Maricopa County

Arizona · Public K-12

On the public-school side, Maricopa County (Arizona) totals 1,352 K-12 campuses and roughly 725,139 students. Median household income is around $89,300. By level, that breaks down as 810 elementary, 97 middle, and 363 high schools.

7-year change in Maricopa County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25

Total enrollment

725,139

-3,259 (0%) vs SY 2017-18

School count

1,167

+60 (+5%) vs SY 2017-18

% White

34%

was 39%

% Hispanic

48%

was 45%

% Black

was 7%

% Asian

was 4%

Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages

Residents

4,559,748

all ages · ACS 5-yr

Schools

1,352

372 districts

Enrollment

725,139

students · NCES CCD

Median income

$89,300

Above Arizona avg

Free/reduced lunch

99.0%

Above Arizona avg

Elementary

810

377,937 students

Middle

57,598 students

High

363

233,039 students

Combined / other

56,565 students

LARGEST DISTRICT

Mesa Unified District (4235)

55,821 students · 372 districts in Maricopa County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Maricopa 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

59%

Hispanic

31%

Black

Asian

Two or more

20%

Native American

Pacific Islander

School enrollment

White

34%

Hispanic

48%

Black

Asian

Two or more

Native American

Pacific Islander

Bachelor's+

36.7%

adults 25+

Poverty rate

7.5%

ACS 5-year

Unemployment

4.5%

civilian labor

Median age

22.5% under 18

Test scores in Maricopa County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 693 schools ranked. Arizona state average: 45.4%.

Top 5 schools (ELA)

Arizona College Prep Middle School· 91.0%
BASIS Chandler Primary - North Campus· 89.0%
BASIS Phoenix· 88.0%
BASIS Chandler· 87.0%
BASIS Scottsdale· 87.0%

Lowest 5 schools (ELA)

See all 693 schools in Maricopa County ranked by score →

All schools (1,352)

Largest A-Z Top rated

Name	City	Level	Grades	Enrollment	Rating
Primavera - Online	Chandler	Combined	KG-12	6,378	·
Arizona Virtual Academy	Phoenix	Combined	KG-12	4,476	·
ASU Preparatory Academy Digital	Tempe	Combined	KG-12	3,850	·
Hamilton High School	Chandler	High	08-12	3,444	·
Mountain View High School	Mesa	High	09-12	3,421	·
Red Mountain High School	Mesa	High	09-12	3,379	·
Mesa High School	Mesa	High	09-12	3,233	·
Chandler High School	Chandler	High	08-12	3,179	·
Westwood High School	Mesa	High	09-12	3,135	·
Highland High School	Gilbert	High	08-12	2,992	·
Trevor Browne High School	Phoenix	High	09-12	2,850	·
Basha High School	Chandler	High	06-12	2,826	·
Mountain Ridge High School	Glendale	High	07-12	2,823	·
Dr. Camille Casteel High School	Queen Creek	High	07-12	2,816	·
West Point High School	Avondale	High	09-12	2,782	·
Desert Vista High School	Phoenix	High	09-12	2,761	·
Sandra Day O'Connor High School	Glendale	High	07-12	2,658	·
Tolleson Union High School	Tolleson	High	09-12	2,648	·
Corona Del Sol High School	Tempe	High	09-12	2,600	·
Cesar Chavez High School	Laveen	High	09-12	2,598	·
Maryvale High School	Phoenix	High	09-12	2,532	·
Liberty High School	Peoria	High	07-12	2,510	·
Pinnacle High School	Phoenix	High	07-12	2,430	·
Gilbert High School	Gilbert	High	07-12	2,418	·
Perry High School	Gilbert	High	08-12	2,373	·
American Leadership Academy Gilbert North K-12	Gilbert	Combined	KG-12	2,357	·
American Leadership Academy Queen Creek K-12	Queen Creek	Combined	KG-12	2,356	·
Valley Vista High School	Surprise	High	07-12	2,334	·
Sunnyslope High School	Phoenix	High	09-12	2,322	·
La Joya Community High School	Avondale	High	09-12	2,306	·
Millennium High School	Goodyear	High	09-12	2,295	·
Dobson High School	Mesa	High	09-12	2,284	·
American Leadership Academy West Foothills K-12	Surprise	Combined	KG-12	2,276	·
Arizona College Prep High School	Chandler	High	07-12	2,271	·
Boulder Creek High School	Anthem	High	07-12	2,221	·
Shadow Ridge High School	Surprise	High	07-12	2,212	·
South Mountain High School	Phoenix	High	09-12	2,207	·
Copper Canyon High School	Glendale	High	09-12	2,182	·
Alhambra High School	Phoenix	High	09-12	2,169	·
Apollo High School	Glendale	High	09-12	2,152	·
Williams Field High School	Gilbert	High	08-12	2,150	·
Canyon View High School	Waddell	High	09-12	2,141	·
Camelback High School	Phoenix	High	09-12	2,106	·
Desert Edge High School	Goodyear	High	09-12	2,106	·
Desert Ridge High	Mesa	High	08-12	2,103	·
Youngker High School	Buckeye	High	09-12	2,096	·
Carl Hayden High School	Phoenix	High	09-12	2,079	·
Centennial High School	Peoria	High	07-12	2,026	·
Betty Fairfax High School	Laveen	High	09-12	2,014	·
Verrado High School	Buckeye	High	09-12	2,012	·
Crismon High School	Queen Creek	High	07-12	2,009	·
Higley High School	Gilbert	High	08-12	2,005	·
Skyline High School	Mesa	High	09-12	1,995	·
Queen Creek High School	Queen Creek	High	09-12	1,968	·
Sierra Linda High School	Tolleson	High	09-12	1,911	·
Independence High School	Glendale	High	09-12	1,907	·
Desert Mountain High School	Scottsdale	High	09-12	1,905	·
Willow Canyon High School	Surprise	High	07-12	1,901	·
Paradise Valley High School	Phoenix	High	07-12	1,900	·
Sunrise Mountain High School	Peoria	High	07-12	1,896	·
Arizona Connections Academy	Gilbert	Combined	KG-12	1,891	·
Eastmark High School	Mesa	High	07-12	1,889	·
Campo Verde High School	Gilbert	High	08-12	1,863	·
Buckeye Union High School	Buckeye	High	09-12	1,841	·
North High School	Phoenix	High	09-12	1,837	·
Ironwood High School	Glendale	High	07-12	1,804	·
Legacy Traditional School - Surprise	Surprise	Elementary	KG-08	1,797	·
Mcclintock High School	Tempe	High	09-12	1,781	·
Metro Tech High School	Phoenix	High	09-12	1,781	·
Chaparral High School	Scottsdale	High	09-12	1,773	·
Horizon High School	Scottsdale	High	07-12	1,767	·
Glendale High School	Glendale	High	09-12	1,734	·
Central High School	Phoenix	High	09-12	1,733	·
Sequoia Choice School Arizona Distance Learning School	Mesa	Combined	KG-12	1,711	·
Deer Valley High School	Glendale	High	07-12	1,707	·
Raymond S. Kellis	Glendale	High	07-12	1,691	·
Westview High School	Avondale	High	09-12	1,686	·
Arcadia High School	Phoenix	High	09-12	1,679	·
Washington High School	Phoenix	High	09-12	1,659	·
Barry Goldwater High School	Phoenix	High	07-12	1,602	·
Estrella Foothills High School	Goodyear	High	09-12	1,592	·
Thunderbird High School	Phoenix	High	09-12	1,592	·
Mountain Pointe High School	Phoenix	High	09-12	1,570	·
North Canyon High School	Phoenix	High	07-12	1,560	·
Heritage Academy Gateway	Queen Creek	Combined	KG-12	1,556	·
Odyssey Institute for Advanced and International Studies	Buckeye	High	06-12	1,553	·
Student Choice High School	Tempe	High	09-12	1,540	·
Agua Fria High School	Avondale	High	09-12	1,535	·
Dysart High School	El Mirage	High	07-12	1,471	·
Moon Valley High School	Phoenix	High	09-12	1,471	·
Tempe High School	Tempe	High	09-12	1,431	·
Marcos De Niza High School	Tempe	High	09-12	1,408	·
Peoria High School	Peoria	High	07-12	1,397	·
Silver Valley Elementary	Mesa	Elementary	PK-06	1,384	·
Cactus Shadows High School	Scottsdale	High	08-12	1,362	·
Legacy Traditional School - Avondale	Avondale	Elementary	KG-08	1,346	·
Academy of Math and Science Desert Sky	Phoenix	Elementary	KG-08	1,339	·
Benjamin Franklin High School	Queen Creek	High	07-12	1,324	·
Legacy Traditional School - Phoenix	Phoenix	Elementary	KG-08	1,323	·
Greenway High School	Phoenix	High	09-12	1,318	·

Cities in Maricopa County

Phoenix434 schools Mesa146 schools Glendale93 schools Gilbert76 schools Chandler70 schools Tempe56 schools Scottsdale54 schools Peoria45 schools Phoenix40 schools Surprise34 schools Buckeye29 schools Goodyear26 schools Avondale24 schools Queen Creek20 schools Mesa19 schools Tolleson15 schools Laveen14 schools Litchfield Park11 schools Avondale10 schools Queen Creek10 schools Scottsdale10 schools Buckeye9 schools Glendale9 schools Anthem7 schools El Mirage7 schools Chandler6 schools Gilbert6 schools Peoria6 schools Tonopah6 schools Fountain Hills4 schools Fountain Hls4 schools Tempe4 schools Waddell4 schools Paradise Valley3 schools Surprise3 schools Wickenburg3 schools Aguila2 schools Cave Creek2 schools Cave Creek2 schools Gila Bend2 schools Gila Bend2 schools Goodyear2 schools Laveen2 schools Sun City2 schools Tolleson2 schools Wickenburg2 schools Wittmann2 schools Anthem1 school Arlington1 school Casa Grande1 school Desert Hills1 school Guadalupe1 school Litchfield Pk1 school Maricopa1 school Morristown1 school Palo Verde1 school Sentinel1 school Sun Lakes1 school Wittmann1 school Youngtown1 school

About Maricopa County

In Arizona, Maricopa County is a high-population county of about 4,559,748 residents. 1352 public schools across the county serves about 725,139 students between them.

Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show the median household earns about $89,300 a year, about 37% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 39% noticeably above the Arizona median.

In terms of grade levels, Maricopa County is built around 810 elementary schools (377,937 students), 97 middle schools (57,598), 363 high schools (233,039), and 82 combined or other schools.

The largest single district in Maricopa County is Mesa Unified District (4235), which alone enrolls about 55,821 students.

Trend over the past 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment held roughly steady: 728,398 students in SY 2017-18 versus 725,139 in SY 2024-25. Maricopa County now counts 1167 public schools, up from 1107 in SY 2017-18. Demographically, the White share of enrollment decreased from 39% to 34%.

On this page, the community for Maricopa County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.

Frequently asked questions

How many K-12 schools serve Maricopa County?

There are 1,352 public K-12 schools in Maricopa County, Arizona, with a combined enrollment of about 725,139.

How many high schools are in Maricopa County?

Maricopa County, Arizona has 363 public high schools, serving approximately 233,039 students.

How many middle schools are in Maricopa County?

Maricopa County, Arizona has 97 public middle schools, serving approximately 57,598 students.

How many elementary schools are in Maricopa County?

Maricopa County, Arizona has 810 public elementary schools, serving approximately 377,937 students.

What is the largest school district in Maricopa County?

Mesa Unified District (4235) is the largest school district in Maricopa County, serving approximately 55,821 students. The county contains 372 school districts overall.

How many people live in Maricopa County?

Maricopa County has roughly 4,559,748 residents according to the latest Census ACS 5-year estimate.

What is the median household income in Maricopa County?

Median household income in Maricopa County is $89,300, above the Arizona average of $64,265. About 7.5% of residents live below the federal poverty line.

How educated are residents of Maricopa County?

Approximately 36.7% of adults 25 and older in Maricopa County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.

What share of students in Maricopa County qualify for free or reduced lunch?

Roughly 99.0% of students in Maricopa 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 Maricopa County schools?

Across Maricopa County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 19.6 to 1.

Maricopa County school rankings

Largest schools All rankings →

DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data