Total enrollment
97,401
-1,628 (-2%) vs SY 2017-18
Jefferson County
Alabama · Public K-12
Jefferson County in Alabama is home to 181 public K-12 schools, serving roughly 97,401 students between them, broken out as 102 elementary, 33 middle, and 40 high. Jefferson County Public Schools is the largest district by enrollment.
7-year change in Jefferson County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
164
+7 (+4%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
35%
was 38%
% Hispanic
13%
was 8%
% Black
48%
was 51%
% Asian
2%
was 2%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
667,755
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
181
20 districts
Enrollment
97,401
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$66,388
Above Alabama avg
Free/reduced lunch
52.0%
Below Alabama avg
Elementary
102
48,668 students
Middle
33
18,038 students
High
40
30,264 students
Combined / other
6
431 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Jefferson County Public Schools
35,444 students · 20 districts in Jefferson County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Jefferson County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
36.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
11.4%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.7%
civilian labor
Median age
38
22.9% under 18
Test scores in Jefferson County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 153 schools ranked. Alabama state average: 53.0%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jones Valley Middle School | Birmingham | Middle | 06-08 | 465 | · |
| Leeds Middle School | Leeds | Middle | 06-08 | 452 | · |
| Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights | Vestavia Hills | Elementary | PK-05 | 451 | · |
| Minor Elementary School | Birmingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 441 | · |
| Corner Middle School | Warrior | Middle | 05-08 | 437 | · |
| Irondale Community School | Irondale | Elementary | PK-05 | 435 | · |
| Irondale Middle School | Irondale | Middle | 06-08 | 430 | · |
| Wilkerson Middle School | Birmingham | Middle | 06-08 | 424 | · |
| Tuggle Elementary School | Birmingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 423 | · |
| i3 Academy Phase 1 | Birmingham | Elementary | KG-05 | 411 | · |
| Tarrant Intermediate School | Tarrant | Elementary | 03-06 | 404 | · |
| Concord Elementary School | Bessemer | Elementary | KG-05 | 400 | · |
| i3 Academy Phase 2 | Birmingham | Middle | 06-09 | 400 | · |
| Wylam Elementary School | Birmingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 399 | · |
| Grantswood Community School | Birmingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 394 | · |
| Magnolia Elementary School | Trussville | Elementary | KG-05 | 391 | · |
| Snow Rogers Elementary School | Gardendale | Elementary | PK-05 | 389 | · |
| Central Park Elementary School | Birmingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 386 | · |
| Huffman Middle School | Birmingham | Middle | 06-08 | 384 | · |
| Minor Community School | Birmingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 384 | · |
| Barrett Elementary School | Birmingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 383 | · |
| Midfield Elementary School | Midfield | Elementary | PK-04 | 377 | · |
| Bush Hills STEAM Academy | Birmingham | Middle | 06-08 | 370 | · |
| Charles F Hard Elementary School | Bessemer | Elementary | PK-05 | 364 | · |
| Robinson Elementary School | Birmingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 354 | · |
| Hemphill Elementary School | Birmingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 353 | · |
| Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School | Pleasant Grove | Middle | 06-08 | 345 | · |
| Magic City Acceptance Academy | Birmingham | High | 06-12 | 345 | · |
| Oliver K5 School | Birmingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 343 | · |
| Richard Arrington Elementary | Birmingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 341 | · |
| Avondale Elementary School | Birmingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 339 | · |
| Brighton School | Brighton | Elementary | PK-05 | 336 | · |
| Smith Middle School | Birmingham | Middle | 06-08 | 336 | · |
| Ossie Ware Mitchell Middle School | Birmingham | Middle | 06-08 | 330 | · |
| Shades Mountain Elementary School | Hoover | Elementary | KG-05 | 328 | · |
| Midfield High School | Midfield | High | 09-12 | 327 | · |
| Legacy Prep | Birmingham | Elementary | KG-06 | 317 | · |
| C J Donald Middle School | Fairfield | Middle | 06-08 | 316 | · |
| Inglenook School | Birmingham | Elementary | PK-08 | 312 | · |
| Green Acres Middle School | Birmingham | Middle | 06-08 | 309 | · |
| Tarrant Elementary School | Tarrant | Elementary | PK-02 | 307 | · |
| Charles A Brown Elementary School | Birmingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 296 | · |
| Greenwood Elementary School | Bessemer | Elementary | PK-05 | 290 | · |
| Adamsville Elementary School | Adamsville | Elementary | KG-05 | 288 | · |
| Rutledge School | Midfield | Middle | 05-08 | 288 | · |
| Mount Olive Elementary School | Mount Olive | Elementary | PK-05 | 286 | · |
| Westhills Elementary School | Bessemer | Elementary | PK-05 | 277 | · |
| Glen Oaks Intermediate School | Fairfield | Elementary | 03-05 | 275 | · |
| Norwood Elementary School | Birmingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 261 | · |
| Jefferson County Virtual School | Birmingham | Combined | 01-12 | 247 | · |
| Robinson Primary School | Fairfield | Elementary | KG-02 | 238 | · |
| EPIC Alternative Elementary School | Birmingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 232 | · |
| Abrams Elementary School | Bessemer | Elementary | PK-05 | 231 | · |
| Lipscomb Elementary School | Lipscomb | Elementary | PK-05 | 221 | · |
| Legacy Prep Intermediate | Birmingham | Middle | 04-07 | 219 | · |
| Brookville Elementary School | Graysville | Elementary | PK-05 | 211 | · |
| Empower Community School Upper Campus | Bessemer | Middle | 04-08 | 211 | · |
| Empower Community SchoolLower School | Bessemer | Elementary | KG-04 | 201 | · |
| Princeton School | Birmingham | Elementary | PK-05 | 195 | · |
| BCS Virtual Academy of Learning | Birmingham | Combined | 03-12 | 184 | · |
| WE Putnam Middle SchoolMagnet | Birmingham | Middle | 06-08 | 184 | · |
| Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School | Bessemer | High | 09-12 | 161 | · |
| West Jefferson Elementary School | Quinton | Elementary | PK-05 | 111 | · |
| Freedom Prep Academy | Birmingham | Elementary | KG-01 | 41 | · |
| Adolescent Day Treatment | Birmingham | Combined | KG-12 | · | · |
| Bessemer Center For Technology | Bessemer | High | 09-12 | · | · |
| City Elementary | Birmingham | Middle | 07-08 | · | · |
| Crossroads School | Hoover | High | 06-12 | · | · |
| Dupuy Alternative School | Birmingham | High | 09-12 | · | · |
| Engle Day Treatment | Birmingham | Elementary | 01-07 | · | · |
| Fairfield Alternative School | Fairfield | Combined | KG-12 | · | · |
| Fairfield Area Vocational School | Fairfield | High | 10-12 | · | · |
| Homebound Elementary School | Birmingham | Elementary | PK-06 | · | · |
| Homebound High School | Birmingham | High | 07-12 | · | · |
| Independence Preparatory Academy | Birmingham | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Jefferson County Counseling Learning CenterEast | Birmingham | Combined | KG-12 | · | · |
| Midfield Area Vocational Department | Midfield | High | 09-12 | · | · |
| New Horizon Alternative School | Bessemer | High | 07-12 | · | · |
| W E Donaldson | Bessemer | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| William E Burkett MultiHandicapped Center | Morris | Combined | PK-12 | · | · |
| i3 Academy Phase 3 | Birmingham | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Jefferson County
Birmingham65 schoolsBessemer17 schoolsHoover12 schoolsVestavia Hills7 schoolsFairfield6 schoolsMountain Brook6 schoolsTrussville6 schoolsHomewood5 schoolsPinson5 schoolsAdamsville4 schoolsGardendale4 schoolsHueytown4 schoolsLeeds4 schoolsMidfield4 schoolsCenter Point3 schoolsIrondale3 schoolsMccalla3 schoolsPleasant Grove3 schoolsTarrant3 schoolsDora2 schoolsKimberly2 schoolsMorris2 schoolsVestavia2 schoolsWarrior2 schoolsBrighton1 schoolClay1 schoolFultondale1 schoolGraysville1 schoolLipscomb1 schoolMount Olive1 schoolQuinton1 school
About Jefferson County
Jefferson County is a broad county of about 667,755 residents in Alabama. Its public-school system enrolls approximately 97,401 students across 181 schools.
For perspective, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $66,388, about 36% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 11%. That income level is 20% meaningfully above the Alabama median.
On the school-mix side, Jefferson County spans 102 elementary schools (48,668 students), 33 middle schools (18,038), 40 high schools (30,264), and 6 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Jefferson County is Jefferson County Public Schools, which alone enrolls about 35,444 students.
Trend over the past 7 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 97,401 students, stayed largely flat from the 99,029 reported in SY 2017-18. Over that span, Jefferson County opened 7 schools, going from 157 to 164. The Hispanic share of public-school enrollment expanded from 8% to 13%.
On allk12, the community for Jefferson County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
Jefferson County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data