Cities Where The Fewest People Graduate High School
October 9, 2018 by Grant Suneson
In the United States, each child can receive a free education through the public school system. While free education extends through high school, students may not take full advantage of this opportunity and drop out of high school before graduation. Just 84% of those who make it to high school graduate with a diploma in four years.
Graduating high school is more than just a personal accomplishment — it also allows for more opportunities later in life, be it access to better paying jobs or to higher education. Non-high school graduates 25 and over earn a average annual salary of $23,031, roughly $7,600 below the average salary of high school graduates. And until these people finish high school or an equivalent educational program, they are unable to advance their learning any further at a college or university. College graduates 25 and over earn more than $52,000 annually, on average.
Though the high school dropout rate nationwide has steadily declined since 2000, it remains high in some communities. In a handful U.S. metropolitan areas, fewer than two-thirds of high school freshman graduate in four years. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the share of high school freshman who graduate within four years across U.S. metro areas to identify the 50 cities where the fewest people graduate from high school.
Click here to see the cities where the fewest people graduate high school.
Click here to see the cities where the most people graduate high school.
Click here to see our detailed findings and methodology.
50. Casper, WY
> High school graduation rate: 77.0%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.3%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $39,850 (top 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $30,732 (top 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 24.2%
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49. Homosassa Springs, FL
> High school graduation rate: 77.0%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.8% (top 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $21,447
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $26,779
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 16.8% (bottom 10%)
48. Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ
> High school graduation rate: 76.9%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.9% (top 10%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $15,652 (bottom 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $23,895 (bottom 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 13.5% (bottom 10%)
47. Las Cruces, NM
> High school graduation rate: 76.8%
> 2017 unemployment: 6.9% (top 10%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $14,254 (bottom 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $23,628 (bottom 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 24.9%
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46. Lewiston, ID-WA
> High school graduation rate: 76.5%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.3% (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $33,491 (top 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $25,353 (top 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 23.8%
45. Idaho Falls, ID
> High school graduation rate: 76.5%
> 2017 unemployment: 2.6% (bottom 10%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $22,897
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $31,022
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 29.6%
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44. Coeur d’Alene, ID
> High school graduation rate: 76.5%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.8%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $27,463 (top 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $31,044 (top 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 26.0%
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43. Muskegon, MI
> High school graduation rate: 76.5%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.4% (top 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $21,112
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $27,711
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 19.4% (bottom 20%)
42. Gainesville, FL
> High school graduation rate: 76.4%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.7%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $25,206
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $25,828
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 38.7% (top 20%)
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41. Rockford, IL
> High school graduation rate: 76.4%
> 2017 unemployment: 6.4% (top 10%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $25,544
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $31,517
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 21.8%
40. Flint, MI
> High school graduation rate: 76.4%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.8% (top 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $19,185 (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $25,670 (bottom 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 20.9% (bottom 20%)
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39. Grand Junction, CO
> High school graduation rate: 76.1%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.0%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $23,649
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $31,216
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 25.8%
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38. Boise City, ID
> High school graduation rate: 76.1%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.1% (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $22,486
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $28,523
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 30.1%
37. Punta Gorda, FL
> High school graduation rate: 76.0%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.6%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $21,234
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $29,717
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 23.6%
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36. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
> High school graduation rate: 75.9%
> 2017 unemployment: 2.7% (bottom 10%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $26,238
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $35,406
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 43.9% (top 10%)
35. Cheyenne, WY
> High school graduation rate: 75.8%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.7%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $34,049 (top 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $26,750 (top 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 27.9%
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34. Bend-Redmond, OR
> High school graduation rate: 75.6%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.2%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $37,787 (top 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $26,660 (top 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 33.7%
33. Alexandria, LA
> High school graduation rate: 75.5%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.7% (top 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $19,083 (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $26,096 (bottom 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 19.1% (bottom 20%)
32. Colorado Springs, CO
> High school graduation rate: 75.2%
> 2017 unemployment: 3.3% (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $20,243 (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $28,942 (bottom 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 39.2% (top 20%)
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31. Reno, NV
> High school graduation rate: 75.1%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.2%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $25,290
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $31,276
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 31.0%
30. Medford, OR
> High school graduation rate: 75.0%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.8%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $22,255
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $31,995
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 28.4%
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29. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL
> High school graduation rate: 75.0%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.0%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $21,593
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $27,568
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 27.3%
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28. Battle Creek, MI
> High school graduation rate: 74.9%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.0%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $18,662 (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $25,949 (bottom 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 21.9%
27. Pueblo, CO
> High school graduation rate: 74.9%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.3%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $16,256 (bottom 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $27,302 (bottom 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 22.2%
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26. Macon-Bibb County, GA
> High school graduation rate: 74.7%
> 2017 unemployment: N/A
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $19,017 (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $30,022 (bottom 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 22.3%
25. Salem, OR
> High school graduation rate: 74.7%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.3%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $25,072
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $30,584
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 24.5%
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24. Hammond, LA
> High school graduation rate: 74.0%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.7% (top 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $21,238
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $30,299
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 19.1% (bottom 20%)
23. Tucson, AZ
> High school graduation rate: 73.9%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.5%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $20,620
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $24,566
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 33.6%
22. Jackson, MS
> High school graduation rate: 73.6%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.4%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $21,666
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $27,280
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 30.5%
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21. Columbus, OH
> High school graduation rate: 73.2%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.1%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $22,370
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $31,315
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 35.9% (top 20%)
20. Yakima, WA
> High school graduation rate: 73.1%
> 2017 unemployment: 6.8% (top 10%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $24,590
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $28,065
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 17.6% (bottom 10%)
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19. Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL
> High school graduation rate: 72.9%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.4%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $22,486
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $29,659
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 23.1%
18. Elmira, NY
> High school graduation rate: 72.8%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.6% (top 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $22,455
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $24,031
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 23.9%
17. Eugene, OR
> High school graduation rate: 72.1%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.5%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $25,650
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $27,069
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 31.1%
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16. Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA
> High school graduation rate: 72.0%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.5% (top 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $31,828 (top 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $35,472 (top 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 28.0%
15. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV
> High school graduation rate: 72.0%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.2%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $26,740 (top 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $30,941 (top 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 24.4%
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14. Farmington, NM
> High school graduation rate: 71.8%
> 2017 unemployment: 7.2% (top 10%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $20,361
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $24,452
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 14.0% (bottom 10%)
13. Panama City, FL
> High school graduation rate: 71.8%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.1%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $21,229
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $27,788
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 23.4%
12. Columbia, SC
> High school graduation rate: 71.3%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.1%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $19,495 (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $28,098 (bottom 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 31.9%
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11. Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC
> High school graduation rate: 71.1%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.1%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $20,231 (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $24,173 (bottom 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 24.9%
10. Albany, OR
> High school graduation rate: 70.9%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.8%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $23,138
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $30,432
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 17.3% (bottom 10%)
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9. Fairbanks, AK
> High school graduation rate: 69.5%
> 2017 unemployment: 6.3% (top 10%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $35,455 (top 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $42,208 (top 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 29.6%
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8. Grants Pass, OR
> High school graduation rate: 69.0%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.4% (top 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $12,203 (bottom 10%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $23,370 (bottom 10%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 18.9% (bottom 20%)
7. Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
> High school graduation rate: 69.0%
> 2017 unemployment: 4.6%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $23,066
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $26,870
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 19.0% (bottom 20%)
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6. Santa Fe, NM
> High school graduation rate: 68.6%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.1%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $24,297
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $30,468
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 40.3% (top 10%)
5. Niles-Benton Harbor, MI
> High school graduation rate: 68.2%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.0%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $20,997
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $27,241
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 25.6%
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4. Toledo, OH
> High school graduation rate: 67.2%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.5% (top 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $19,985 (bottom 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $30,121 (bottom 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 27.1%
3. Albuquerque, NM
> High school graduation rate: 66.1%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.7% (top 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $22,282
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $27,944
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 32.1%
2. Carson City, NV
> High school graduation rate: 65.3%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.1%
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $28,700 (top 20%)
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $34,514 (top 20%)
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 23.7%
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1. Sebring, FL
> High school graduation rate: 64.0%
> 2017 unemployment: 5.6% (top 20%)
> Avg. income for non-high school graduates: $20,384
> Avg. income for school graduates with no college: $21,265
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 17.8% (bottom 10%)
Detailed Findings
A number of factors can affect the income levels across a population, and high school graduation could contribute to higher wages as high school graduates are more qualified for better paying jobs. Of the 50 cities with the lowest high school graduation rates, 41 have a median annual household income below the U.S. median of $60,336. Most of the 50 cities also have a relatively high unemployment rate and a higher poverty rate compared to the U.S. overall.
In addition to generally earning higher wages and access to more employment opportunities, high school graduates also tend to report better health. According to County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, higher educational attainment can give people a better sense of control over their lives and provide them with the tools they need to make healthier lifestyle decisions. On average, college graduates live 9 more years than high school dropouts.
The issues associated with dropping out of high school, such as poorer health outcomes and lower paying job opportunities, are often also passed on to future generations. Children of parents without high school diplomas are at increased risk of high stress and worse health, which can hamper cognitive development. This can in turn make it more difficult for them to finish high school, leading to a cycle of poor health and lower educational attainment.
Each state has its own, distinct education system with different levels of funding and different rules governing the ways it can operate. These differences can have a large impact on the students in each state and can lead to disparities in the educational attainment levels of the pupils that pass through those systems.
For example, in some states, students must be at least 18 years old to dropout of high school. However, 19 metro areas on this list are in states where students can dropout as early as age 16, the minimum age nationwide. Eight more cities are in states where students can dropout of high school at age 17.
Methodology
To determine the graduation rates in U.S. metro areas, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the 2018 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. High school graduation rates are defined as the percentage of the ninth-grade cohort that graduates in four years. The data represents students graduating on time in the 2015-2016 school year, the most recent available. The estimate of the median income for adults with less than a high school diploma and the percentage of people with at least a bachelor’s degree come from the 2017 U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. The 2017 unemployment rate comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In metro areas with insufficient data, graduation rates were imputed with the population of 15-19 year olds in the each of the metro area’s counties, provided by the U.S Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, in order to account for counties where a cohort was not provided. Metro areas that did not have at least 80% of their graduating population represented in the county data were excluded from consideration.
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