Total enrollment
13,561
-84 (-1%) vs SY 2017-18
Nevada County
California · Public K-12
From the largest high school to the smallest elementary campus, Nevada County's 46 public schools collectively enroll about 13,561 K-12 students, with Nevada Joint Union High the heaviest district by enrollment. By level, that breaks down as 26 elementary, 6 middle, and 11 high schools.
7-year change in Nevada County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
41
-5 (-11%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
67%
was 72%
% Hispanic
22%
was 19%
% Black
1%
was 2%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
46
16 districts
Enrollment
13,561
NCES CCD
Median income
$89,882
Above California avg
Free/reduced lunch
43.0%
Below California avg
Elementary
26
6,012 students
Middle
6
2,242 students
High
11
4,418 students
Combined / other
3
889 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Nevada Joint Union High
2,571 students · 16 districts in Nevada County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Nevada 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+
41.5%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.8%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.4%
civilian labor
Median age
50
17.0% under 18
Test scores in Nevada County
Latest 2023-24 ELA proficiency, 26 schools ranked. California state average: 47.6%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Donner Trail Elementary· 83.3%
- Williams Ranch Elementary· 73.5%
- Glenshire Elementary· 68.8%
- Bear River High· 68.7%
- Alder Creek Middle· 64.1%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Grizzly Hill· 20.0%
- Lyman Gilmore Middle· 36.3%
- Twin Ridges Home Study Charter· 37.8%
- Margaret G. Scotten Elementary· 38.4%
- Arete Charter Academy· 41.2%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada Union High | Grass Valley | High | 09-12 | 1,561 | · |
| Tahoe Truckee High | Truckee | High | 09-12 | 907 | · |
| Forest Charter | Nevada City | Combined | KG-12 | 845 | · |
| Bear River High | Grass Valley | High | 09-12 | 664 | · |
| John Muir Charter | Grass Valley | High | 06-12 | 629 | · |
| Grass Valley Charter | Grass Valley | Elementary | KG-08 | 546 | · |
| Union Hill Elementary | Grass Valley | Elementary | KG-06 | 542 | · |
| Alder Creek Middle | Truckee | Middle | 06-08 | 535 | · |
| Truckee Elementary | Truckee | Elementary | KG-05 | 515 | · |
| Glenshire Elementary | Truckee | Elementary | KG-05 | 499 | · |
| Cottage Hill Elementary | Grass Valley | Elementary | KG-05 | 485 | · |
| Nevada City School of the Arts | Nevada City | Elementary | KG-08 | 477 | · |
| Lyman Gilmore Middle | Grass Valley | Middle | 05-08 | 464 | · |
| Seven Hills Intermediate | Nevada City | Middle | 04-08 | 432 | · |
| Magnolia Intermediate | Grass Valley | Middle | 06-08 | 410 | · |
| Margaret G. Scotten Elementary | Grass Valley | Elementary | KG-04 | 357 | · |
| Alta Sierra Elementary | Grass Valley | Elementary | KG-05 | 338 | · |
| Yuba River Charter | Grass Valley | Elementary | KG-08 | 323 | · |
| Deer Creek Elementary | Nevada City | Elementary | KG-03 | 259 | · |
| Ready Springs Elementary | Penn Valley | Middle | 04-08 | 255 | · |
| Williams Ranch Elementary | Penn Valley | Elementary | KG-03 | 247 | · |
| Bell Hill Academy | Grass Valley | Elementary | KG-04 | 246 | · |
| Sierra Expeditionary Learning | Truckee | Elementary | KG-08 | 216 | · |
| Twin Ridges Home Study Charter | Nevada City | Elementary | KG-08 | 208 | · |
| Arete Charter Academy | Grass Valley | Elementary | KG-08 | 207 | · |
| Sierra Academy of Expeditionary Learning | Nevada City | High | 09-12 | 191 | · |
| Clear Creek Elementary | Grass Valley | Elementary | KG-08 | 173 | · |
| William & Marian Ghidotti High | Grass Valley | High | 09-12 | 155 | · |
| Union Hill Middle | Grass Valley | Middle | 07-08 | 146 | · |
| Chicago Park Elementary | Grass Valley | Elementary | KG-08 | 120 | · |
| North Point Academy | Grass Valley | High | 09-12 | 111 | · |
| Grizzly Hill | Nevada City | Elementary | KG-08 | 105 | · |
| Bitney Prep High | Grass Valley | High | 09-12 | 91 | · |
| Silver Springs High (Continuation) | Grass Valley | High | 09-12 | 80 | · |
| Donner Trail Elementary | Kingvale | Elementary | KG-05 | 55 | · |
| Nevada County Special Education | Nevada City | Elementary | KG-08 | 51 | · |
| Chicago Park Community Charter | Grass Valley | Elementary | KG-08 | 43 | · |
| Vantage Point Charter | Penn Valley | Combined | KG-12 | 33 | · |
| Sierra High (Continuation) | Truckee | High | 09-12 | 24 | · |
| Cold Stream Alternative | Truckee | Combined | KG-12 | 11 | · |
| Earle Jamieson Educational Options | Nevada City | High | 06-12 | 5 | · |
| Early Childhood Education | Grass Valley | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Grass Valley Preschool | Grass Valley | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Penn Valley Union Special Education Preschool | Penn Valley | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Pleasant Ridge Special Education Preschool | Grass Valley | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Twin Ridges Special Education Preschool | Nevada City | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Nevada County
About Nevada County
Nevada County is a mid-sized county of about 102,481 residents in California. Its public-school system hosts approximately 13,561 students across 46 schools.
Stepping back, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $89,882, 42% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 7%.
In terms of grade levels, Nevada County consists of 26 elementary schools (6,012 students), 6 middle schools (2,242), 11 high schools (4,418), and 3 combined or other schools.
Nevada Joint Union High dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 2,571 students on its own.
Five-year track record. Combined enrollment now sits at 13,561 students, stayed largely flat from the 13,645 reported in SY 2017-18. The school count fell from 46 to 41 across the same 7-year window. On the demographic side, White enrollment moved from 72% to 67% over the same window.
On this page, the community for Nevada County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
Nevada County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data