Largest school districts in the United States by enrollment

Last updated May 13, 2024

During the 2021-2022 school year, there were 13,253 public school districts. These school districts enrolled 46,512,056 students across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

A total of 14,021,186 students (30.15%) attended schools within the nation's 200 largest school districts by enrollment.^[1] Ballotpedia's coverage scope includes these 200 districts as well as all school districts in America's 100 largest cities by population. However, only these 200 districts are included on this page.

As of the 2021-2022 school year, the largest school district was the New York City Department of Education with 847,030 students. The smallest school district in the top 200 was Norfolk Public Schools in Virginia with 27,478 students.

See also: List of school districts in the United States

National map

Hover over the map below to see the total number of top 200 school districts in each state:

Districts by state

Click on the tabs for specific state details:

Alabama

See also: List of school districts in Alabama

There were two districts in Alabama in the top 200 school districts:

1. Mobile County Public Schools: 52,614 students
2. Jefferson County Schools: 35,819 students

Alaska

See also: List of school districts in Alaska

There was one district in Alaska in the top 200 school districts:

1. Anchorage School District: 43,054 students

Arizona

See also: List of school districts in Arizona

There were seven districts in Arizona in the top 200 school districts:

1. Mesa Public Schools: 58,859 students
2. Chandler Unified School District: 43,923 students
3. Tucson Unified School District: 42,002 students
4. Peoria Unified School District: 36,741 students
5. Gilbert Public Schools: 33,775 students
6. Deer Valley Unified School District: 33,353 students
7. Paradise Valley Unified School District: 28,707 students

Arkansas

See also: List of school districts in Arkansas

There were no districts in Arkansas in the top 200 school districts.

California

See also: List of school districts in California

There were 23 districts in California in the top 200 school districts:

1. Los Angeles Unified School District: 435,958 students
2. San Diego Unified School District: 95,233 students
3. Fresno Unified School District: 69,873 students
4. Long Beach Unified School District: 67,292 students
5. Elk Grove Unified School District: 62,229 students
6. Corona-Norco Unified School District: 50,889 students
7. San Francisco Unified School District: 49,204 students
8. San Bernardino City Unified School District: 46,509 students
9. Kern High School District: 42,863 students
10. Capistrano Unified School District: 42,754 students
11. Clovis Unified School District: 42,699 students
12. Santa Ana Unified School District: 41,835 students
13. Sacramento City Unified School District: 39,711 students
14. Riverside Unified School District: 39,626 students
15. Garden Grove Unified School District: 38,560 students
16. San Juan Unified School District: 38,289 students
17. Sweetwater Union High School District: 36,557 students
18. Stockton Unified School District: 36,202 students
19. Poway Unified School District: 35,192 students
20. Fontana Unified School District: 35,101 students
21. Oakland Unified School District: 34,428 students
22. Fremont Unified School District: 33,873 students
23. Moreno Valley Unified School District: 31,609 students

Colorado

See also: List of school districts in Colorado

There were six districts in Colorado in the top 200 school districts:

1. Denver Public Schools: 88,911 students
2. Jeffco Public Schools: 76,904 students
3. Douglas County School District: 63,596 students
4. Cherry Creek School District: 53,587 students
5. Aurora Public Schools: 38,451 students
6. Adams 12 Five Star Schools: 36,078 students

Connecticut

See also: List of school districts in Connecticut

There were no districts in Connecticut in the top 200 school districts.

Delaware

See also: List of school districts in Delaware

There were no districts in Delaware in the top 200 school districts.

District of Columbia

There was one district in the District of Columbia in the top 200 school districts:

1. District of Columbia Public Schools: 48,635 students

Florida

See also: List of school districts in Florida

There were 25 districts in Florida in the top 200 school districts:

1. Miami-Dade County Public Schools: 328,589 students
2. Broward County Public Schools: 256,037 students
3. Hillsborough County Public Schools: 224,149 students
4. Orange County Public Schools: 203,224 students
5. School District of Palm Beach County: 187,943 students
6. Duval County Public Schools: 128,948 students
7. Polk County Public Schools: 105,422 students
8. School District of Lee County: 97,264 students
9. Pinellas County Schools: 95,446 students
10. Pasco County Schools: 81,157 students
11. Brevard Public Schools: 72,497 students
12. School District of Osceola County: 72,427 students
13. Seminole County Public Schools: 66,729 students
14. Volusia County Schools: 62,666 students
15. School District of Manatee County: 50,248 students
16. St. Johns County School District: 48,032 students
17. Collier County Public Schools: 47,617 students
18. Lake County Schools: 45,845 students
19. Sarasota County Schools: 43,896 students
20. St. Lucie Public Schools: 43,612 students
21. Marion County Public Schools: 42,678 students
22. Clay County District Schools: 38,593 students
23. Escambia County School District: 37,804 students
24. Leon County Schools: 32,562 students
25. Okaloosa County School District,: 32,340 students

Georgia

See also: List of school districts in Georgia

There were 11 districts in Georgia in the top 200 school districts:

1. Gwinnett County Public Schools: 179,581 students
2. Cobb County School District: 106,970 students
3. DeKalb County School District: 93,473 students
4. Fulton County Schools: 90,355 students
5. Forsyth County Schools: 52,757 students
6. Clayton County Public Schools: 52,335 students
7. Atlanta Public Schools: 49,994 students
8. Henry County Schools: 42,792 students
9. Cherokee County School District: 42,049 students
10. Savannah-Chatham County Public School System: 35,925 students
11. Muscogee County School District: 30,085 students

Hawaii

See also: List of school districts in Hawaii

There was one district in Hawaii in the top 200 school districts:

1. Hawaii State Department of Education: 173,178 students

Idaho

See also: List of school districts in Idaho

There was one district in Idaho in the top 200 school districts:

1. West Ada School District: 39,332 students

Illinois

See also: List of school districts in Illinois

There were two districts in Illinois in the top 200 school districts:

1. Chicago Public Schools: 329,836 students
2. School District U-46: 35,864 students

Indiana

See also: List of school districts in Indiana

There were no districts in Indiana in the top 200 school districts.

Iowa

See also: List of school districts in Iowa

There was one district in Iowa in the top 200 school districts:

1. Des Moines Public Schools: 31,323 students

Kansas

See also: List of school districts in Kansas

There was one district in Kansas in the top 200 school districts:

1. Wichita Public Schools: 46,657 students

Kentucky

See also: List of school districts in Kentucky

There were two districts in Kentucky in the top 200 school districts:

1. Jefferson County Public Schools: 94,393 students
2. Fayette County Public Schools: 41,415 students

Louisiana

See also: List of school districts in Louisiana

There were four districts in Louisiana in the top 200 school districts:

1. Jefferson Parish Public School System: 46,896 students
2. East Baton Rouge Parish School System: 41,043 students
3. St. Tammany Parish Public Schools: 37,048 students
4. Caddo Parish Public Schools: 34,746 students

Maine

See also: List of school districts in Maine

There were no districts in Maine in the top 200 school districts.

Maryland

See also: List of school districts in Maryland

There were eight districts in Maryland in the top 200 school districts:

1. Montgomery County Public Schools: 158,231 students
2. Prince George's County Public Schools: 128,770 students
3. Baltimore County Public Schools: 111,136 students
4. Anne Arundel County Public Schools: 83,163 students
5. Baltimore City Public School System: 77,807 students
6. Howard County Public Schools: 57,325 students
7. Frederick County Public Schools: 45,220 students
8. Harford County Public Schools: 37,920 students

Massachusetts

See also: List of school districts in Massachusetts

There was one district in Massachusetts in the top 200 school districts:

1. Boston Public Schools: 46,169 students

Michigan

See also: List of school districts in Michigan

There was one district in Michigan in the top 200 school districts:

1. Detroit Public Schools Community District: 48,536 students

Minnesota

See also: List of school districts in Minnesota

There were three districts in Minnesota in the top 200 school districts:

1. Anoka-Hennepin School District: 38,230 students
2. Saint Paul Public Schools: 33,475 students
3. Minneapolis Public Schools: 30,115 students

Mississippi

See also: List of school districts in Mississippi

There was one district in Mississippi in the top 200 school districts:

1. DeSoto County School District: 34,469 students

Missouri

See also: List of school districts in Missouri

There were no districts in Missouri in the top 200 school districts.

Montana

See also: List of school districts in Montana

There were no districts in Montana in the top 200 school districts.

Nebraska

See also: List of school districts in Nebraska

There were two districts in Nebraska in the top 200 school districts:

1. Omaha Public Schools: 51,626 students
2. Lincoln Public Schools: 41,747 students

Nevada

See also: List of school districts in Nevada

There were two districts in Nevada in the top 200 school districts:

1. Clark County School District: 315,787 students
2. Washoe County School District: 65,538 students

New Hampshire

See also: List of school districts in New Hampshire

There were no districts in New Hampshire in the top 200 school districts.

New Jersey

See also: List of school districts in New Jersey

There was one district in New Jersey in the top 200 school districts:

1. Newark Public Schools: 40,876 students

New Mexico

See also: List of school districts in New Mexico

There was one district in New Mexico in the top 200 school districts:

1. Albuquerque Public Schools: 81,762 students

New York

See also: List of school districts in New York

There were two districts in New York in the top 200 school districts:

1. New York City Department of Education: 847,030 students
2. Buffalo Public Schools: 30,823 students

North Carolina

See also: List of school districts in North Carolina

There were nine districts in North Carolina in the top 200 school districts:

1. Wake County Public School System: 160,099 students
2. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools: 143,244 students
3. Guilford County Schools: 69,173 students
4. Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools: 52,681 students
5. Cumberland County Schools: 48,860 students
6. Union County Public Schools: 40,600 students
7. Johnston County Schools: 37,823 students
8. Cabarrus County Schools: 33,562 students
9. Durham Public Schools: 31,754 students

North Dakota

See also: List of school districts in North Dakota

There were no districts in North Dakota in the top 200 school districts.

Ohio

See also: List of school districts in Ohio

There were three districts in Ohio in the top 200 school districts:

1. Columbus City Schools: 45,547 students
2. Cincinnati Public Schools: 35,820 students
3. Cleveland Metropolitan School District: 35,319 students

Oklahoma

See also: List of school districts in Oklahoma

There were two districts in Oklahoma in the top 200 school districts:

1. Tulsa Public Schools: 33,211 students
2. Oklahoma City Public Schools: 32,086 students

Oregon

See also: List of school districts in Oregon

There were three districts in Oregon in the top 200 school districts:

1. Portland Public Schools: 45,171 students
2. Salem-Keizer Public Schools: 39,507 students
3. Beaverton School District: 39,253 students

Pennsylvania

See also: List of school districts in Pennsylvania

There was one district in Pennsylvania in the top 200 school districts:

1. School District of Philadelphia: 118,053 students

Rhode Island

See also: List of school districts in Rhode Island

There were no districts in Rhode Island in the top 200 school districts.

South Carolina

See also: List of school districts in South Carolina

There were four districts in South Carolina in the top 200 school districts:

1. Greenville County School District: 76,939 students
2. Charleston County School District: 49,331 students
3. Horry County Schools: 46,551 students
4. Berkeley County School District: 37,074 students

South Dakota

See also: List of school districts in South Dakota

There were no districts in South Dakota in the top 200 school districts.

Tennessee

See also: List of school districts in Tennessee

There were seven districts in Tennessee in the top 200 school districts:

1. Memphis-Shelby County Schools: 105,596 students
2. Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools: 80,381 students
3. Knox County School District: 60,426 students
4. Rutherford County Schools: 49,253 students
5. Hamilton County School District: 45,176 students
6. Williamson County Schools: 41,954 students
7. Clarksville-Montgomery County School System: 37,680 students

Texas

See also: List of school districts in Texas

There were 43 districts in Texas in the top 200 school districts:

1. Houston Independent School District: 194,607 students
2. Dallas Independent School District: 143,558 students
3. Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District: 117,217 students
4. Northside Independent School District: 102,377 students
5. Katy Independent School District: 88,368 students
6. Fort Bend Independent School District: 77,545 students
7. Fort Worth Independent School District: 74,850 students
8. Austin Independent School District: 74,602 students
9. Conroe Independent School District: 67,761 students
10. Frisco Independent School District: 65,825 students
11. Aldine Independent School District: 61,633 students
12. North East Independent School District: 59,830 students
13. Arlington Independent School District: 56,311 students
14. Garland Independent School District: 53,674 students
15. Klein Independent School District: 53,294 students
16. El Paso Independent School District: 50,769 students
17. Plano Independent School District: 49,400 students
18. Pasadena Independent School District: 49,326 students
19. Lewisville Independent School District: 49,205 students
20. Humble Independent School District: 48,112 students
21. Socorro Independent School District: 47,278 students
22. Round Rock Independent School District: 47,167 students
23. San Antonio Independent School District: 44,710 students
24. Killeen Independent School District: 43,882 students
25. Leander Independent School District: 41,780 students
26. Clear Creek Independent School District: 40,832 students
27. Alief Independent School District: 40,664 students
28. Lamar Consolidated Independent School District: 39,579 students
29. United Independent School District: 39,316 students
30. Brownsville Independent School District: 38,448 students
31. Mesquite Independent School District: 38,378 students
32. Richardson Independent School District: 37,633 students
33. Ysleta Independent School District: 37,244 students
34. Mansfield Independent School District: 35,559 students
35. Keller Independent School District: 34,813 students
36. Spring Branch Independent School District: 33,545 students
37. Spring Independent School District: 33,425 students
38. Corpus Christi Independent School District: 33,175 students
39. Irving Independent School District: 32,378 students
40. Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District: 32,078 students
41. Ector County Independent School District: 31,810 students
42. Amarillo Independent School District: 30,866 students
43. Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District: 29,250 students

Utah

See also: List of school districts in Utah

There were seven districts in Utah in the top 200 school districts:

1. Alpine School District: 86,275 students
2. Davis School District: 74,486 students
3. Granite School District: 62,544 students
4. Jordan School District: 59,363 students
5. Washington County School District: 37,400 students
6. Nebo School District: 36,229 students
7. Canyons School District: 33,702 students

Vermont

See also: List of school districts in Vermont

There were no districts in Vermont in the top 200 school districts.

Virginia

See also: List of school districts in Virginia

There were eight districts in Virginia in the top 200 school districts:

1. Fairfax County Public Schools: 178,479 students
2. Prince William County Public Schools: 90,070 students
3. Loudoun County Public Schools: 81,131 students
4. Virginia Beach City Public Schools: 65,450 students
5. Chesterfield County Public Schools: 62,445 students
6. Henrico County Public Schools: 49,991 students
7. Chesapeake Public Schools: 40,458 students
8. Norfolk Public Schools: 27,478 students

Washington

See also: List of school districts in Washington

There were two districts in Washington in the top 200 school districts:

1. Seattle Public Schools: 51,443 students
2. Lake Washington School District: 30,730 students

West Virginia

See also: List of school districts in West Virginia

There were no districts in West Virginia in the top 200 school districts.

Wisconsin

See also: List of school districts in Wisconsin

There was one district in Wisconsin in the top 200 school districts:

1. Milwaukee Public Schools: 69,115 students

Wyoming

See also: List of school districts in Wyoming

There were no districts in Wyoming in the top 200 school districts.

See also

• United States school districts
• List of school districts in the United States
• School board elections, 2024
• School board elections, 2023
• School board elections, 2022
• School board recalls

External links

• National Center for Education Statistics

Footnotes