Total enrollment
19,495
+236 (+1%) vs SY 2017-18
Matanuska-Susitna Borough
Alaska · Public K-12
Matanuska-Susitna Borough in Alaska has 49 public K-12 schools in service today, collectively responsible for roughly 19,495 students with Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District the largest district. By grade band, the county runs 27 elementary, 3 middle, and 10 high schools.
7-year change in Matanuska-Susitna Borough
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
49
+2 (+4%) vs SY 2017-18
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
112,988
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
49
1 districts
Enrollment
19,495
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$94,031
Above Alaska avg
Free/reduced lunch
45.2%
Below Alaska avg
Elementary
27
9,275 students
Middle
3
1,465 students
High
10
4,682 students
Combined / other
9
4,073 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
19,495 students · 1 district in Matanuska-Susitna Borough
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Matanuska-Susitna Borough 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+
24.4%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.8%
civilian labor
Median age
37
25.7% under 18
Test scores in Matanuska-Susitna Borough
Latest 2023-24 ELA proficiency, 37 schools ranked. Alaska state average: 35.2%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Academy Charter School· 65.7%
- American Charter Academy· 58.7%
- Fred and Sara Machetanz Elementary School· 53.1%
- Twindly Bridge Charter School· 52.4%
- John Shaw Elementary· 51.5%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Meadow Lakes Elementary· 17.6%
- Houston Middle School· 21.3%
- Palmer High School· 23.4%
- Iditarod Elementary· 26.2%
- Joe Redington Senior Jr/Sr High School· 27.3%
See all 37 schools in Matanuska-Susitna Borough ranked by score →
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mat-Su Central School | Wasilla | Combined | KG-12 | 2,780 | · |
| Colony High School | Palmer | High | 09-12 | 1,046 | · |
| Wasilla High School | Wasilla | High | 09-12 | 816 | · |
| Colony Middle School | Palmer | Elementary | PK-08 | 771 | · |
| Mat-Su Career & Tech Ed High School | Wasilla | High | 09-12 | 705 | · |
| Teeland Middle School | Wasilla | Elementary | PK-08 | 643 | · |
| Palmer High School | Palmer | High | 09-12 | 616 | · |
| Twindly Bridge Charter School | Wasilla | Combined | KG-12 | 601 | · |
| Wasilla Middle School | Wasilla | Middle | 06-08 | 584 | · |
| Palmer Middle School | Palmer | Middle | 06-08 | 563 | · |
| John Shaw Elementary | Wasilla | Elementary | PK-05 | 507 | · |
| Joe Redington Senior Jr/Sr High School | Wasilla | High | 06-12 | 497 | · |
| Fred and Sara Machetanz Elementary School | Wasilla | Elementary | PK-05 | 468 | · |
| Pioneer Peak Elementary | Palmer | Elementary | PK-05 | 449 | · |
| Finger Lake Elementary | Wasilla | Elementary | PK-05 | 445 | · |
| Iditarod Elementary | Wasilla | Elementary | PK-05 | 424 | · |
| Cottonwood Creek Elementary | Wasilla | Elementary | PK-05 | 422 | · |
| Birchtree Charter School | Palmer | Elementary | KG-08 | 416 | · |
| DENA'INA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Wasilla | Elementary | PK-05 | 396 | · |
| Sherrod Elementary | Palmer | Elementary | PK-05 | 383 | · |
| Big Lake Elementary | Big Lake | Elementary | PK-05 | 362 | · |
| Swanson Elementary | Palmer | Elementary | PK-02 | 348 | · |
| Snowshoe Elementary | Wasilla | Elementary | PK-05 | 346 | · |
| Houston High School | Big Lake | High | 09-12 | 337 | · |
| Fronteras Charter School | Wasilla | Elementary | KG-08 | 336 | · |
| Tanaina Elementary | Wasilla | Elementary | PK-05 | 324 | · |
| Larson Elementary | Wasilla | Elementary | PK-05 | 319 | · |
| Houston Middle School | Houston | Middle | 06-08 | 318 | · |
| Meadow Lakes Elementary | Wasilla | Elementary | PK-05 | 308 | · |
| Goose Bay Elementary | Wasilla | Elementary | PK-02 | 305 | · |
| Academy Charter School | Palmer | Elementary | KG-08 | 268 | · |
| Butte Elementary | Palmer | Elementary | PK-05 | 263 | · |
| Knik Elementary School | Wasilla | Elementary | KG-05 | 263 | · |
| Susitna Valley High | Talkeetna | High | 06-12 | 233 | · |
| Mat-Su Middle College School | Palmer | High | 08-12 | 222 | · |
| Burchell High School | Wasilla | High | 09-12 | 200 | · |
| American Charter Academy | Wasilla | Combined | KG-12 | 193 | · |
| Knik Charter School | Wasilla | Combined | PK-12 | 189 | · |
| Midnight Sun Family Learning Center | Wasilla | Elementary | KG-08 | 189 | · |
| Valley Pathways | Palmer | Combined | PK-12 | 143 | · |
| Willow Elementary | Willow | Elementary | PK-05 | 127 | · |
| Talkeetna Elementary | Talkeetna | Elementary | PK-05 | 121 | · |
| Mat-Su Day School | Wasilla | Combined | KG-12 | 70 | · |
| Sutton Elementary | Sutton | Elementary | PK-05 | 54 | · |
| Beryozova School | Palmer | Combined | KG-12 | 39 | · |
| Knik Charter Correspondence School | Wasilla | Combined | PK-12 | 34 | · |
| Glacier View School | Sutton | Combined | KG-12 | 24 | · |
| Trapper Creek Elementary | Trapper Creek | Elementary | PK-05 | 18 | · |
| Mat-Su Secondary School | Palmer | High | 06-12 | 10 | · |
Cities in Matanuska-Susitna Borough
About Matanuska-Susitna Borough
Matanuska-Susitna Borough is a middle-population Alaska county of about 112,988 residents, home to 49 public schools and roughly 19,495 students.
Stepping back, census numbers show the median household earns about $94,031 a year, 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 14% higher than the Alaska median.
Looking at the level breakdown, Matanuska-Susitna Borough spans 27 elementary schools (9,275 students), 3 middle schools (1,465), 10 high schools (4,682), and 9 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Matanuska-Susitna Borough is Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, which alone enrolls about 19,495 students.
Looking at the last 7 years. Total public-school enrollment in Matanuska-Susitna Borough has stayed largely flat since SY 2017-18, moving from about 19,259 students to 19,495. The school count climbed from 47 to 49 across the same 7-year window.
On allk12, the community for Matanuska-Susitna Borough discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
Matanuska-Susitna Borough school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data