School Funding Equity in Kentucky 171 districts ranked by equity score — how equitably is school funding distributed? Equity is computed from NCES F-33 school finance data covering districts in all 50 states. See our methodology .
37
Highly Equitable (70+)
# District Enrollment $/Pupil Free Lunch Local Rev % Score 1 Menifee County 955 $18,875 76.5% 14.0% 94 2 Wolfe County 1,150 $17,673 81.3% 10.0% 93 3 Breathitt County 1,701 $20,196 70.5% 9.5% 92 4 Owsley County 785 $16,737 85.4% 13.6% 88 5 Fulton Independent 324 $19,217 70.1% 20.3% 88 6 Knott County 2,092 $16,947 75.0% 17.3% 86 7 Knox County 3,943 $15,928 83.6% 11.7% 84 8 Lewis County 2,036 $21,302 72.3% 14.3% 84 9 Morgan County 1,877 $16,127 72.7% 12.6% 84 10 Elliott County 962 $16,484 68.2% 13.8% 84 11 Harlan County 3,459 $15,949 81.9% 12.7% 83 12 Letcher County 2,596 $15,959 62.1% 13.9% 83 13 Clay County 2,916 $15,961 74.1% 15.0% 82 14 Middlesboro Independent 1,120 $18,224 79.3% 18.6% 81 15 Whitley County 4,336 $15,297 79.2% 11.5% 80 16 Dayton Independent 859 $17,719 77.7% 23.3% 80 17 Caverna Independent 647 $20,389 76.8% 31.6% 79 18 Green County 1,637 $18,125 59.0% 18.0% 78 19 Estill County 2,202 $19,642 68.7% 14.5% 77 20 Clinton County 1,574 $15,267 79.2% 19.5% 77 21 Boyd County 3,102 $17,025 65.8% 28.0% 76 22 Fairview Independent 582 $16,011 55.6% 19.0% 76 23 Cloverport Independent 283 $15,301 60.8% 12.6% 76 24 Perry County 3,593 $15,620 73.2% 14.3% 75 25 Southgate Independent 207 $19,091 82.1% 36.5% 75 26 Bowling Green Independent 4,424 $17,986 69.2% 28.8% 74 27 Covington Independent 3,665 $17,612 82.8% 29.6% 74 28 Floyd County 5,563 $15,413 75.0% 16.2% 73 29 Owensboro Independent 5,040 $17,055 68.5% 25.0% 73 30 Lawrence County 2,442 $15,227 66.6% 14.0% 73 31 Monroe County 1,788 $16,991 62.4% 21.3% 73 32 Bellevue Independent 639 $24,733 60.0% 43.8% 72 33 Paducah Independent 3,119 $18,277 76.1% 29.0% 71 34 Campbellsville Independent 1,286 $16,488 68.6% 24.5% 71 35 Hazard Independent 1,030 $15,448 55.7% 13.9% 71 36 Bell County 2,454 $15,541 76.7% 16.8% 70 37 Leslie County 1,658 $16,931 59.4% 13.4% 70 38 Robertson County 479 $18,419 60.1% 14.5% 69 39 Anchorage Independent 405 $24,828 6.9% 65.2% 69 40 Harlan Independent 829 $17,858 58.7% 12.3% 68 41 Jackson County 2,053 $13,702 72.7% 13.7% 67 42 Berea Independent 1,086 $15,606 57.6% 19.8% 67 43 McCreary County 2,715 $14,338 79.5% 11.2% 66 44 Jefferson County 95,230 $19,590 60.4% 46.8% 64 45 Fayette County 41,422 $17,525 51.9% 49.8% 64 46 Lincoln County 3,416 $14,281 65.4% 18.5% 64 47 Rockcastle County 2,761 $14,093 67.2% 14.2% 63 48 Bardstown Independent 2,716 $18,401 51.8% 28.3% 63 49 Johnson County 3,344 $15,985 65.2% 12.7% 62 50 Cumberland County 1,004 $15,677 68.7% 20.4% 62 51 Powell County 2,130 $14,236 62.9% 19.0% 61 52 Carroll County 2,042 $17,165 61.1% 29.8% 61 53 Murray Independent 1,849 $16,079 49.6% 22.1% 61 54 Martin County 1,758 $14,903 71.7% 14.3% 60 55 Paris Independent 754 $16,924 68.4% 22.0% 60 56 Hart County 2,347 $15,172 53.8% 19.1% 59 57 Bath County 1,972 $13,104 78.1% 17.1% 59 58 Todd County 1,887 $16,848 59.0% 19.7% 59 59 Fulton County 640 $14,699 68.6% 22.5% 59 60 Casey County 2,202 $14,405 61.6% 15.4% 58 61 Newport Independent 1,382 $25,289 86.1% 38.4% 58 62 Ohio County 3,910 $13,923 68.1% 16.9% 57 63 Magoffin County 2,017 $13,842 73.0% 11.3% 57 64 Trigg County 1,964 $15,216 55.2% 24.6% 57 65 Lee County 907 $15,001 79.0% 19.9% 57 66 Hickman County 723 $14,924 55.5% 27.7% 57 67 Dawson Springs Independent 534 $13,627 65.7% 17.3% 57 68 Mason County 2,608 $16,396 61.3% 28.2% 56 69 Mayfield Independent 1,947 $14,777 66.6% 17.3% 56 70 Danville Independent 1,836 $15,338 63.2% 33.5% 56 71 Daviess County 11,164 $16,199 53.8% 35.1% 55 72 Wayne County 3,207 $13,327 84.6% 15.4% 55 73 Pineville Independent 577 $13,649 71.2% 11.3% 55 74 Jenkins Independent 475 $14,761 77.3% 15.6% 55 75 Hancock County 1,524 $15,208 55.3% 37.9% 54 76 East Bernstadt Independent 523 $13,690 63.1% 9.2% 54 77 Pike County 7,787 $14,759 72.5% 21.5% 53 78 Ludlow Independent 828 $14,724 59.8% 23.9% 53 79 Butler County 2,195 $13,248 65.1% 16.3% 51 80 Frankfort Independent 972 $16,965 56.1% 27.6% 51 81 Union County 2,055 $17,276 61.8% 30.2% 50 82 Raceland-Worthington Independent 1,132 $14,320 41.7% 18.0% 50 83 Livingston County 1,074 $16,475 53.9% 34.9% 50 84 Augusta Independent 317 $13,669 56.8% 17.9% 50 85 Jessamine County 8,392 $15,150 54.3% 33.8% 49 86 Clark County 5,359 $15,007 63.4% 31.5% 49 87 Erlanger-Elsmere Independent 2,392 $14,782 51.9% 32.5% 49 88 McLean County 1,405 $14,090 56.6% 24.8% 49 89 Shelby County 6,935 $16,516 52.2% 39.0% 48 90 Barren County 5,224 $15,161 54.2% 23.8% 48 91 Williamsburg Independent 835 $12,900 — 12.9% 48 92 Henderson County 6,955 $15,873 53.1% 27.6% 47 93 Muhlenberg County 4,486 $15,137 62.9% 31.4% 47 94 Russell County 3,005 $14,084 65.8% 21.0% 47 95 Adair County 2,622 $12,900 54.4% 18.2% 47 96 Crittenden County 1,363 $12,988 54.4% 21.1% 47 97 Carlisle County 759 $14,142 56.0% 22.1% 47 98 Logan County 3,430 $14,216 53.5% 22.5% 46 99 Greenup County 2,634 $13,540 62.2% 22.7% 46 100 Glasgow Independent 2,490 $15,490 64.2% 24.0% 46 101 Fleming County 2,186 $13,964 60.2% 17.5% 45 102 Somerset Independent 1,615 $14,264 62.2% 32.5% 45 103 Lyon County 998 $17,949 47.1% 43.2% 45 104 Corbin Independent 3,027 $13,827 64.5% 14.6% 44 105 Breckinridge County 2,748 $16,030 23.7% 23.2% 44 106 Metcalfe County 1,459 $14,205 69.7% 21.5% 44 107 Paintsville Independent 766 $14,750 47.1% 29.8% 44 108 Calloway County 3,134 $16,173 60.9% 32.1% 43 109 Jackson Independent 349 $14,361 53.0% 22.0% 43 110 Madison County 11,198 $15,043 51.3% 32.2% 42 111 Hopkins County 6,358 $13,966 59.1% 25.7% 42 112 Rowan County 3,429 $13,903 70.0% 28.4% 42 113 Ashland Independent 3,261 $12,871 65.4% 21.9% 42 114 Edmonson County 1,890 $14,343 45.7% 20.0% 42 115 Owen County 1,732 $14,453 57.4% 25.5% 41 116 Nicholas County 1,119 $13,213 64.0% 16.0% 41 117 Franklin County 6,126 $14,246 56.5% 39.4% 40 118 Williamstown Independent 878 $14,219 61.1% 19.6% 40 119 Burgin Independent 495 $14,201 44.8% 36.8% 40 120 Grayson County 4,039 $13,023 62.5% 19.6% 39 121 Garrard County 2,606 $12,888 63.2% 24.3% 38 122 Washington County 1,776 $14,848 57.0% 25.8% 38 123 Beechwood Independent 1,501 $15,588 37.6% 45.6% 38 124 Russellville Independent 1,168 $13,978 73.6% 21.7% 38 125 Hardin County 14,675 $13,705 49.6% 29.3% 36 126 Ballard County 1,052 $14,230 56.6% 30.3% 36 127 Christian County 8,204 $13,900 64.4% 22.9% 35 128 Grant County 3,457 $13,511 62.7% 22.5% 34 129 Elizabethtown Independent 2,465 $12,484 44.1% 27.1% 34 130 Marion County 3,256 $14,666 59.6% 29.4% 33 131 Taylor County 2,731 $14,244 57.3% 24.9% 33 132 LaRue County 2,393 $12,457 56.1% 19.3% 33 133 Henry County 2,014 $14,266 51.5% 27.7% 33 134 Barbourville Independent 692 $12,852 69.6% 15.4% 33 135 Montgomery County 4,472 $12,862 58.4% 21.5% 31 136 Science Hill Independent 476 $12,692 59.5% 18.2% 31 137 Boone County 20,200 $14,519 39.5% 51.3% 30 138 Carter County 4,138 $12,600 61.2% 16.0% 30 139 Bourbon County 2,674 $13,781 61.2% 27.4% 30 140 Webster County 2,168 $12,904 62.7% 19.5% 30 141 Mercer County 2,723 $13,323 64.1% 31.5% 29 142 Pikeville Independent 1,166 $14,020 31.8% 37.8% 29 143 Bracken County 1,145 $13,498 49.8% 25.1% 29 144 Simpson County 3,088 $13,428 64.8% 32.0% 28 145 Harrison County 2,896 $12,442 55.2% 22.4% 28 146 McCracken County 6,968 $14,612 50.7% 35.3% 27 147 Caldwell County 1,891 $13,022 52.9% 21.0% 27 148 Boyle County 2,937 $13,720 45.4% 28.9% 26 149 Campbell County 5,195 $13,970 41.6% 46.7% 25 150 Russell Independent 2,132 $12,860 49.9% 29.1% 25 151 Laurel County 8,801 $12,285 66.8% 21.5% 24 152 Gallatin County 1,532 $13,150 62.5% 28.2% 24 153 Warren County 17,799 $13,452 62.4% 32.6% 23 154 Bullitt County 12,833 $14,145 49.5% 39.5% 23 155 Marshall County 4,495 $13,761 58.4% 34.6% 23 156 Graves County 3,977 $12,307 62.4% 23.8% 23 157 Pendleton County 2,246 $11,924 56.6% 24.0% 23 158 Eminence Independent 988 $13,410 45.4% 21.0% 23 159 Nelson County 4,511 $13,437 45.7% 43.7% 21 160 Allen County 3,149 $12,261 58.3% 19.4% 21 161 Woodford County 4,010 $12,896 51.3% 45.8% 20 162 Fort Thomas Independent 3,127 $14,321 6.9% 44.9% 19 163 Kenton County 14,066 $13,917 41.5% 42.2% 18 164 Oldham County 12,367 $13,338 23.5% 42.6% 18 165 Pulaski County 8,115 $12,769 66.7% 26.0% 18 166 Meade County 4,966 $11,983 50.6% 22.6% 17 167 Anderson County 3,752 $11,798 37.7% 31.2% 17 168 Scott County 9,797 $12,466 43.6% 37.2% 13 169 Trimble County 1,236 $12,922 52.9% 36.4% 12 170 Walton-Verona Independent 1,919 $12,530 32.3% 43.0% 11 171 Spencer County 3,369 $11,855 40.8% 32.3% 8
How the Equity Score Works The equity score (0-100) evaluates four dimensions of school funding fairness:
Per-Pupil Spending (0-25)
Higher spending relative to peers
Need-Adjusted Spending (0-25)
Spending weighted by poverty level — rewards districts that spend more where need is greatest
Funding Diversity (0-25)
Less reliance on local property taxes, more state/federal support
Resource Access (0-25)
Lower student-teacher ratios = more individualized attention
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.