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Gila County

Arizona · Public K-12

Gila County's school count of 39 reflects a public K-12 system serving about 7,722 students inside Arizona, around 14% of the county population. That works out to 15 elementary, 4 middle, and 15 high schools.

7-year change in Gila County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
7,722
+346 (+5%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
27
0 (0%) vs SY 2017-18
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
39
15 districts
Enrollment
7,722
NCES CCD
Median income
$61,986
Below Arizona avg
Free/reduced lunch
98.4%
Above Arizona avg
Elementary
15
3,794 students
Middle
4
1,550 students
High
15
2,303 students
Combined / other
5
75 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Payson Unified District (4209)
2,144 students · 15 districts in Gila County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Gila 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
White
65%
Hispanic
18%
Black
1%
Asian
1%
Two or more
18%
Native American
10%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
33%
Hispanic
27%
Black
1%
Asian
1%
Two or more
2%
Native American
36%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
18.7%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
9.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
7.1%
civilian labor
Median age
51
18.6% under 18

Test scores in Gila County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 4 schools ranked. Arizona state average: 45.4%.

See all 4 schools in Gila County ranked by score →

All schools (39)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
Payson High SchoolPaysonHigh09-12733·
Copper Rim Elementary SchoolGlobeElementaryPK-05694·
Rice Elementary SchoolSan CarlosElementaryPK-06673·
Globe High SchoolGlobeHigh09-12532·
Julia Randall Elementary SchoolPaysonElementary02-05503·
Rim Country Middle SchoolPaysonMiddle06-08478·
San Carlos High SchoolPeridotHigh06-12433·
Payson Elementary SchoolPaysonElementaryKG-02430·
Miami Junior Senior High SchoolMiamiHigh06-12428·
High Desert Middle SchoolGlobeMiddle06-08390·
Canyon Day Junior High SchoolWhiteriverMiddle06-08387·
Destiny SchoolGlobeElementaryKG-08376·
San Carlos Middle SchoolSan CarlosMiddle06-08295·
Lee Kornegay Intermediate SchoolMiamiElementary03-06282·
Dr. Charles A. Bejarano Elementary SchoolMiamiElementaryPK-03219·
Leonor Hambly K-8WinkelmanElementaryPK-08213·
John F. Kennedy Day SchoolWhiteriverElementaryKG-08188·
Pine Strawberry Elementary SchoolPineElementaryPK-0897·
Hayden High SchoolWinkelmanHigh09-1293·
Tonto Basin ElementaryTonto BasinElementaryPK-0879·
Liberty High SchoolGlobeHigh07-1276·
Young Elementary SchoolYoungElementaryPK-0840·
San Carlos Alternative High SchoolSan CarlosCombinedKG-1237·
Tiger Knowledge Online (TKO)GlobeCombinedKG-1228·
Biyaagozhoo CenterSan CarlosCombined03-1210·
Young High SchoolYoungHigh09-126·
CVIT - Central Campus EAC Gila PuebloSuperiorHigh09-122·
CVIT - Globe High SchoolGlobeHigh09-120·
CVIT - Hayden High SchoolWinkelmanHigh09-120·
CVIT - Miami High SchoolMiamiHigh09-120·
CVIT - San Carlos High SchoolPeridotHigh09-120·
M.U.S.D. #40 - Little Vandal PreschoolMiamiElementaryPK-PK0·
Miami Virtual ProgramMiamiCombinedKG-120·
NAVIT - Gila Community CollegePaysonHigh09-120·
NAVIT - Payson High SchoolPaysonHigh09-120·
Payson Center for Success - OnlinePaysonHigh07-120·
Shil Gozhoo AcademySan CarlosCombinedKG-120·
Payson Center for Success High SchoolPaysonElementaryM-M··
Rice SchoolSan CarlosElementaryM-M··

Cities in Gila County

Payson7 schoolsSan Carlos5 schoolsGlobe4 schoolsMiami4 schoolsGlobe3 schoolsWinkelman3 schoolsMiami2 schoolsPeridot2 schoolsWhiteriver2 schoolsYoung2 schoolsPayson1 schoolPine1 schoolSan Carlos1 schoolSuperior1 schoolTonto Basin1 school

About Gila County

Gila County is a low-population Arizona county of about 53,795 residents, home to 39 public schools and roughly 7,722 students.

Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $61,986, 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line.

On the school-mix side, Gila County is made up of 15 elementary schools (3,794 students), 4 middle schools (1,550), 15 high schools (2,303), and 5 combined or other schools.

Payson Unified District (4209) is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 2,144 students across Gila County.

Over the past 7-year window. Combined enrollment now sits at 7,722 students, expanded 5% from the 7,376 reported in SY 2017-18.

Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Gila County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.

Frequently asked questions

How many K-12 schools serve Gila County?
There are 39 public K-12 schools in Gila County, Arizona, with a combined enrollment of about 7,722.
How many high schools are in Gila County?
Gila County, Arizona has 15 public high schools, serving approximately 2,303 students.
How many middle schools are in Gila County?
Gila County, Arizona has 4 public middle schools, serving approximately 1,550 students.
How many elementary schools are in Gila County?
Gila County, Arizona has 15 public elementary schools, serving approximately 3,794 students.
What is the largest school district in Gila County?
Payson Unified District (4209) is the largest school district in Gila County, serving approximately 2,144 students. The county contains 15 school districts overall.
How many people live in Gila County?
Gila County has roughly 53,795 residents according to the latest Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What is the median household income in Gila County?
Median household income in Gila County is $61,986, below the Arizona average of $64,265. About 9.9% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Gila County?
Approximately 18.7% of adults 25 and older in Gila County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Gila County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 98.4% of students in Gila County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is higher than the Arizona county average of 90.9%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Gila County schools?
Across Gila County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 16.8 to 1.

Gila County school rankings

Largest schoolsAll rankings →
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data