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Indiana schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Indiana. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in School City of Hammond?
Besides Hammond Central High School, School City of Hammond also operates Morton Senior High School (1,446 students), Warren G Harding Elementary School (755 students), and Washington Irving Elementary Sch (754 students). See the School City of Hammond district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.