What are the best public school districts in Hancock County?
It’s true that with real estate, LOCATION matters! Whenever I have purchased a home, one of the top “must haves” for me is if the home is zoned to highly rated public schools. In the greater Indianapolis area, we have the option of sending our children to any public school, provided there is space and you have the ability to transport your children there. This gives us a lot of freedom but, it is nice to have a top ranked public school that is close to your home that the kids can easily walk or ride the bus to.
In the post-COVID era, there have also been an increase in homeschooling cooperative groups (which if you are interested in, give me a call and I can give you some information on that!) as well as enrollment in private schools. However, the majority of students in the greater Indianapolis area, specifically Hancock County, do attend public schools and the school community and its rankings are SO IMPORTANT when looking at a home to settle in.
TRUE STORY: When I was pregant with my first child, Lily, I insisted that we purchase our first home in Tucson, Arizona (where my husband, John’s, job was at the time) in the top-ranked school district in Tucson. Lily wasn’t even HERE yet and I was already thinking about setting her up in the best neighborhood I could with the best community and schools I could possibly give her. To me, the community and by extension, school community, is a “deal breaker” when it comes to buying a home; you want to feel comfortable with where you are going to be sending your school-aged kids for the majority of the day and ensure they are getting a great education!
Top Hancock County School Districts
According to niche.com, we have 4 school districts that serve the families of Hancock County. Their rankings are based on: academics, teachers, clubs/activities, administration, food, diversity, college prep, health & safety, sports, and resources & facilities. Let’s get into it!
4: Greenfield-Central Community Schools
Grade: B+
This school district serves the students of Greenfield and the surrounding outskirt communities. This school gets high ranks in the quality of their teachers, academics, and college prep but less in sports and diversity. They offer a variety of AP/honors courses and have a gifted program as well. One reviewer also notes they have a engineering and medical pathways for students to take dual credit courses with the local community college!
All 3 of their elementary schools (Eden, Harris, and Weston) have a rating of at least A-. Eden Elementary’s students have an 85% proficiency in reading and math!
Clearly, Greenfield-Central Community Schools are a great choice for families who want to live in Greenfield, or close to it. Greenfield has fantastic new construction communities as well from Ryan Homes and D.R. Horton.
3: Southern Hancock County Community School Corporation
Grade: B+
Southern Hancock County’s schools, located in New Palestine, are incredible! In fact, this year, their high school football team is having a STELLAR year with a 5-0 record and is ranked #1 in Division 4A.
Besides athletics, SHC’s academics are outstanding, with lots of opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities. There are a vareity of AP/honors classes offered in this district; and even with so many opportunities for students one reviewer says they like it because it is “a smaller community and students aren’t a ‘number’ but a name.”
New Palestine is growing like crazy! New Pal (as the locals call it!) is close to I-70, Route 40, and Route 52 so it’s fast to get in/out of Indianapolis for work or play. And with the fantastic school system (the elementary schools: Brandywine, Sugar Creek, and New Palestine are all ranked B or higher!) it’s no wonder families are flocking to New Pal. There are multiple new construction communities from Bridgenorth Homes, D.R. Horton, and Pyatt Builders that are actively selling lots.
2: Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation
Grade: A-
Mt. Vernon’s overall grade is an A- with high marks in everything from academics and sports to teachers and clubs & activities! Their elementary schools (Fortville, McCordsville, and Mt. Comfort) all receive a rating of at least B+. A reviewer said that Mt. Vernon stands out from other public schools in Indiana because of “how involved students are, the staff, and the safety features” of the high school specifically!
The district also has a variety of AP/honors classes and one reviewer noted that even though it is considered a “rural” environment, there is a “wide variety of opportunities for growth in education”!
Fortville, McCordsville, and Buck Creek Townships (the 3 primary areas that Mt. Vernon School Corp serves) are located close to route 36, which is a quick drive south to I-70 or west to I-465. You can be in Indianapolis quickly and still have the peace and quiet of rural living!
This school district, like Greenfield and New Pal, is also growing quickly! There are new construction communities by David Weekley Homes and Ryan Homes.
1: Eastern Hancock County Community School Corporation
Grade: A
Located to the east of Greenfield, Eastern Hancock County’s schools are truly amazing! They offer AP/honors classes as well as dual credit classes with a low student:teacher ratio of 15:1. You get a truly small school vibe as the elementary, middle, and high school are located together in the heart of Charlottesville.
Reviewers note that the “royal” nature of the school corporation is present in the close-knit community of this school district. The other 3 districts on this list are much larger by comparison but EHC’s schools have incredibly dedicated teachers that one reviewer noted “taught both academics and real world stuff...they were teachers but also friends.” EHC also has a great agriculture program so students can learn important leadership and agriculture skills through the active FFA organization on campus!
There are currently no new construction communities in Eastern Hancock’s school boundaries. However, there are always lots for sale in the school district that can easily be purchased to custom-build a home on!
With the above information in mind...where do you see yourself and your family? The more “suburban” town of Greenfield or the small towns of Fortville, McCordsville, New Pal, and Charlottesville? Contact me today to discuss you and your family’s needs!
