For many students in the US, the ZIP code they live in can shape the quality of education they get.
And while a lot of disparity can exist between wealthy suburbs and under-resourced urban school districts, differences can also show up dramatically when comparing education across US states.
In 2024, US public schools received nearly $995 billion in funding, with state and local sources combined providing nearly 90% of the total, according to Census data. Nationwide, local governments provided $429.8 billion for primary and secondary education funding, while state governments provided $450 billion.