Total enrollment
140,692
-2,188 (-2%) vs SY 2017-18
Pima County
Arizona · Public K-12
Pima County runs 398 public K-12 schools per the latest NCES counts, with an average school size of about 353 students. By grade band, the county runs 210 elementary, 41 middle, and 121 high schools.
7-year change in Pima County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
323
+7 (+2%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
29%
was 33%
% Hispanic
57%
was 54%
% Black
5%
was 4%
% Asian
2%
was 2%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
1,060,490
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
398
84 districts
Enrollment
140,692
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$70,315
Above Arizona avg
Free/reduced lunch
97.0%
Above Arizona avg
Elementary
210
70,204 students
Middle
41
17,291 students
High
121
46,568 students
Combined / other
26
6,629 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Tucson Unified District (4403)
40,316 students · 84 districts in Pima County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Pima 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+
36.8%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
9.5%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.5%
civilian labor
Median age
40
19.6% under 18
Test scores in Pima County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 137 schools ranked. Arizona state average: 45.4%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Ventana Vista Elementary School· 78.0%
- BASIS Tucson Primary· 77.0%
- BASIS Oro Valley Primary· 76.0%
- BASIS Tucson North· 75.0%
- Catalina Foothills High School· 75.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Challenger Middle School· 16.0%
- Sierra K-8 School· 17.0%
- Craycroft Elementary School· 18.0%
- Roberts Naylor· 19.0%
- Hollinger K-8 School· 20.0%
Cities in Pima County
About Pima County
Pima County is a population-heavy Arizona county of about 1,060,490 residents, home to 398 public schools and roughly 140,692 students.
Zooming out, census numbers show median household income runs near $70,315, 37% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 10%. That income level is 9% meaningfully above the Arizona median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Pima County consists of 210 elementary schools (70,204 students), 41 middle schools (17,291), 121 high schools (46,568), and 26 combined or other schools.
Tucson Unified District (4403) is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 40,316 students across Pima County.
Over the past 7-year window. Total public-school enrollment in Pima County has held roughly steady since SY 2017-18, moving from about 142,880 students to 140,692. Over that span, Pima County gained 7 schools, going from 316 to 323. Demographically, the White share of enrollment declined from 33% to 29%.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Pima County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
Pima County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data