Palmer High School

Palmer High School, a high-enrollment secondary school in Palmer, Alaska, overseen by Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, instructs 616 students, covering grades 9 through 12. By comparison, Alaska's public schools average about 373 students each, so Palmer High School sits 65% larger than that benchmark.

Across the 49 schools in Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District (19,495 students total), Palmer High School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Demographically, Palmer High School lists that White students make up the majority at 67%; the rest consists of 12% multiracial, 10% Hispanic, 8% Native American. By comparison, Matanuska-Susitna Borough as a whole is about 77% White, so the school skews meaningfully less White than its surroundings.

On the income-and-resources front, Palmer High School reports 37 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 16.6:1. The state averages about 17.0:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. About 35% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. That share is below Matanuska-Susitna Borough's rate of about 45%.

Zooming out to the county, the surrounding county (Matanuska-Susitna Borough) logs that median household income runs about $94,031, 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Matanuska-Susitna Borough's 49 public schools (combined enrollment of about 19,495 students), Palmer High School is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Palmer Middle School, roughly 1.2 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Palmer High School.

The campus sits in a bedroom-community setting.

Over the past 7-year window. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Palmer High School has edged down 19%, going from 765 students in 2018 to 616 in 2025. The Hispanic share of enrollment expanded from 3% to 10% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 18.2:1 in 2018 to 16.6:1 today.

On the community side, members of the Palmer High School community share and discuss pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.