100+ Essential Homeschooling Statistics (2024)

This article looks at the top 100+ homeschool statistics from 28 recent, credible sources.

Homeschooling had been growing at a steady rate of 2-8% per year. However, during the pandemic it saw a sharp increase.

Prior to the pandemic, 3.4% of K-12 population were homeschooled. This increased to 9% in 2020. By 2022 the percentage of homeschooled children in the US declined, but is still nearly double its pre-pandemic levels at 6%.

This article explores the latest homeschooling statistics to shine a light on the trends relating to this educational approach.

We’ll examine:

Key homeschool statistics
Statistics relating to the impact of the pandemic on homeschooling
Growth of homeschooling
Homeschooling vs public school statistics
Homeschooling demographics
Homeschool statistics by state
Statistics against choosing homeschooling
Statistics for choosing homeschooling
Homeschool socialization statistics
UK homeschooling statistics

Top ten key homeschooling statistics

Prior to the pandemic around 3.4 percent of the total K-12 school-age population was being homeschooled. By Autumn 2020 this had more than doubled to 9%.
By 2022 there were about 3.1 million homeschool students in grades K-12 in the United States (roughly 6% of school-age children)
Half of parents who weren’t homeschooling before the pandemic view it more favorably now.
Over 300 million children worldwide are being homeschooled.
Over 90% of homeschoolers studied are glad they were homeschooled.
80% of homeschooled children who were studied said they would homeschool their own children.
78% of peer-reviewed studies on academic achievement show homeschool students perform statistically significantly better than those in institutional schools.
Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states.
74% of homeschooling parents cited dissatisfaction with academic instruction in schools as a reason for their choice.
The greatest number and percentage of European homeschoolers reside in the UK.

Homeschooling statistics during the pandemic

Commentary: the pandemic has caused a dramatic increase in the number of homeschooled students, and many parents have a more favorable view of homeschooling now then before the pandemic.

Prior to the pandemic around 3.4 percent of the total K-12 school-age population was being homeschooled. By Autumn 2020 this had more than doubled to 9%. (Education Week, 2020)
The National Home School Association received over 3,400 requests for information on a single day in July 2020, up from 5-20 inquiries per day before coronavirus. (MPR News)
In Massachusetts,7,188 students statewide transferred from public schools into homeschooling in 2020, compared to 802 transfers last year. (Shaw, 2020)
In North Carolina, homeschooling filings nearly tripled and crashed the state’s non public education website. (Shaw, 2020)
Enrollment in public schools is down for the first time in 15 years in Nebraska due to the pandemic. (Education Week, 2020)
In Wisconsin the number of parents filing to homeschool their children increased threefold due to the pandemic. (Education Week, 2020)
Over 300 million children worldwide were suddenly being homeschooled during the pandemic. (Forbes, 2020)
Half of US parents who weren’t homeschooling in February 2020 viewed it more favorably in June. (Shaw, 2020)
A quarter of US parents who weren’t homeschooling in February 2020 viewed it less favorably in June. (Shaw, 2020)
53% of Black parents in the US had a more favorable view of homeschooling following the pandemic. (Shaw, 2020)
When schools closed in the UK and remote learning was initiated, 28% of children aged 13 and over said they got no help from parents and 43.1% had an hour or less. (Children’s Commissioner, 2020)
In the UK between May-June 2020, 87% of parents said a child in their household had been homeschooled because of the coronavirus pandemic. (ONS, 2020)
Over half (52%) of UK parents said a child in their household was struggling to continue their education while at home, with 77% giving lack of motivation as one of the reasons. (ONS, 2020)

Growth of homeschooling before and after the Pandemic

Commentary: homeschooling has been growing at a persistent, steady rate over the last two decades. But has declined since the end of the pandemic

Between 1999-2016 the percentage of children being homeschooled almost doubled from 1.7% to 3.3%. (NCES)
In 2012, there were more students in grades K-12 being schooled in this way than in Roman Catholic schools. (Ray, 2017)
Prior to the pandemic around 3.4 percent of the total K-12 school-age population was being homeschooled. By Autumn 2020 this had more than doubled to 9%. (Education Week, 2020)
In 2021 the number of homeschool children was estimated to be between 5-6 million. (NHERI)
In 2022 numbers of K-12 students being homeschooled declined to around 3.1 million. At roughly 6% of schoolage children, this is still nearly double the amount being homeshooled prior to the pandemic (NHERI)
In 2022 the NHERI estimated that 6.66% of students were receiving education at home
The homeschool population grew at around 2% to 8% pa over the past several years, but grew dramatically 2019-2021. (NHERI)
The number of homeschooled children in the US in Spring 2019 was estimated at about 2.5 million (NHERI)
9% of parents who weren’t homeschooling their children in 2019 said they planned to do so at least some of the time in 2020. (Education Week, 2020)
It is estimated that over 9 million Americans had experienced being homeschooled as of February 2020. (NHERI)

Homeschooling Demographics

Most homeschooled children are white, 68% and non-poor, 80%. (Ray, 2017)
62% of homeschool students live in cities and suburban areas, while the others live in towns and rural areas. (Ray, 2017)
According to the NCES Report, the number of homeschooled students was 1.5 times higher for those whose parents had attained a bachelor’s degree or equivalent (3.3%)
16.2% of parents who homeschool their children have annual incomes below $50,000 (NCES)
According to the Household Pulse Survey, 20.4% of families with homeschooled children identify as white, African American families make up 18.3%, Hispanic families account for 18.2%, and Asian families comprise 15.1%,

Homeschooling vs public schools statistics

Commentary: data indicates that homeschoolers generally perform better than their public school counterparts.

78% of peer-reviewed studies on academic achievement show homeschool students perform statistically significantly better than those in institutional schools. (Ray, 2017)
Home-schooled students typically score between 15 and 30 percentile points higher on standardized tests than school-bound students (National Home Education Research Institute)
According to a University of St. Thomas study, the graduation of homeschooled students could be up to 10% higher than that of public schools.
The homeschooled consistently score well above the public school national average. Most studies find them scoring in the range of the 65-80th percentile. (Ray, 2017)
Generally, studies examining SAT data show that homeschooled students outperform traditional public school students. (Maranto & Bell, 2018)
More than 78% of surveyed admission officers said they expect homeschool graduates to perform as well, or better, in their 1st year of college than traditional high school graduates. (Gloeckner, 2013)
SAT data showed the average score for homeschooled students was 80.5 points higher than the public school average. (Belfield, 2004)
When corrected for background factors homeschooled students scored 38.6 points better than predicted. (Belfield, 2004)
Where homeschooling was structured, in 5 of 7 test areas homeschoolers were at least one grade level ahead of public schoolers. (Chang, 2011)
Students whose parents were actively involved in their education scored significantly higher on the ACT than those reporting low levels of parental involvement. (Kunzman, 2020)
While only 11 states allow parents to educate their children at home without authorization, c. 66.7% of homeschooled students graduate from college
A 2015 study showed that black homeschooled children outperformed their black public school peers in all areas. (Ray, 2017)
11 of the 16 studies (69%) on success into adulthood and college showed positive outcomes for the homeschooled compared to those in conventional schools. (Ray, 2020)
While homeschoolers represented only 3% of the student population in 2011, they averaged 25% of the contestants annually at the Scripps spelling bee, 10% of the National Geographic Bee, and 66% of the USA Math Olympiad. (2011)
66.7% of homeschooled students graduate from college, compared to 57.5% of public school pupils. (NHERI, HSLDA)
Homeschooled SAT-takers’ scores are higher on the verbal than the math section, the opposite is true for public school students. (CRHE)
Taxpayers spend an average of $15,240 per pupil annually in public schools, plus capital expenditures (National Education Association, 2021)
In 2020-21 those children being homeschooled represented a savings of over $56 billion for taxpayers.
Homeschool families spend an average of $600 per student annually for their education. Families engaged in home-based education are not dependent on public, tax-funded resources for their children’s education.

If you’re interested in knowing more about how homeschooling vs public schooling, you may be interested in our article on the benefits of homeschooling.

Homeschooling by state

Commentary: though homeschooling is legal in every state, each state has its own legal structure for homeschooling. Some states have a lot of regulation, others very little.

Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states
Every state in the United States has at least one homeschooling association. (Carlson, 2020)
California, North Carolina, and Texas have the highest number of homeschooling students, with over 100,000 pupils each. (NHERI)
Vermont, Wyoming, and Connecticut have the lowest number of homeschoolers with less than 3000 students. (NHERI)
Homeschooled students in Alaska scored significantly lower in math than their traditional counterparts in almost every demographic category. (McCracken & Coleman, 2020)
11 states do not require parents to notify anyone that they are homeschooling: Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Texas. (CRHE)
16 States have low regulation of homeschooling: California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Delaware (HSLDA)
5 states have high regulation of homeschooling: Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont (HSLDA)
The 5 states most friendly towards homeschooling are Alaska, Michigan, Idaho, Texas or Oklahoma. (HSLDA)
Oregon’s Department of Education consistently reveals homeschooled student scores to be above average, with medians at about the 71st to 80th percentile (Williams, 2014).
In Iowa, university admissions department data showed that homeschoolers had a 26.1 mean ACT composite score, as compared to a 24.6 mean score for all entering freshmen. (2003)
In Massachusetts,7,188 students statewide transferred from public schools into homeschooling in 2020, compared to 802 transfers last year. (Shaw, 2020)
In North Carolina, homeschooling filings nearly tripled and crashed the state’s non public education website during 2020. (Shaw, 2020)
An Alaskan study covering 2010-17 found that home educated correspondence students had significantly lower graduation rates than students in public schools (Wilkens & Kalenda, 2019)
Enrollment in public schools is down for the first time in 15 years in Nebraska due to the pandemic. (Education Week, 2020)
Homeschooled students in Arkansas score ten or more percentile points better in math than in reading. (CRHE)
6% more of Alaska’s homeschoolers are more proficient in reading than their public school counterparts, but 6% fewer are proficient in math. (CRHE)

Statistics against homeschooling

Commentary: data indicates that homeschool students perform less well in Math compared to their counterparts. Data also shows the homeschooled are likely to perform less well when the learning environment is unstructured.

The 2021 Education Next survey results revealed that nearly one-third of parents faced significant and very stressful challenges trying to balance their own needs with homeschooling their children during the pandemic
According to NCES data, 14% of parents are hesitant about homeschooling due to worries about managing their time effectively. 16% express concerns that homeschooling may not adequately prepare their child socially for real-life interactions.
SAT data showed the average score for homeschooled students was 30.7 points lower than the private independent school average. (Belfield, 2004)
Homeschool graduates are less likely to attend a prestigious university, or both college and graduate school, than conventional school graduates. (Cardus, 2011)
Homeschooled students in Alaska scored significantly lower in math than their traditional counterparts. (McCracken & Coleman, 2020)
There is a 30 year trend that shows up across the board that shows homeschooling strengthens verbal skills but weakens maths capacities. (Kunzman, 2020)
Two studies in Texas and Pennsylvania found that homeschoolers’ math GPAs were lower than those of college students who had attended formal institutions. (Kunzman, 2020)
Studies have found homeschoolers were far less likely to major in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-based disciplines. (Kunzman, 2020)
Homeschooled SAT-takers’ scores are lower on the math than the verbal section, the opposite is true for public school students. (CRHE)
Homeschooled students on average have substantially lower math scores compared to reading scores, a discrepancy that may follow many into their adult lives. (CRHE)
Where homeschooling was unstructured, in every test area, homeschoolers got lower scores than their traditionally schooled peers. (Chang, 2011)
Homeschoolers aged 12+ were 2-3 times more likely than their public-school peers to report being behind grade level. (Kunzman, 2020)
An Alaskan study covering 2010-17 found that home educated students had significantly lower graduation rates than students in public schools (Wilkens & Kalenda, 2019)
In 2010, only 7.7% of homeschool graduates at Grove City College, Pennsylvania, majored in natural sciences compared to17.8% of their public school counterparts.(CRHE)
In 2010, only 5.1% of homeschool graduates at Grove City College, Pennsylvania, majored in math/engineering compared to 15.6% of their public school counterparts. (CRHE)

Reasons for homeschooling statistics

Commentary: The data shows that there are many reasons why parents may choose to homeschool a child. For example, dissatisfaction with traditional education providers, the particular needs of a child, or the preference for personalized education.

91% of parents gave concern with the school environment (drugs, safety, negative peer pressure, etc) as their main reason for homeschooling. (Redford, 2017)
77% of homeschooling parents chose it because they wanted to provide a moral education. (Redford, 2017)
74% of homeschooling parents cited dissatisfaction with academic instruction in schools as a reason for their choice. (Redford, 2017)
80.3% cite school environment concerns like safety and drugs as reasons (National Centre for Education Statistics – NCES)
74.6% say homeschooling strengthens family bonds (NCES)
25% of parents said safety is the primary motivation behind their homeschooling decision (NCES)
The desire to provide a religious education was named by 64% of parents. (Redford, 2017)
6% of parents cited a child’s health problems or special needs as the reason for their choice to home educate. (Redford, 2017)
40% of African-American parents said they wanted to give the child more instruction on African American/black culture and history. (Ray, 2017)
20% of African-American parents said they chose homeschooling because they wanted to avoid racism in public schools.” (Ray, 2017)
Over 90% of those studied are glad they were homeschooled. (NHERI)
80% of homeschooled children who were studied said they would homeschool their own children. (NHERI)

Homeschooling socialization and emotional/psychological development statistics

Commentary: data indicates that homeschooled children are more likely to take part in social and extracurricular activities compared to their counterparts.

Out of nearly 100 studies, most showed that homeschoolers do not suffer in comparison with their conventionally-schooled counterparts across a range of social skills. (Kunzman, 2020)
71% of the homeschooled participate in ongoing community service activities compared to 37% of the general population. (NHERI)
The home educated were more civically and politically engaged than the general population. (NHERI)
Investigations have consistently found that homeschoolers fare well, possibly better than their public school counterparts, when it comes to socialization. (Carlson, 2020)
Out of 15 studies on social and emotional development, 13 of them (87%) showed clearly significant positive outcomes for the homeschooled students compared to those in conventional schools. (Ray, 2020)
98% of homeschoolers are involved in more than two activities outside their home, and the average number of activities they are engaged in is 5.2. (NHERI)

Homeschooling in the UK

Commentary: a relaxed attitude to homeschooling in the UK means that it has more children educated this way than any other European nation.

The greatest number and percentage of European homeschoolers reside in the UK. (Kunzman, 2020)
In 2020/21 94,258 students were known to be home educated across 124 local authorities that responded to an official survey.
Extrapolated to all 152 local authorities this suggests 115,542 children being home educated in that year. Representing an increase of approximately 34% from 2019/20 (Home Education Survey Report 2021)
It is estimated that 60,000 children were being home educated in the UK in 2018. (BBC, 2019)
The Children’s Commissioner found there was a 32% increase in the number of primary school children moving from school to home education between 2015-2018. (BBC, 2019)
The Children’s Commissioner found a 71% increase in the number of children from secondary schools moving to home education between 2015-18. (BBC, 2019)
The number of children being homeschooled in the UK rose by about 40% between 2014-16. (BBC, 2018)
92% of authorities able to provide data for all three years (2014-16) reported an increase in children being withdrawn to be homeschooled. (BBC, 2018)
0.6% of authorities able to provide data for the years 2014-16 reported a decrease in children being withdrawn to be homeschooled. (BBC, 2018)
The greatest number of homeschooled children (1 in 50) in the UK are on the Isle of White. (BBC, 2018)
In Wales about 0.4% of children were homeschooled in 2016-17. (BBC, 2018)
In Scotland, just 0.1% of children are home-educated. (BBC, 2018)
In Northern Ireland less than 0.1% of the school-aged population was home educated in 2017. (BBC, 2018)
Only 15% of respondents to the 2013 Opinions and Lifestyle survey listed religion as a motive for homeschooling (Kunzman, 2020)
The 2013 Opinions and Lifestyle survey found that 23% of UK home educators elected to home educate because of a child’s special needs. (Kunzman, 2020)
Many mothers turn to home education because of repeated frustration with their local school’s handling of their child’s special circumstances (Kunzman, 2020)
A study of UK Travellers, including Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers found that bullying at school was a significant reason for homeschooling. (Kunzman, 2020)
In the UK between 7 May and 7 June 2020, 87% of parents said a child in their household had been homeschooled because of the coronavirus pandemic. (ONS, 2020)
When schools closed in the UK and remote learning was initiated, 28% of children aged 13 and over said they got no help from parents and 43.1% had an hour or less. (Children’s Commissioner, 2020)
When schools reopened in October 2020, homeschool registrations increased by more than 200% in some areas. (Schoolsweek, 2020)
Almost half the schools surveyed by Ofsted after schools reopened in October 2020 reported students leaving to be homeschooled. (Schoolsweek, 2020)

Sources

Liz Hurley

Liz Hurley has 30+ years of high school teaching experience and is one of our senior writers here at Learnopoly.

Top ten key homeschooling statistics

Homeschooling statistics during the pandemic

Growth of homeschooling before and after the Pandemic

Homeschooling Demographics

Homeschooling vs public schools statistics

Homeschooling by state

Statistics against homeschooling

Reasons for homeschooling statistics

Homeschooling socialization and emotional/psychological development statistics

Homeschooling in the UK

Sources

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