Is Houghton Central High School a good school?

Yes! Houghton Central High School is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 37 th of 743 Michigan high schools.

How many students attend Houghton Central High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 478 students attended Houghton Central High School.

What is the racial makeup of Houghton Central High School?

Students at Houghton Central High School are 92% White, 4% Asian, 2% Two or more races, 1% Hispanic.

What schools feed into Houghton Central High School?

Houghton Central High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Houghton Elementary School Middle : Houghton Middle School

Houghton Central High School

Summary:

Houghton Central High School is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Houghton, Michigan, part of the highly-ranked Hancock Public Schools district. This top-performing school consistently ranks among the best in the state, with a current ranking of 37th out of 743 high schools in Michigan for the 2023-2024 school year.

Houghton Central High School stands out for its exceptional academic performance, with students significantly outpacing state averages on standardized tests. In the 2023-2024 school year, 74.2% of students scored proficient or better in SAT/Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, compared to the state average of 51.3%. The school also boasts impressive graduation rates, ranging from 89% to 95.6% over the past few years, well above the state average. While chronic absenteeism has increased, the school still performs better than the state overall.

Compared to nearby schools like CHSHorizons School and Jeffers High School, Houghton Central High School significantly outperforms in academic achievement and student outcomes. However, Calumet High School, located about 10 miles away, also demonstrates strong performance and is a notable competitor in the region. With a diverse student population and higher per-student spending than the state average, Houghton Central High School continues to be a standout institution in the Houghton area.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1603 Gundlach Rd
Houghton, MI 49931-2605

(906) 482-0450

District: Houghton-Portage Township School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
37^th of 743 Michigan High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,507

Feeder schools for Houghton Central High School:

Elementary:	Houghton Elementary School
Middle:	Houghton Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.0

Number of students: 478

Racial breakdown:

White:

92.3%

Asian:

3.6%

Two or more races:

1.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 29.3%

See top rated Michigan high schools

Compare Houghton Central High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Houghton Central High School ranks better than 95% of high schools in Michigan. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 93.71. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Houghton Central High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (92.3%), Asian (3.6%), two or more races (1.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 29.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Houghton Central High School is 15. (See more...)

Compare Houghton Central High School employs 31.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Houghton Central High School is $13,507.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Houghton Central High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Houghton Central High School 37^th of 743 Michigan public high schools. (See Houghton Central High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Houghton-Portage Township School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Houghton-Portage Township School District 20^th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Houghton Central High School

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Rank History for all students at Houghton Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2006	88.87	50^th	705	92.9%
2007	89.44	41^st	767	94.7%
2008	92.73	22^nd	750	97.1%
2009	91.65	29^th	754	96.2%
2010	88.58	45^th	765	94.1%
2011	91.33	21^st	784	97.3%
2012	87.63	81^st	773	89.5%
2013	89.46	65^th	805	91.9%
2014	93.06	39^th	799	95.1%
2015	94.62	27^th	832	96.8%
2016	91.24	51^st	852	94.0%
2017	92.29	42^nd	835	95.0%
2018	96.97	12^th	824	98.5%
2019	94.15	34^th	666	94.9%
2021	96.16	24^th	561	95.7%
2022	90.10	55^th	531	89.6%
2023	88.46	62^nd	735	91.6%
2024	93.71	37^th	743	95.0%

See the entire list of Michigan High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Houghton Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	98.80	6^th	755	99.2%
2019	92.91	21^st	532	96.1%
2021	97.20	12^th	417	97.1%
2023	77.23	96^th	614	84.4%
2024	81.23	79^th	654	87.9%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Houghton Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	96.15	14^th	710	98.0%
2019	91.30	38^th	554	93.1%
2021	91.92	28^th	462	93.9%
2022	90.22	40^th	416	90.4%
2023	78.79	90^th	611	85.3%
2024	95.34	22^nd	619	96.4%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Houghton Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	96.51	9^th	707	98.7%
2019	93.36	28^th	543	94.8%
2021	95.41	22^nd	472	95.3%
2022	85.55	63^rd	440	85.7%
2023	90.80	42^nd	611	93.1%
2024	88.40	58^th	633	90.8%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Houghton Central High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	95.58	18^th	708	97.5%
2019	88.97	54^th	582	90.7%
2021	94.92	28^th	516	94.6%
2022	84.09	74^th	492	85.0%
2023	81.45	95^th	647	85.3%
2024	90.33	45^th	638	92.9%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Michigan Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Houghton Central High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	547	0	12	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	562
1989	532	1	16	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	550
1990	526	0	19	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	549
1991	549	0	21	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	574
1992	571	0	22	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	596
1993	599	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	599
1994	583	1	25	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	612
1995	697	4	23	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	725
1996	697	4	23	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	725
1997	706	4	24	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	737
1998	449	6	13	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	470
1999	467	2	16	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	487
2000	469	4	11	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	486
2001	450	0	17	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	471
2002	466	1	19	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	491
2003	466	1	19	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	491
2004	452	2	30	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	486
2005	472	2	25	4	3	n/a	n/a	0	506
2006	473	2	21	2	2	n/a	n/a	0	500
2007	453	1	14	0	1	n/a	n/a	13	482
2008	426	2	12	6	3	n/a	n/a	0	449
2009	389	3	18	2	5	n/a	n/a	0	417
2010	399	3	16	2	2	n/a	n/a	1	423
2011	364	3	13	5	2	0	7	0	394
2012	384	4	11	1	2	0	7	0	409
2013	420	2	9	2	2	1	6	0	442
2014	406	2	15	4	3	0	8	0	438
2015	413	0	20	4	3	1	10	0	451
2016	383	0	16	2	3	1	11	0	416
2017	383	0	20	4	3	0	11	0	421
2018	386	4	22	3	1	0	13	0	429
2019	401	2	21	6	0	0	14	0	444
2020	414	4	20	6	0	0	13	0	457
2021	417	4	18	4	0	0	13	0	456
2022	440	2	21	5	0	0	11	0	479
2023	424	1	20	5	0	0	11	0	461
2024	441	2	17	7	2	0	9	0	478

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Houghton Central High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	562	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	550	n/a	n/a	12
1990	549	41.0	13.3	15.8
1991	574	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	596	n/a	n/a	16.3
1993	599	n/a	0.0	0
1994	612	32.6	18.8	12.1
1995	725	40.5	17.9	13.9
1996	725	40.5	17.9	13.9
1997	737	44.0	16.8	13.4
1998	470	25.0	18.8	24.7
1999	487	28.0	17.4	20.3
2000	486	29.0	16.8	28.2
2001	471	28.0	16.8	28.5
2002	491	n/a	n/a	27.3
2003	491	n/a	n/a	27.3
2004	486	29.7	16.4	33.5
2005	506	29.7	17.0	31.4
2006	500	29.8	16.8	30.8
2007	482	28.0	17.2	19.2
2008	449	29.7	15.1	17.8
2009	417	29.6	14.1	18.5
2010	423	30.0	14.1	22.5
2011	394	27.6	14.2	24.4
2012	409	25.0	16.3	28.9
2013	442	22.8	19.3	28.5
2014	438	27.1	16.1	30.8
2015	451	28.0	16.1	26.6
2016	416	27.0	15.4	26.9
2017	421	27.0	15.5	24.2
2018	429	26.8	16.0	30.5
2019	444	29.0	15.3	28.6
2020	457	29.0	15.7	26
2021	456	26.9	16.9	22.8
2022	479	27.4	17.4	20.3
2023	461	25.4	18.1	24.7
2024	478	31.7	15.0	29.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Houghton Central High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	562	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	550	n/a	n/a	12
1990	549	41.0	13.3	15.8
1991	574	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	596	n/a	n/a	16.3
1993	599	n/a	0.0	0
1994	612	32.6	18.8	12.1
1995	725	40.5	17.9	13.9
1996	725	40.5	17.9	13.9
1997	737	44.0	16.8	13.4
1998	470	25.0	18.8	24.7
1999	487	28.0	17.4	20.3
2000	486	29.0	16.8	28.2
2001	471	28.0	16.8	28.5
2002	491	n/a	n/a	27.3
2003	491	n/a	n/a	27.3
2004	486	29.7	16.4	33.5
2005	506	29.7	17.0	31.4
2006	500	29.8	16.8	30.8
2007	482	28.0	17.2	19.2
2008	449	29.7	15.1	17.8
2009	417	29.6	14.1	18.5
2010	423	30.0	14.1	22.5
2011	394	27.6	14.2	24.4
2012	409	25.0	16.3	28.9
2013	442	22.8	19.3	28.5
2014	438	27.1	16.1	30.8
2015	451	28.0	16.1	26.6
2016	416	27.0	15.4	26.9
2017	421	27.0	15.5	24.2
2018	429	26.8	16.0	30.5
2019	444	29.0	15.3	28.6
2020	457	29.0	15.7	26
2021	456	26.9	16.9	22.8
2022	479	27.4	17.4	20.3
2023	461	25.4	18.1	24.7
2024	478	31.7	15.0	29.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Houghton Central High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$352 (3.3%)	$10,223 (96.7%)	$10,575
2020	$442 (4.1%)	$10,364 (95.9%)	$10,807
2021	$1,273 (11.2%)	$10,104 (88.8%)	$11,377
2022	$1,056 (8.7%)	$11,125 (91.3%)	$12,181
2023	$1,022 (7.6%)	$12,485 (92.4%)	$13,507

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Houghton Central High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 34^th of 666 High schools	Ranks 62^nd of 735 High schools	3.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Social Studies (Houghton Central High School)	69.7	60	9.7%
11th Grade Social Studies (Houghton-Portage Township School District)	69.7	60	9.7%
11th Grade Social Studies (Michigan)	46.6	36.1	10.5%
11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Houghton Central High School)	80.7	72.1	8.6%
11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Houghton-Portage Township School District)	80.7	72.1	8.6%
11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Michigan)	55.3	52.2	3.1%
11th Grade Mathematics (Houghton Central High School)	61.4	58.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Houghton-Portage Township School District)	61.4	58.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Michigan)	36.3	29.9	6.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	444	461	3.8%
African American	2	1	50%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	21	20	4.8%
Hispanic	6	5	16.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	401	424	5.7%
Two or More Races	14	11	21.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	28.6%	24.7%	3.9%

Schools Near Houghton Central High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				PSAT English Language Arts (2024)	PSAT Mathematics (2024)	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (2024)	SAT Mathematics (2024)	M-Step English Language Arts (2024)		M-Step Math (2024)		M-Step Science (2024)		M-Step Social Studies (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 8th Grade	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 7th Grade	M-Step Math 6th Grade	M-Step Math 7th Grade	M-Step Science 8th Grade	M-Step Science 11th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Houghton Central High School	Public	9-12	1603 Gundlach Rd	Houghton	49931	Houghton County	Houghton-Portage Township School District	No	No	No	No	(906) 482-0450	478	32	15.0	29.3%	441 (92.3%)	2 (0.4%)	7 (1.5%)	17 (3.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.9%)	93.7	37^th of 743 public high schools	95.0%		88.5	62^nd of 735 public high schools	91.6%	25			74.2	54.2						63.3		58.0	$13,507	$1,022	$12,485
Career and Technical Education	Public	9-12	110 E Quincy St	Hancock	49930	Houghton County	Copper Country Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	No	No	(906) 482-4250	0	8	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Hancock MiddleHigh School	Public	6-12	501 Campus Dr	Hancock	49930	Houghton County	Hancock Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(906) 483-2540	322	21	15.1	47.8%	309 (96.0%)	6 (1.9%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	77	139^th of 743 public high schools	81.3%		65.9	206^th of 735 public high schools	72.0%	67	82.5	56.1	57.1	42.9	30.2	54.8	34.9	64.5	44.6	42.9	30.4	53.1	$14,305	$1,662	$12,643
Jeffers High School	Public	7-12	43084 Goodell St	Painesdale	49955	Houghton County	Adams Township School District	No	No	No	No	(906) 482-0580	269	16	16.7	42.4%	260 (96.7%)	2 (0.7%)	3 (1.1%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	44.8	381^st of 743 public high schools	48.7%		35	475^th of 735 public high schools	35.4%	94	72.0	48.0	47.8	47.8		41.4		57.1	45.8	12.5	40.9	20.5	$12,230	$1,310	$10,920
Calumet High School	Public	9-12	57070 Mine St	Calumet	49913	Houghton County	Public Schools of Calumet Laurium & Keweenaw	No	No	No	No	(906) 337-0311	499	29	17.2	45.1%	478 (95.8%)	6 (1.2%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	11 (2.2%)	70.8	170^th of 743 public high schools	77.1%		86.7	74^th of 735 public high schools	89.9%	96			55.6	31.3						54.5		43.9	$13,503	$512	$12,991
CHSHorizons School	Public	9-12	110 Stanton Ave	Mohawk	49950	Keweenaw County	Public Schools of Calumet Laurium & Keweenaw	No	No	No	No	(906) 337-4611	72	6	11.4	76.4%	67 (93.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (4.2%)	16.1	622^nd of 743 public high schools	16.3%					(n/a)										19.1		19.1	$16,195	$1,064	$15,131

Houghton Central High School

Houghton Central High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Houghton-Portage Township School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Houghton Central High School

Rank History for all students at Houghton Central High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Houghton Central High School

Rank History for Female students at Houghton Central High School

Rank History for Male students at Houghton Central High School

Rank History for White students at Houghton Central High School

Enrollment information for Houghton Central High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Houghton Central High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Houghton Central High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Houghton Central High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Houghton Central High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Houghton Central High School