Total enrollment
210,163
-8,302 (-4%) vs SY 2020-21
Alameda County
California · Public K-12
Alameda County, California operates 394 public K-12 schools today, enrolling approximately 210,511 students (about 534 per school). By level, that breaks down as 235 elementary, 52 middle, and 89 high schools.
4-year change in Alameda County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
371
+11 (+3%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Alameda County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In California | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 53.1% | #7 of 55 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 210,511 | #8 of 55 | #27 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 373 | #8 of 55 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 21.5:1 | #37 of 55 | #2,615 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 48.6% | #46 of 55 | #1,689 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 73.5% | #3 of 55 | #34 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Alameda County school rankings
Residents
1,649,473
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
394
73 districts
Enrollment
210,511
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$129,367
Above California avg
Free/reduced lunch
48.6%
Below California avg
Elementary
235
100,082 students
Middle
52
38,272 students
High
89
67,827 students
Combined / other
18
4,330 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Oakland Unified
33,973 students · 73 districts in Alameda County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Alameda 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+
52.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
5.7%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.4%
civilian labor
Median age
39
19.8% under 18
Test scores in Alameda County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 271 schools ranked. California state average: 49.4%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Piedmont High· 95.8%
- Mission San Jose High· 93.8%
- J. M. Amador Elementary· 88.5%
- Warm Springs Elementary· 88.2%
- Cottonwood Creek· 87.8%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
Cities in Alameda County
Oakland129 schoolsFremont47 schoolsHayward45 schoolsAlameda19 schoolsLivermore19 schoolsBerkeley18 schoolsSan Leandro18 schoolsPleasanton17 schoolsCastro Valley16 schoolsDublin16 schoolsSan Lorenzo11 schoolsUnion City11 schoolsNewark10 schoolsPiedmont7 schoolsAlbany6 schoolsEmeryville3 schoolsByron1 schoolSunol1 school
About Alameda County
Across the sizable California county of Alameda County of about 1,649,473 residents, the public-school footprint covers 394 schools and about 210,511 students.
For perspective, census numbers show the median household earns about $129,367 a year, 52% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 6%. That income level is 45% meaningfully above the California median.
In terms of grade levels, Alameda County covers 235 elementary schools (100,082 students), 52 middle schools (38,272), 89 high schools (67,827), and 18 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Alameda County is Oakland Unified, which alone enrolls about 33,973 students.
Over the past 4-year window. Combined enrollment now sits at 210,163 students, fell 4% from the 218,465 reported in SY 2020-21. The school count climbed from 360 to 371 across the same 4-year window.
On this page, the community for Alameda County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data