Total enrollment
29,975
-7,849 (-21%) vs SY 2017-18
Hinds County
Mississippi · Public K-12
Hinds County reports 84 public K-12 schools to NCES, against a population of 218,533, with an average school size of 391 students. By level, that breaks down as 42 elementary, 15 middle, and 17 high schools.
7-year change in Hinds County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
59
-20 (-25%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
8%
was 9%
% Hispanic
4%
was 2%
% Black
86%
was 88%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
218,533
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
84
13 districts
Enrollment
32,870
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$49,402
Below Mississippi avg
Free/reduced lunch
87.5%
Above Mississippi avg
Elementary
42
15,438 students
Middle
15
7,246 students
High
17
10,077 students
Combined / other
10
109 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Jackson Public Schools
16,870 students · 13 districts in Hinds County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Hinds 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+
31.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
16.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
7.5%
civilian labor
Median age
37
23.5% under 18
Test scores in Hinds County
Latest 2023-24 ELA proficiency, 54 schools ranked. Mississippi state average: 46.0%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Barack Obama Elementary School· 85.5%
- McWillie Elementary School· 83.3%
- Eastside Elementary School· 73.5%
- Clinton Park Elementary School· 72.1%
- Northside Elementary School· 68.1%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Peeples Middle School· 11.9%
- Blackburn Middle School· 13.0%
- Cardozo Middle School· 13.1%
- Lanier Junior/Senior High School· 13.6%
- Powell Middle School· 14.3%
Cities in Hinds County
About Hinds County
In Mississippi, Hinds County is a mid-sized county of about 218,533 residents. 84 public schools across the county educates about 32,870 students between them.
For perspective, census numbers show the median household earns about $49,402 a year, roughly 31% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 17% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Hinds County covers 42 elementary schools (15,438 students), 15 middle schools (7,246), 17 high schools (10,077), and 10 combined or other schools.
Jackson Public Schools dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 16,870 students on its own.
Five-year track record. Combined enrollment now sits at 29,975 students, contracted 21% from the 37,824 reported in SY 2017-18. The school count fell from 79 to 59 across the same 7-year window.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Hinds County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.
Frequently asked questions
Hinds County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data