Homeschooling Statistics in 2024 (Latest U.S. Data)

Homeschooling is the fastest growing form of education in the U.S., and it is now bordering on the mainstream.

Homeschooling statistics suggest that parent-led home-based education can be superior to public education if done right.

Homeschooling Statistics

Highlights of statistics on homeschooling:

  1. There are 3.7 million homeschooled students in the U.S.
  2. The states with the most homeschoolers are North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia.
  3. The top reason for homeschooling is a concern about the school environment.
  4. Homeschool students outperform institutional school students academically.
  5. The highest homeschooling rate is among students with a grade equivalent of 6 to 8.
  6. 48% of homeschooling households have three or more children.
  7. The average cost of homeschooling is $700-$1,800 per student annually.
  8. 1 in 3 homeschooling households has an annual income of over $100,000.
  9. Homeschooling saves about $56 billion of taxpayer money annually.

1. There are 3.7 million homeschooled students in the U.S.

According to National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) homeschool statistics, during the 2020-2021 school year (SY), there were 3.7 million homeschooled students in the U.S. (1)

Homeschool Students
2020-2021 SY
Percentage
of U.S. Students
Total K-12 Students
2020-2021 SY
3.721 million6.73% are homeschooled55.292 million

Homeschoolers make up 6.73% of all school-age children (K-12) in the U.S. 

The growth rate in homeschooled students has been remarkable. Homeschooling has had a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.1% from 2016 to 2021. (2)

Homeschoolers
in 2021
Homeschoolers
in 2020
Homeschoolers
in 2019
Homeschoolers
in 2016
3.721 million2.65 million2.5 million2.3 million

In the past, the homeschooling growth rate has been 2-8% per annum, which saw a noticeable uptick from 2020 to 2021. (2)

There were about 2.3 million homeschooled students in 2016, 2.5 million in 2019, and 2.65 million in 2020. Homeschooling is the fastest-growing form of education in the U.S.

According to Census homeschooling data, home-schooling households doubled during the Covid pandemic. (3)

Homeschooled
March 2021
Before vs. After
Covid
Homeschooled
March 2020
11.1% of households2x increase5.4% of households

The Census experimental Household Pulse Survey found that the Covid pandemic had a strong impact on homeschooling rates from March 2020 to March 2021. (3)

It’s important to clarify that the results do not state that the number of homeschooled students doubled. 

The results state that the number of households (i.e., adults living with homeschooled students) doubled from March 2020 to March 2021.

2. States with the most homeschoolers are North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia.

According to the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI), states with the highest number of homeschoolers are North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia. (1)

StateHomeschoolers
in 2021
From all Students
in 2021
North Carolina179,900 students10.6% homeschoolers
Florida143,431 students4.6% homeschoolers
Georgia85,510 students4.6% homeschoolers
Virginia65,571 students4.8% homeschoolers
Washington39,843 students3.3% homeschoolers
Wisconsin31,878 students3.2% homeschoolers
Minnesota30,955 students3.2% homeschoolers
South Carolina28,316 students3.4% homeschoolers
Massachusetts17,127 students1.7% homeschoolers
Nebraska14,780 students4.3% homeschoolers

According to the latest available homeschool percentage by state data, North Carolina has 179,900 homeschool students, followed by Florida 143,431 students, and Georgia 85,510 students. (1)

North Carolina has the highest homeschooling rate of 10.6% out of all students, followed by Virginia at 4.8%, Florida and Georgia at 4.6%.

3. The top reason for homeschooling is a concern about the school environment.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (IES) homeschooling facts, the top reason for homeschooling is a concern about the school environment, such as safety, drugs, and negative peer pressure. (4)

Reasons for HomeschoolingPercentage
Safe environment concerns25% of parents
Bad academic quality14.5% of parents
To provide religious instruction13% of parents
To provide moral instruction6.6% of parents
Health problems3.6% of parents 
Special needs7.3% of parents
To provide nontraditional education7.7% of parents
Emphasis on family8.3% of parents
Other reasons14% of parents

The second most popular reason was dissatisfaction with the academic instruction at schools, followed by a desire to provide religious instruction.

However, not all parents want to homeschool their children. 

According to EdChoice statistics against homeschooling, socialization is the most common reason why parents have not yet homeschooled their children. (5)

Reasons Not to HomeschoolPercentage
Child will not be prepared socially for real-life16% of parents
Coordinating with work schedule15% of parents
Time management14% of parents
Note sure if realistically doable13% of parents
Don’t want to disrupt child’s relationships12% of parents
Don’t want to disrupt child’s current schooling12% of parents
Other reasons18% of parents

The second most common reason not to homeschool is the problem with coordinating homeschooling with a work schedule followed by time management.

4. Homeschool students outperform institutional school students academically.

According to National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) homeschooling success statistics, 78% of peer-reviewed studies on academic achievements show that homeschooled students perform statistically significantly better than students in institutional schools. (6)

Here are some brief summaries of studies on homeschooling.

Author(s)Results of the Studies
Murphy, 2012; Ray, 2013, 2017Homeschooled score 15 to 30 percentile points above public-school students on standardized academic achievement tests. The public school average is the 50th percentile; scores range from 1 to 99.
Ray, 2015College students who were homeschooled earned higher first-year and fourth-year GPAs when controlling for demographic, pre-college, engagement, and first-term academic factors.
Martin-Chang et al., 2011Researchers found that children from structured homeschool settings outperformed their conventional school peers (by 0.06 to 0.15 effect sizes).
Rudner, 1999Median scores for home school students fell between the 70th and 80th percentile. The study concluded that those parents choosing to make a commitment to homeschooling are able to provide a very successful academic environment.
Murphy, 2012; Ray, 2017Home-educated students typically score above average on the college admission SAT and ACT tests.
Cogan, 2010College students who were homeschooled earn higher first-year and fourth-year GPAs when controlling for demographic, pre-college, engagement, and first-term academic factors.

The majority of peer-reviewed research papers on homeschooling found a positive effect of homeschooling compared to institutional schooling. The same positive outcomes were also revealed regarding social and emotional development. (6)

The positive effect was real and measurable also for homeschooled students who later became adults compared to those who had been in conventional schools.

5. The highest homeschooling rate is among students with a grade equivalent of 6 to 8.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) latest homeschooled kids statistics, the highest homeschooling rate is among students with a grade equivalent of 6 to 8. (7)

Grade EquivalentHomeschooled
2019
Homeschooled
2016
Homeschooled
2012
Kindergarten8%11%12%
Grades 1 to 322%18%20%
Grades 4 to 518%17%15%
Grades 6 to 829%24%24%
Grades 9 to 1222%31%29%

Interestingly enough, the dominant grade equivalent of 6-8 has shifted from grades 9-12 since 2012. (7)

Overall, the grade distribution is roughly even across all grade levels above kindergarten.

6. 48% of homeschooling households have three or more children.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) homeschool demographics data, a surprising 48% of homeschooling households have three or more children. (7)

3+ Children2 Children1 Child
48% of households33% of households19% of households

Interestingly enough, the homeschool data shows that only 19% of homeschooling households have 1 child and 33% have 2 children.

One can argue anecdotally that in a household with three or more children, there’s already a significantly higher focus on kids. So perhaps it can be easier to homeschool all of them together.

WhiteBlackHispanicAsianOther
70%6%17%2%6%

The NCES data also shows that 7 in 10 homeschool students are white. (7)

The second most common ethnicity of homeschooled children is Hispanic, followed by Black, Asian, and other ethnicities. 

2 Parents1 ParentNon-parental
83% of homeschoolers14% of homeschoolers3% of homeschoolers

According to NCES homeschool families data, 83% of homeschool students live in two-parent households, followed by 14% in 1 parent and 3% in non-parental households. (7)

7. The average cost of homeschooling is $700-$1,800 per student annually.

According to Time4Learning homeschooling cost statistics, the average cost of homeschooling is $700-$1,800 per student annually. (8)

CategoryPrice range
Curriculum$350 – $750
Supplies & materials$150 – $300
Field trips$100 – $250
Extracurriculars$100 – $500
Total$700 – $1,800

For a family with two school-aged children, homeschooling may cost, on average, between $1,400 to $3,600 per year. (8)

It’s difficult to pinpoint the average cost of homeschooling for everyone as every family has a unique situation.

The final cost depends on how many children are homeschooled, whether there are any special needs or health problems, and how logistically accessible libraries, museums, and so on are.

8. 1 in 3 homeschooling households has an annual income of over $100,000.

According to National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) homeschool studies, 34% of homeschooling households have an annual income of over $100,000. (7)

Annual IncomeHomeschooling Households
$20,000 or less10%
$20,001 to $50,00020%
$50,001 to $75,00021%
$75,001 to $100,00015%
Over $100,00034%

Interestingly enough, the highest income bracket of over $100,000 has the highest share of households. (7)

The second highest annual income is $50,001 to $75,000, with 21% of households, followed by $20,001 to $50,000 and 20% of households.

Education LevelHomeschooling Parents
High school diploma or less23%
Vocational/technical, associate’s degree, or some college26%
Bachelor’s degree/some graduate school31%
Graduate/professional degree21%

NHERI data also reveals that 31% of homeschooling parents own a bachelor’s or some graduate school degree. (7)

Can this be correlated with higher annual income? We don’t know, as there’s no formal evidence on this.

9. Homeschooling saves about $56 billion of taxpayer money annually.

According to the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI), homeschooling saves about $56 billion of taxpayer money annually. (2)

Taxpayer SavingsHomeschool StudentsPublic School Cost
$56 billion3.721 million$15,240 per student

The reality is that public schools aren’t free. Taxpayers spend on average $15,240 per student annually for public schools.

The more homeschooled students there are, the bigger savings there will be for the federal government on taxpayers’ money. This is $56 billion of taxpayers’ money that can be used for other causes.

FAQ

How much does homeschooling cost?

The average cost of homeschooling is $700-$1,800 per student annually.

What is homeschooling?

Homeschooling is a parent-led, home-based education form that is the fastest-growing in the U.S.

How many homeschooled students are in the U.S.?

There are 3.7 million homeschooled students in the U.S. Homeschool students make up 6.73% of all school-aged children.

Do homeschooled students perform better?

Yes, homeschooled students outperform institutional school students academically.

What percentage of students are homeschooled?

6.73% (3.7 million) of all school-aged children in the U.S. are homeschooled.

Will homeschooling increase after the pandemic?

Yes, homeschooling rates doubled after the lockdowns in the U.S.

References

  1. National Home Education Research Institute. 2021. How Many Homeschool Students Are There in the United States? Pre-Covid-19 and Post-Covid-19: New Data. Link
  2. National Home Education Research Institute. 2022. Research Facts on Homeschooling. Link
  3. United States Census Bureau. 2021. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey Shows Significant Increase in Homeschooling Rates in Fall 2020. Link
  4. National Center for Educational Statistics. 2021. Homeschooled students ages 5 through 17 with a grade equivalent of kindergarten through grade 12, by reasons their parents gave for homeschooling, the one reason their parents identified as most important, and race/ethnicity of child. Link
  5. EdChoice. 2020. Homeschooling Experiences and Opinions During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Link
  6. Brian D. Ray (2017) A systematic review of the empirical research on selected aspects of homeschooling as a school choice, Journal of School Choice, 11:4, 604-621, DOI: 10.1080/15582159.2017.1395638. Link
  7. National Center for Educational Statistics. 2021. Homeschooled students ages 5 through 17 with a grade equivalent of kindergarten through 12th grade, by selected child, parent, and household characteristics. Link
  8. Time 4 Learning. 2022. How Much Does Homeschooling Cost? Link