Kentucky · NCES F-33 finance data

School Funding Equity in Kentucky

171 districts ranked by how equitably school funding is distributed, scored from NCES F-33 school finance data covering districts in all 50 states.

50
State avg score
49
National avg score
171
Districts ranked

The equity picture in one line

Wolfe County ranks first in Kentucky for funding equity at 97/100, in a state whose districts average 50 against a national average of 49.

97/100
top score (Wolfe County)
$16,745
per-pupil spending in the top district
34
districts scoring 70 or higher
30
districts below 30
# District Score
1 Wolfe County 97
2 Knox County 95
3 Owsley County 94
4 Elliott County 91
5 Fulton Independent 90
6 Menifee County 89
7 Knott County 88
8 Letcher County 86
9 Breathitt County 86
10 Mccreary County 85
11 Clinton County 84
12 Harlan County 83
13 Dayton Independent 83
14 Cloverport Independent 82
15 Floyd County 80
16 Boyd County 80
17 Middlesboro Independent 80
18 Whitley County 79
19 Morgan County 79
20 Berea Independent 79
21 Caverna Independent 78
22 Clay County 77
23 Lawrence County 77
24 Southgate Independent 77
25 Covington Independent 76
26 Bell County 76
27 Hazard Independent 75
28 Owensboro Independent 74
29 Lincoln County 74
30 Fairview Independent 74
31 Jackson County 73
32 Anchorage Independent 72
33 Monroe County 71
34 Bellevue Independent 70
35 Wayne County 69
36 Leslie County 69
37 Pineville Independent 69
38 Perry County 68
39 Casey County 68
40 Danville Independent 68
41 Russellville Independent 68
42 Cumberland County 68
43 Lewis County 67
44 Fulton County 67
45 Green County 65
46 Ludlow Independent 65
47 Robertson County 65
48 Jefferson County 64
49 Fayette County 64
50 Bath County 64
51 Murray Independent 64
52 Martin County 64
53 Campbellsville Independent 64
54 Hickman County 64
55 Carroll County 63
56 Paris Independent 63
57 Livingston County 62
58 Paducah Independent 61
59 Augusta Independent 61
60 Pike County 60
61 Greenup County 60
62 Magoffin County 60
63 Jenkins Independent 60
64 Hart County 59
65 Butler County 59
66 Mclean County 59
67 Lee County 59
68 Johnson County 58
69 Hancock County 58
70 Paintsville Independent 56
71 Dawson Springs Independent 55
72 Clark County 54
73 Bowling Green Independent 54
74 Rockcastle County 54
75 Newport Independent 54
76 Carlisle County 54
77 Franklin County 53
78 Estill County 52
79 Russell County 51
80 Powell County 51
81 Frankfort Independent 51
82 Jackson Independent 51
83 Ashland Independent 50
84 Metcalfe County 50
85 Muhlenberg County 49
86 Bardstown Independent 49
87 Trigg County 49
88 Williamsburg Independent 49
89 Ohio County 48
90 Garrard County 48
91 Jessamine County 47
92 Mayfield Independent 47
93 Crittenden County 47
94 Raceland-Worthington Independent 47
95 Ballard County 47
96 Harlan Independent 47
97 Fleming County 46
98 Erlanger-Elsmere Independent 45
99 Todd County 45
100 Adair County 43
101 Barren County 42
102 Bourbon County 42
103 Union County 42
104 Logan County 41
105 East Bernstadt Independent 41
106 Burgin Independent 41
107 Marion County 39
108 Mercer County 39
109 Russell Independent 39
110 Owen County 39
111 Pikeville Independent 39
112 Simpson County 38
113 Corbin Independent 38
114 Daviess County 37
115 Carter County 37
116 Grant County 37
117 Calloway County 37
118 Breckinridge County 37
119 Henry County 37
120 Gallatin County 37
121 Nicholas County 37
122 Grayson County 36
123 Larue County 35
124 Somerset Independent 35
125 Barbourville Independent 35
126 Henderson County 34
127 Taylor County 34
128 Glasgow Independent 34
129 Elizabethtown Independent 34
130 Rowan County 33
131 Science Hill Independent 33
132 Hardin County 32
133 Hopkins County 32
134 Nelson County 32
135 Mason County 32
136 Washington County 32
137 Williamstown Independent 32
138 Harrison County 31
139 Webster County 31
140 Bracken County 31
141 Edmonson County 30
142 Boone County 29
143 Pendleton County 29
144 Pulaski County 28
145 Shelby County 28
146 Woodford County 27
147 Campbell County 26
148 Marshall County 26
149 Boyle County 26
150 Caldwell County 26
151 Christian County 25
152 Montgomery County 25
153 Graves County 25
154 Laurel County 24
155 Allen County 24
156 Madison County 23
157 Walton-Verona Independent 23
158 Oldham County 22
159 Anderson County 20
160 Eminence Independent 20
161 Bullitt County 19
162 Mccracken County 19
163 Warren County 15
164 Meade County 15
165 Scott County 14
166 Fort Thomas Independent 14
167 Beechwood Independent 10
168 Spencer County 9
169 Trimble County 9
170 Lyon County 9
171 Kenton County 8

How the Equity Score Works

The equity score (0-100) evaluates four dimensions of school funding fairness. According to the National Center for Education Statistics F-33 Finance Survey (FY 2021-22, released in 2024), which covers more than 17,000 districts nationwide, local property wealth drives most of the spending differences the score captures; our methodology documents each weight:

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