Homeschool Enrollment Surges to Record Highs as Growth Rate Triples Pre-Pandemic Pace

Katrina Barber on
Homeschool Enrollment Surges to Record Highs as Growth Rate Triples Pre-Pandemic Pace

Homeschool Enrollment Surges to Record Highs as Growth Rate Triples Pre-Pandemic Pace

Cherry Creek Lane News | March 20, 2026

Children engaged in homeschool learning activities

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Record-Breaking Growth

Homeschooling in the United States grew at an average rate of 5.4% during the 2024-2025 school year, nearly triple the pre-pandemic growth rate of approximately 2%. An estimated 3.4 million school-age children are now homeschooled, representing 6.3% of the total K-12 population.

Johns Hopkins University researchers report that 36% of states recorded their highest homeschool enrollment numbers ever in 2024-2025, exceeding even the peaks reached during the pandemic. This marks a fundamental shift rather than a temporary pandemic response, with growth showing no signs of slowing.

The current homeschool population roughly doubles Catholic school enrollment and approaches public charter school levels. Homeschooling has increased 55% since pre-COVID levels in some states, with the figure stabilizing between 5% and 6% of all K-12 students nationally after a brief post-pandemic dip.

State-Level Trends

Eighty percent of reporting states showed increases in homeschooling during 2024-2025. South Carolina led with 21.5% growth over the previous year, followed by Vermont at 17%, New Hampshire at 14.5%, and Ohio at 15%. Ten states reported their highest-ever homeschool enrollment, including Georgia, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming.

North Carolina maintains the highest homeschooling rate at 10.6% of all students, with approximately 179,900 homeschool students. Florida follows with 143,431 students, and Georgia with 85,510 students. Alaska leads with 12.6% of children homeschooled, followed by Tennessee at 9% and West Virginia at 8.9%.

States that experienced decline in 2023-2024, such as New Hampshire and Vermont, rebounded with double-digit growth rates in 2024-2025. Only six states showed declining enrollment for the current year: Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Tennessee. Researchers note these declines may be temporary and subject to year-to-year fluctuation.

Why Families Choose Homeschooling

The top reason for homeschooling is concern about the school environment, including safety, drugs, and negative peer pressure. This is followed by dissatisfaction with academic instruction and a desire to provide religious instruction. Over 70% of parents express dissatisfaction with the school environment, academic quality, and time children spend away from home in public and private schools.

Parents appreciate the ability to tailor curriculum to unique learning needs and interests. Educational flexibility allows children who excel in some subjects but struggle in others to receive focused attention without being held back or left behind. The decision to homeschool is deeply personal for most families, spanning political and social backgrounds.

Families cite additional motivations including the ability to teach values, concerns about standardized testing, and dissatisfaction with school responses to bullying or special needs. Some families specifically moved to home education due to bullying, health concerns, or COVID-19 risks.

Changing Demographics

While white families still homeschool at the highest rate, participation among Hispanic and lower-income families has grown substantially. The U.S. Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey provides the most detailed demographic picture of homeschooling families, showing nearly 6% of all school-aged children were homeschooled during the 2022-23 school year.

Households with three or more children represent 48% of homeschooling families. One in three homeschooling households has an annual income exceeding $100,000. The average cost of homeschooling ranges from $700 to $1,800 per student annually, substantially less than private school tuition.

Future Trajectory

Researchers describe the current trend as remarkable, with homeschooling growth showing no signs of slowing. As states estimate 54.1 million K-12 students in 2025-2026, projections suggest up to 7% of children could be homeschooled in coming years. Homeschooling is now described as bordering on mainstream in the United States and may be the fastest-growing form of education.

More states are creating helpful programs and funding to support homeschoolers. Online resources are expected to remain a growing element of homeschooling. New homeschool classes, tutoring cooperatives, and other resources are making home education more accessible to families who previously felt it was out of reach.

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