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Butte County

California · Public K-12

California's Butte County runs 96 public K-12 schools between its districts, the largest being Chico Unified at 12,260 students. By grade band, the county runs 53 elementary, 12 middle, and 20 high schools.

7-year change in Butte County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
29,730
-2,006 (-6%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
87
-2 (-2%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
52%
was 58%
% Hispanic
28%
was 24%
% Black
2%
was 2%
% Asian
7%
was 6%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
96
31 districts
Enrollment
29,730
NCES CCD
Median income
$67,928
Below California avg
Free/reduced lunch
62.8%
Above California avg
Elementary
53
14,497 students
Middle
12
5,098 students
High
20
8,422 students
Combined / other
11
1,713 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Chico Unified
12,260 students · 31 districts in Butte County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Butte 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
70%
Hispanic
20%
Black
2%
Asian
6%
Two or more
15%
Native American
1%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
52%
Hispanic
28%
Black
2%
Asian
6%
Two or more
10%
Native American
2%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
31.9%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
11.5%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
7.5%
civilian labor
Median age
36
20.4% under 18

Test scores in Butte County

Latest 2023-24 ELA proficiency, 47 schools ranked. California state average: 47.6%.

Top 5 schools (ELA)
  1. Gridley High· 83.7%
  2. Pleasant Valley High· 68.8%
  3. Chico High· 67.3%
  4. Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High· 60.9%
  5. Durham High· 57.5%

See all 47 schools in Butte County ranked by score →

All schools (96)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
Pleasant Valley HighChicoHigh09-121,978·
Chico HighChicoHigh09-121,804·
Las Plumas HighOrovilleHigh09-121,265·
Bidwell Junior HighChicoMiddle06-081,012·
CORE Butte CharterChicoCombinedKG-12916·
Oroville HighOrovilleHigh09-12872·
Chico Junior HighChicoMiddle06-08861·
Marsh (Harry M.) Junior HighChicoMiddle06-08716·
Gridley HighGridleyHigh09-12670·
Shasta ElementaryChicoElementaryKG-05621·
Emma Wilson ElementaryChicoElementaryKG-05597·
Helen M. Wilcox ElementaryOrovilleElementaryKG-03592·
Chico Country DayChicoElementaryKG-08585·
Marigold ElementaryChicoElementaryKG-05571·
Rosedale ElementaryChicoElementaryKG-05563·
Wilson ElementaryGridleyElementary02-05544·
STREAM CharterOrovilleElementaryKG-08515·
Paradise Ridge ElementaryParadiseElementaryKG-06496·
Durham ElementaryDurhamElementaryKG-05495·
Paradise Senior HighParadiseHigh09-12495·
Little Chico Creek ElementaryChicoElementaryKG-05471·
Palermo MiddlePalermoMiddle06-08458·
Nelson Avenue MiddleOrovilleMiddle06-08456·
Ophir ElementaryOrovilleElementaryKG-05452·
Sierra View ElementaryChicoElementaryKG-05428·
Sycamore MiddleGridleyMiddle06-08423·
Parkview ElementaryChicoElementaryKG-05406·
Stanford Avenue ElementaryOrovilleElementaryKG-05403·
McManus (John A.) ElementaryChicoElementaryKG-05397·
Citrus Avenue ElementaryChicoElementaryKG-05383·
Sierra Avenue ElementaryOrovilleElementaryKG-05365·
Neal Dow ElementaryChicoElementaryKG-05364·
McKinley ElementaryGridleyElementaryKG-01341·
Hooker Oak ElementaryChicoElementaryKG-05337·
Inspire School of Arts and SciencesChicoHigh09-12332·
Plumas Avenue ElementaryOrovilleElementaryKG-05322·
Poplar Avenue ElementaryOrovilleElementaryKG-05321·
Biggs ElementaryBiggsElementaryKG-08320·
Durham HighDurhamHigh09-12320·
Chapman ElementaryChicoElementaryKG-05311·
Manzanita ElementaryGridleyElementaryKG-08306·
The Studios @ CentralOrovilleMiddle05-08300·
Ishi Hills MiddleOrovilleMiddle06-08294·
Golden Hills ElementaryOrovilleElementary04-05274·
Cedarwood ElementaryMagaliaElementaryKG-06271·
Oakdale Heights ElementaryOrovilleElementaryKG-05252·
Wyandotte AcademyOrovilleElementaryKG-05249·
Durham IntermediateDurhamMiddle06-08233·
Achieve Charter School of ChicoChicoElementaryKG-08222·
Children's Community CharterParadiseElementaryKG-08220·
Blue Oak CharterChicoElementaryKG-08219·
Nord CountryChicoElementaryKG-08213·
Paradise Junior HighParadiseMiddle07-08197·
Oak Bridge AcademyChicoCombinedKG-12188·
HearthstoneOrovilleCombinedKG-12185·
Wildflower Open ClassroomChicoElementaryKG-08183·
Pine RidgeMagaliaElementaryKG-06179·
Achieve Charter School of Paradise Inc.ParadiseElementaryKG-08169·
Biggs HighBiggsHigh09-12161·
Paradise Charter MiddleParadiseMiddle06-08143·
HomeTech CharterParadiseCombinedKG-12129·
Sherwood MontessoriChicoElementaryKG-08116·
Forest Ranch CharterForest RanchElementaryKG-08110·
Pivot Charter School North Valley IIChicoHigh06-12105·
Fair View High (Continuation)ChicoHigh09-1295·
Come Back Butte CharterOrovilleHigh09-1293·
OakdaleChicoCombinedKG-1292·
Bangor Union ElementaryBangorElementaryKG-0888·
Prospect High (Continuation)OrovilleHigh09-1288·
Spring Valley ElementaryOrovilleElementaryKG-0867·
Ipakanni Early College CharterOrovilleCombinedKG-1263·
Richvale ElementaryRichvaleElementary01-0653·
Ridgeview High (Continuation)ParadiseHigh09-1251·
Butte County Special EducationOrovilleCombinedKG-1249·
Siskiyou Avenue ElementaryOrovilleElementaryKG-KG46·
Paradise eLearning AcademyParadiseCombinedKG-1244·
Berry Creek ElementaryBerry CreekElementaryKG-0841·
Center for Alternative LearningChicoHigh06-1234·
Academy for ChangeChicoHigh06-1231·
Esperanza High (Continuation)GridleyHigh09-1223·
Butte County CommunityChicoCombinedKG-1220·
Table MountainOrovilleCombinedKG-1216·
HoncutOrovilleElementaryKG-0314·
BASES Learning CenterOrovilleCombined01-1211·
Heritage Community DayOrovilleMiddle04-085·
Oroville High Community DayOrovilleHigh09-125·
Palermo Community DayPalermoElementaryKG-085·
Butte County ROPChicoHigh09-120·
Honey Run Academy SecondaryParadiseHigh07-120·
Paradise ElementaryParadiseElementaryKG-050·
Ponderosa ElementaryParadiseElementaryKG-050·
Achieve Charter HighChicoElementaryM-M··
North State Virtual AcademyOrovilleElementaryM-M··
Palermo Special Education PreschoolPalermoElementaryM-M··
Paradise Unified Special EducationParadiseElementaryM-M··
Sierra Del Oro Inclusive PreschoolOrovilleElementaryM-M··

Cities in Butte County

Chico34 schoolsOroville29 schoolsParadise13 schoolsGridley6 schoolsDurham3 schoolsPalermo3 schoolsBiggs2 schoolsMagalia2 schoolsBangor1 schoolBerry Creek1 schoolForest Ranch1 schoolRichvale1 school

About Butte County

Across the middle-population California county of Butte County of about 207,929 residents, the public-school footprint covers 96 schools and about 29,730 students.

Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $67,928, about 32% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 12%. That income level is 24% lower than the California median.

In terms of grade levels, Butte County comprises 53 elementary schools (14,497 students), 12 middle schools (5,098), 20 high schools (8,422), and 11 combined or other schools.

The largest single district in Butte County is Chico Unified, which alone enrolls about 12,260 students.

Looking at the last 7 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 29,730 students, decreased 6% from the 31,736 reported in SY 2017-18. Butte County now counts 87 public schools, down from 89 in SY 2017-18. Demographically, the White share of enrollment decreased from 58% to 52%.

Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Butte County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.

Frequently asked questions

How many public schools are in Butte County?
Butte County, California has 96 public K-12 schools serving approximately 29,730 students.
How many high schools are in Butte County?
Butte County, California has 20 public high schools, serving approximately 8,422 students.
How many middle schools are in Butte County?
Butte County, California has 12 public middle schools, serving approximately 5,098 students.
How many elementary schools are in Butte County?
Butte County, California has 53 public elementary schools, serving approximately 14,497 students.
What is the largest school district in Butte County?
Chico Unified is the largest school district in Butte County, serving approximately 12,260 students. The county contains 31 school districts overall.
How many people live in Butte County?
Butte County has roughly 207,929 residents according to the latest Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What is the median household income in Butte County?
Median household income in Butte County is $67,928, below the California average of $89,387. About 11.5% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Butte County?
Approximately 31.9% of adults 25 and older in Butte County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Butte County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 62.8% of students in Butte County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is higher than the California county average of 60.6%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Butte County schools?
Across Butte County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 20.4 to 1.

Butte County school rankings

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