Total enrollment
9,883
-333 (-3%) vs SY 2017-18
McCracken County
Kentucky · Public K-12
McCracken County, Kentucky operates 22 public K-12 schools today, enrolling approximately 9,883 students (about 449 per campus). By level, that breaks down as 11 elementary, 4 middle, and 4 high schools.
7-year change in McCracken County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
20
-1 (-5%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
67%
was 71%
% Hispanic
7%
was 5%
% Black
16%
was 17%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
22
3 districts
Enrollment
9,883
NCES CCD
Median income
$64,373
Above Kentucky avg
Free/reduced lunch
57.4%
Below Kentucky avg
Elementary
11
4,879 students
Middle
4
2,117 students
High
4
2,742 students
Combined / other
3
145 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
McCracken County Public Schools
6,780 students · 3 districts in McCracken County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of McCracken County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
29.0%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
10.5%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.2%
civilian labor
Median age
42
21.8% under 18
Test scores in McCracken County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 16 schools ranked. Kentucky state average: 48.4%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Lone Oak Elementary School· 75.0%
- Hendron Lone Oak Elementary School· 71.0%
- Heath Elementary School· 69.0%
- McCracken County High School· 69.0%
- Reidland Elementary School· 69.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- McNabb Elementary School· 36.0%
- Morgan Elementary School· 39.7%
- Paducah Middle School· 44.0%
- Reidland Middle School· 50.7%
- Reidland Intermediate School· 51.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McCracken County High School | Paducah | High | 09-12 | 1,882 | · |
| Paducah Tilghman High School | Paducah | High | 09-12 | 860 | · |
| Lone Oak Middle School | Paducah | Middle | 06-08 | 702 | · |
| Paducah Middle School | Paducah | Middle | 06-08 | 632 | · |
| Clark Elementary School | Paducah | Elementary | KG-05 | 615 | · |
| Concord Elementary School | Paducah | Elementary | PK-05 | 606 | · |
| Reidland Elementary School | Paducah | Elementary | PK-03 | 548 | · |
| Heath Elementary School | West Paducah | Elementary | PK-05 | 498 | · |
| Hendron Lone Oak Elementary School | Paducah | Elementary | PK-03 | 498 | · |
| Lone Oak Elementary School | Paducah | Elementary | PK-03 | 495 | · |
| Lone Oak Intermediate School | Paducah | Elementary | 04-05 | 437 | · |
| Heath Middle School | West Paducah | Middle | 06-08 | 433 | · |
| Morgan Elementary School | Paducah | Elementary | KG-05 | 369 | · |
| Reidland Middle School | Paducah | Middle | 06-08 | 350 | · |
| McNabb Elementary School | Paducah | Elementary | KG-05 | 334 | · |
| Paducah Head Start Preschool | Paducah | Elementary | PK-PK | 251 | · |
| Reidland Intermediate School | Paducah | Elementary | 04-05 | 228 | · |
| McCracken Open Campus School | West Paducah | Combined | KG-12 | 72 | · |
| Choices Educational Center | Paducah | Combined | KG-12 | 42 | · |
| McCracken Regional School | Paducah | Combined | 04-12 | 31 | · |
| Paducah Area Technology Center | Paducah | High | 08-12 | 0 | · |
| West KY Technical College | Paducah | High | UG-UG | 0 | · |
Cities in McCracken County
About McCracken County
McCracken County is a mid-sized county of about 67,564 residents in Kentucky. Its public-school system instructs approximately 9,883 students across 22 schools.
Stepping back, census numbers show median household income runs near $64,373, roughly 29% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate is around 11%. That income level is 13% higher than the Kentucky median.
In terms of grade levels, McCracken County is made up of 11 elementary schools (4,879 students), 4 middle schools (2,117), 4 high schools (2,742), and 3 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in McCracken County is McCracken County Public Schools, which alone enrolls about 6,780 students.
Looking at the last 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment shrank 3%: 10,216 students in SY 2017-18 versus 9,883 in SY 2024-25. Over that span, McCracken County lost 1 school, going from 21 to 20. On the demographic side, White enrollment moved from 71% to 67% over the same window.
On this page, the community for McCracken County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
McCracken County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data