96 Homeschooling Statistics for 2024 (Data Insights)

Many people might question the effectiveness of homeschooling. However, homeschooling statistics support exceptional outcomes.

In the USA, homeschooling is becoming more and more popular. With 3.721 million students reportedly opting for homeschooling in 2021, the statistics show that homeschooling will continue growing upwards in 2024 as well.

Additionally, they have impressive academic accomplishments at the university level.

In this article, I’ve included a number of homeschooling statistics about homeschooling. You can decide whether or not to homeschool your child using the statistics above.

Let’s investigate this in detail!

Homeschooling: General Statistics

In this section, we have mentioned the more popular facts about homeschooling and its benefits.

1. There are around 3.7 million students who are homeschooled in the US.
2. The most common cause for opting to homeschool is being uneasy with the school environment.
3. The grade with the highest number of homeschooled students is 6th to 8th.
4. The most homeschooled are in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.
5. According to statistics, more than 48% of parents who homeschool their children have more than three kids.
6. The majority of homeschooled students (83%) are enrolled in full-time homeschooling programs. The remaining 17% are enrolled in part-time homeschooling programs or are unschooled.
7. According to the institute’s data from March to May 2022, 6.73% of all school-age children were homeschooled.

The data below shows the number of homeschooled students and the percentage of US students in the US.

Homeschooled Students	3.721 million
Percentage of homeschooled US students	6.73% are homeschooled
Total K-12 Students	55.292 million

8. 1 out of 3 homeschooling parents has a yearly income of more than $100,000.
9. The median expense is $700-$1,800 per year per student for homeschooling.
10. It is seen that the homeschooling success rate has increased by 2% to 8% from 2019 to 2021.

Here is the number of homeschoolers over the years.

Year	Number of homeschoolers
2016	2.3 million
2019	2.5 million
2020	2.65 million
2021	3.721 million

9. Stats say that $56 billion in taxpayer money is saved by homeschooling annually.
10. The number of homeschoolers who are school-age children in the US is 6.73%.
11. It is seen that there were 2.3 million students who were homeschooled in 2016 and 2.5 million in 2019.
12. In 2020, the number of homeschooled students was 2.65 million, and as of 2021, there were 3.7 million students who were homeschooled.
13. Among the overall homeschooled students, there are 51% male students and 49% female students.
14. According to the ThinkImpact, 68% of the students who are homeschooled are white, while 15% are Hispanics.
15. Black students account for 8% of homeschooled students, and Asians comprise around 4%.
16. The percentage of homeschooled students is growing by 2% to 9% each year.

Let’s have a look at the number and the percentage of homeschooled students over the years (5 -17 years)

Year	Percentage
1999	1.8%
2003	2.1%
2007	3%
2012	3.4%
2016	3.2%
2020	4%

17. In Feb 2020, around 9 million US students went through homeschooling once at least.
18. Over the recommended grade level for their age category, 25% of homeschooled children are enrolled in a higher grade.
19. No matter how educated their parents are, homeschooled students score between 80% and 90%.
20. Boys perform better on reading tests when educated at home as opposed to in public schools by a margin of 44%.
21. Homeschooled students perform better academically than their public counterparts. A National Home Education Research Institute study found that homeschooled students scored an average of 15 to 30 percentile points higher on standardized tests than public school students.
22. 98% of homeschooled students participate in 5 extracurriculars on average per week.
23. Students who attend homeschool outperform those who attend traditional schools in social, emotional, and psychological development, according to 87% of participant research.
24. Homeschooled students are also more likely to graduate from college. A study by the Home School Legal Defense Association found that 66.7% of homeschooled students graduate from college, compared to 57.8% of public school students.

Following is the complete data of the Homeschooled students in the US over the years.

Year	Number of homeschooled students
2019	2.5 million
2020	2.65 million
2021	3.721 million
2022	4.3 million

COVID-19 And HomeSchooling

The Covid-19 pandemic has many consequences that affect many day-to-day things. Many parents turned to the homeschooling option instead of going to school in order to avoid the pandemic issues.

25. Around 41% of the parents in the US opted for homeschooling for their children. (May 2020)
26. The COVID-19 Pandemic saw over 300 million students all over the world become homeschooled.
27. As per the data from Census homeschooling data, home-schooling households increased by 2x during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Homeschooled March 2021	11.1% of households
Before vs After Covid	2x increase
Homeschooled March 2020	5.4 off households

28. Before the pandemic, 28% fewer parents opted for homeschooling.
29. 53% of black parents think that COVID-19 has positively changed their opinion about homeschooling in 2020.
30. According to the research of Feb 2020, 83% of the students have never experienced homeschooling and found it satisfactory.
31. 68% of the students who did homeschooling before the pandemic found it satisfactory.
32. Parents who did not homeschool their children in Feb 2020 tend to fully home-school them in the next year.
33. 54% of households homeschooling their children before Feb 2020 are more likely to continue full-time for the next academic year.

HomeSchooling Stats By Demographics

These homeschooling statistical data for the US include data by demographic and racial groups.

Let’s have a look at the percentage of homeschoolers in the US.

34. Comparing 2021 to 2020, the proportion of Black students homeschooling increased from 1% to 8%. (White House Post)
35. 3.0% of homeschoolers live in cities, 2.9% are from suburban areas, and 4.4% are from rural families. (by the National Center for Education Statistics)
36. The proportion of Hispanic students who are homeschooled increased from 2% to 9% between 2019 and 2021. (White House Post)
37. Black, Hispanic, Asian, or other students make up 41% of homeschooled students (non-white). (United States Department of Education)
38. Those with lower incomes (18%), those in the middle (11%), and those with higher incomes (7%) were more likely to choose to homeschool, according to Edchoice.
39. According to the NCES, 7 in 10 homeschooled students are white.

Let’s have a look at the percentage of homeschooled students by ethnicity.

Race	Percent of homeschooled students
White	70%
Black	6%
Hispanic	17%
Asian	2%
Other	6%

40. The second most common ethnicity of homeschooled students is Hispanic.

HomeSchooling Stats By State

41. As per the research done by the NHERI, the states with the maximum rate of homeschoolers are Florida, North Carolina, and Georgia.
42. Statistics say that North Carolina has the highest rate of homeschooling students, with a number of 179,900.
43. Florida has the second-highest homeschooling success rate, with 143,431 students.

Following are the detailed statistics of the highest rate of homeschooled students by state:

State	Percentage of Homeschooled Students From Overall Students In 2021.	2021 HomeSchooled Students
North Carolina	10.6%	179,900
Florida	4.6%	143,431
Georgia	4.6%	85,510
Virginia	4.8%	65,571
Washington	3.3%	39,843
Wisconsin	3.2%	31,878
Minnesota	3.2%	30,955
South Carolina	3.4%	28,316
Massachusetts	1.7%	17,127
Nebraska	4.3%	14,780

Homeschooling Cost Statistics

44. The cost of homeschooling one child for parents is around $700 to $1800.
45. Materials needed for homeschooling cost around $150 to $300.
46. The extracurricular activities included in the homeschooling cost around $100 to $500.
47. It costs $100 to $250 annually for field trips.
48. Parents spend more than $350 to $750 per year.
49. $24 billion taxpayer money of the federal government is saved by homeschooling.
50. Louisiana state parents are eligible for 50% tax off for homeschooling, which is not more than $ 5,000.
51. The tax for Indiana for a homeschooled student is around $1000.
52. In Illinois, parents of a homeschooled child who is 21 or below are allowed to take education expenses on credit for amounts above $250.

Following is a detailed breakdown of the average cost of homeschooling.

Category	Price Range
Curriculum	$350-$750
Supplies and materials	$150-$300
Field trips	$100-$250
Extracurriculars	$100-$500
Total	$700-$1,800

53. According to the statistics from NHERI, 15% of homeschooling parents have an annual income of around $75,000 to $100,000.
54.  Moreover, 21% of households make between $50,000 to $75,000.

Percent of parents	Earning
34%	Over $100,000
21%	$50,001 to $75,000
20%	$20,001 to $50,000
15%	$75,001 to $100,000
10%	$20,000 or less

Academic Statistics of HomeSchooled Students

55. Students who are homeschooled perform significantly better than their peers who attend formal institutions of education.
56. According to peer-reviewed studies, 69% of homeschooled students succeed in college and in life after high school.
57. Students who are homeschooled typically score above average on the ACT and SAT.
58. Regardless of the parent’s financial and educational status, homeschooled students consistently score 15% to 30% higher on these benchmark achievement tests than students enrolled in public schools.
59. Homeschooled students typically perform 72 SAT points better than the national mean.
60. Homeschooled children perform on average 22.8 out of 36 points better than the 21 average for all students nationwide.
61. Compared to public school students, who graduate at a rate of 57.5%, homeschoolers do so at a rate of 67% on average.
62. With grades 6 to 8, homeschooling is most prevalent.
63. Homeschooled students had an average test score of the 87th scale. (National Home Education Research Institute)
64. In comparison to this, the public school students’ scores in some subjects were only in the 50th percentile. Standardized tests are typically not the most accurate way to evaluate a student’s academic progress.
65. Homeschoolers outperformed the general population in all subject areas by 39 percentile points. If some families found teaching math to be difficult, their kids wouldn’t be able to succeed in the subject like those in public schools.

Following are the highest homeschooled students grade-wise over the years.

(Source: NCES)

Grade	Homeschooled In 2019	Homeschooled In 2016	Homeschooled In 2012
Kindergarten	8% students	11% students	12% students
1-3 Grades	22% students	18% students	20% students
4-5 Grades	18% students	17% students	15% students
6-8 Grades	29% students	24% students	24% students
9-12 Grades	22% students	31% students	29% students

Statistics On Why Parents Decide To HomeSchool.

The survey conducted in 2020 examined various reasons for homeschooling. 

66. 50% of homeschooling parents feel safe in homeschooling. This was the primary reason for parents opting for homeschooling.
67. There are 35% of parents think individual attention is important. And this is also the main reason for homeschooling.
68. The parents whose test scores, socialization, and extracurricular activities are the reason for homeschooling are 14%.
69. The survey from EdChoice states that 42% of the parents wanted to give the freedom to explore their interests before the pandemic.
70. The parents who wanted individualized attention were 38%.
71. Parents who feel that they did not meet the needs of their children are 25%.
72. 25% of the parents who opted for homeschooling wanted to teach their children according to their own beliefs and practices.

Here are detailed statistics of the top reasons for homeschooling that parents are concerned about:

(Source: NCES)

Reasons for Homeschooling	Percentage of Parents
Bad academic quality	14.5% of parents
Safe environment concerns	25% of parents
To provide moral instruction	6.6% of parents
To provide religious instruction	13% of parents
To provide nontraditional education	7.7% of parents
Special needs	7.3% of parents
Emphasis on family	8.3% of parents
Health needs	3.6% of parents
Other reasons	14% of parents

Statistics On Why Parents Decide Not To HomeSchool Their Kids.

73. The parents who did not want to imbalance the children’s relationships with social aspects and friendship from the schools 46%.
74. There are 37% of the parents who agreed that it is difficult to coordinate between homeschooling and work.
75. 42% of parents believe that homeschooling would not adequately prepare a child for life outside the home in terms of social skills.
76. Additionally, 37% of the parents felt they lacked the necessary skills, and 35% thought it would be challenging for them to manage their time effectively.
77. All parents—45% of Hispanic parents, 44% of black parents, and 47% of white parents—mentioned the need to keep their children’s friendships intact.
78. Homeschooling would disrupt the children’s current academic plans, as per 43% of white parents, 40% of Hispanic parents, and 39% of black parents.
79. 43% of white parents, 41% of Hispanic parents, and 35% of black parents believe that homeschooling would hinder the social development of their children.
80. Black parents disapproved of homeschooling 40%, Hispanic parents 39%, and white parents 34% cited time management as their reason.
81. Black parents (30%), white parents (21%), and Hispanic parents (24%), all of whom lacked financial support, were unable to access educational resources.

Here is a detailed statistics of the top reasons for homeschooling that parents concerned about:

(Source: NCES)

Reasons For Not Homeschooling	Percentage of Parents
Time management	14% of parents
The child will not be prepared socially for real life	16% of parents
Don’t want to disrupt kid’s relationships	12% of parents
Coordinating with work schedule	15% of parents
Unsure if it is realistically possible	13% of parents
Do not want to interfere with the child’s current education	12% of parents
Other	18% of parents

Statistics For HomeSchooling Students With Special Needs

82. The number of parents of children with special needs switching to homeschooling in the US is among the highest.
83. 52% of households claimed that their child’s special needs had a significant impact on their decision to homeschool. (EdChoice)
84. 68% of parents said that flexibility and individualized care were very important or extremely important factors in their decision to homeschool their children. (EdChoice)
85. The Covid pandemic should prompt us to reevaluate how we approach education in the United States, 45% of the parents surveyed believe. (EdChoice)

HomeSchool Vs Public School Statistics

The data below gives a general picture of homeschooling in the US. You can find out which states have the highest and lowest proportions of homeschoolers using these statistics on American families who homeschool their children.

Let’s understand key points on the homeschool vs public school statistics.

86. At the moment, Alaska (27.5%) and Oklahoma (20.1%) have the highest proportions of homeschoolers. (Census Bureau of the United States)
87. Illinois and Iowa have the lowest proportions of homeschoolers, at 5.4% and 6%, respectively. (Census Bureau of the United States)
88. Each year, there are 2% to 8% more Americans who homeschool their kids. One in every twelve students in the US is homeschooled, according to NHERI. (Census Bureau of the United States)
89. Families in Massachusetts who homeschooled increased from 1.5% to 12.1% in 2021. (Census Bureau of the United States)
90. 6%–7% of school-age children who homeschool do so, according to the NHERI.
91. According to Forbes, 58% of parents said that the Covid pandemic significantly influenced their choice to homeschool their kids.
92. 23% of parents who chose to homeschool their kids said that religion played a significant role in their decision. (Forbes) Families spend $600 on homeschooling on average each year. (NHERI)
93. 27% of respondents claimed that they were much more interested in homeschooling as a result of the pandemic. (EdChoice)

The Number of Hours Homeschooled Students Learn Each Week in the US.

94. Each week, 5 hours are dedicated by 72% of the homeschooled students.
95. Students who learned for 4 hours weekly were 12%.
96. 3% of students learned for 7 hours, and students who learned for 6 hours 4%.

Following is the data that suggests the number of hours homeschooled students learn each week.

Hours in a week	Percentage of students
5 hours each week	72%
4 hours weekly	12%
6 hours weekly	4%
7 hours weekly	3%
3 hours weekly	4%
2 hours weekly	2%
25 to 40 hours weekly	50%
11 to 24 hours	28%
1 to 10 hours	21%

Related Read:

• How Many Schools In The US
• High School Statistics

After COVID-19, homeschooling has become a very convenient option for parents of school-aged children. 

If you are still getting confused about whether to homeschool your child or not, then I would suggest referring to the general stats about homeschooling that I have mentioned above.