placestats

High school graduation

The percentage of students who finish high school within four years.

Reported for2,489areas, in 47 states — none in CT, ME, NM, OK, PR
Link to density0.05not mostly about how urban a place is
Nearby places alike0.28Moran’s I: only weakly, little map pattern
Typerate%

How it has moved

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Every state, every year

One row per state and one column per year, sorted by the latest value. It shows states, not counties: nobody can scan 3,222 rows, and the pattern only shows when it all fits on one screen.

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Where it comes from

County Health Rankings · County Health Rankings v021
University of Wisconsin · 13 releases, 2013–2025; each value filed under the last year its data covers, 2010–2023 · 95% likely ranges, converted to 90%; figures based on small counts are withheld

The share of students who graduate within four years of starting high school, allowing for students who change schools. From state education agencies. Source: County Health Rankings, which compiles each measure from its own source and filed here under the last year of the period it covers.

Combining areas: an average weighted by population.

What it goes with

The strongest links that have a page of their own. Unadjusted is the link before adjusting for anything, from −1 (opposite) to +1 (in step). Adjusted compares places with the same population density, income and education levels, so those differences can’t explain the link. This list leaves out the 1 pairs built from the same numbers or the same model as this measure, since they are bound to match.

MeasureUnadjustedAdjusted
High school graduation and Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not HispanicWhere High school graduation is higher, Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not Hispanic tends to be lower: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared. Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not Hispanic by US county-0.37-0.38
High school graduation and Republican share of the two-party vote, 2020Where High school graduation is higher, Republican share of the two-party vote, 2020 tends to be higher: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Republican share of the two-party vote, 2020 by US county+0.31+0.35
High school graduation and Republican share of the two-party vote, 2024Where High school graduation is higher, Republican share of the two-party vote, 2024 tends to be higher: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Republican share of the two-party vote, 2024 by US county+0.31+0.35
High school graduation and Average test scoreWhere High school graduation is higher, Average test score tends to be higher: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Average test score by US county+0.29+0.32
High school graduation and Republican share of the two-party vote, 2016Where High school graduation is higher, Republican share of the two-party vote, 2016 tends to be higher: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Republican share of the two-party vote, 2016 by US county+0.31+0.32
High school graduation and Share now marriedWhere High school graduation is higher, Share now married tends to be higher: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Share now married by US county+0.32+0.30
High school graduation and Republican share of the two-party vote, 2012Where High school graduation is higher, Republican share of the two-party vote, 2012 tends to be higher: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Republican share of the two-party vote, 2012 by US county+0.31+0.30

Population makeup

How this measure varies with the racial and ethnic makeup of counties. Every group is shown, whatever its rank. These are links across counties: they describe places, not people. They say nothing about any person’s risk or behaviour based on their race. Counties with a larger share of one group also differ in much else, such as income, segregation, region and history. The adjusted figure only accounts for density, income and education.

Share of residentsUnadjustedAdjusted
High school graduation and Share White, not HispanicWhere High school graduation is higher, Share White, not Hispanic tends to be higher: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Share White, not Hispanic by US county+0.22+0.22
High school graduation and Share Black, not HispanicWhere High school graduation is higher, Share Black, not Hispanic tends to be lower: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared, and inside states as well. Share Black, not Hispanic by US county-0.18-0.14
High school graduation and Share Hispanic or Latino, any raceCould easily be chance once only places with similar density, income and education are compared. Share Hispanic or Latino, any race by US county+0.01-0.01
High school graduation and Share Asian, not HispanicWhere High school graduation is higher, Share Asian, not Hispanic tends to be lower: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared. Share Asian, not Hispanic by US county-0.05-0.15
High school graduation and Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not HispanicWhere High school graduation is higher, Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not Hispanic tends to be lower: a weak link that holds when only places with similar density, income and education are compared. Share American Indian or Alaska Native, not Hispanic by US county-0.37-0.38

Highest and lowest

Of 2,489 counties reporting it. These are the two ends of a national ranking. For most measures, that ranking mostly sorts places by income and how urban they are. That is why the place pages compare each place with similar places instead.

Highest

  1. Sabine Parish, LA — 0.995%
  2. Union County, GA — 0.995%
  3. Lumpkin County, GA — 0.995%
  4. Kendall County, TX — 0.993%
  5. Moore County, TX — 0.991%

Lowest

  1. Oglala Lakota County, SD — 0.225%
  2. Clarke County, GA — 0.321%
  3. Bent County, CO — 0.402%
  4. Wheeler County, OR — 0.485%
  5. Mono County, CA — 0.486%

The middle area reports 0.892%. The middle half of counties falls between 0.85% and 0.926% (the 25th to 75th percentile).

All measures · Explore its pairs · How the US county data works