Total enrollment
424,777
+23,464 (+6%) vs SY 2020-21
Riverside County
California · Public K-12
On the public-school side, Riverside County (California) totals 543 K-12 schools and roughly 424,872 students. Median household income is around $93,074. By grade band, the county runs 324 elementary, 79 middle, and 106 high schools.
4-year change in Riverside County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
512
+44 (+9%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Riverside County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In California | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 37.7% | #26 of 55 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 424,872 | #4 of 55 | #8 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 513 | #5 of 55 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 22.8:1 | #54 of 55 | #2,643 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 73.7% | #12 of 55 | #641 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 52.0% | #40 of 55 | #1,005 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.
Riverside County school rankings
Residents
2,478,600
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
543
60 districts
Enrollment
424,872
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$93,074
Above California avg
Free/reduced lunch
73.7%
Above California avg
Elementary
324
192,123 students
Middle
79
72,421 students
High
106
129,054 students
Combined / other
34
31,274 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Corona-Norco Unified
49,370 students · 60 districts in Riverside County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Riverside 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+
25.6%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
8.1%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
6.5%
civilian labor
Median age
37
24.1% under 18
Test scores in Riverside County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 423 schools ranked. California state average: 49.4%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Western Center Academy· 86.0%
- Riverside STEM Academy· 82.7%
- Great Oak High· 81.3%
- Vista Murrieta High· 78.0%
- Murrieta Mesa High· 78.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- John F. Kennedy Elementary· 12.7%
- Thomas Jefferson Middle· 15.2%
- West Riverside Elementary· 15.3%
- Ina Arbuckle Elementary· 15.6%
- Arlanza Elementary· 16.4%
Cities in Riverside County
Riverside86 schoolsMoreno Valley51 schoolsCorona40 schoolsPerris32 schoolsTemecula32 schoolsJurupa Valley26 schoolsMurrieta25 schoolsHemet23 schoolsLake Elsinore21 schoolsIndio20 schoolsMenifee20 schoolsSan Jacinto19 schoolsBeaumont15 schoolsBanning11 schoolsCoachella10 schoolsCathedral City9 schoolsNorco9 schoolsThermal9 schoolsDesert Hot Springs8 schoolsEastvale8 schoolsLa Quinta8 schoolsPalm Springs8 schoolsWildomar7 schoolsWinchester7 schoolsBlythe6 schoolsPalm Desert6 schoolsNuevo4 schoolsMecca3 schoolsRomoland3 schoolsAnza2 schoolsCalimesa2 schoolsRancho Mirage2 schoolsAguanga1 schoolBermuda Dunes1 schoolCabazon1 schoolDesert Center1 schoolIdyllwild1 schoolIndian Wells1 schoolQuail Valley1 schoolSun City1 schoolTemecula Ca1 schoolThousand Palms1 schoolWinchester Ca1 school
About Riverside County
In California, Riverside County is an expansive county of about 2,478,600 residents. 543 public schools across the county educates about 424,872 students between them.
For perspective, census numbers show median household income runs near $93,074, roughly 26% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the federal-poverty share is near 8%.
Looking at the level breakdown, Riverside County covers 324 elementary schools (192,123 students), 79 middle schools (72,421), 106 high schools (129,054), and 34 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Riverside County is Corona-Norco Unified, which alone enrolls about 49,370 students.
Looking at the last 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment expanded 6%: 401,313 students in SY 2020-21 versus 424,777 in SY 2024-25. Riverside County now counts 512 public schools, up from 468 in SY 2020-21.
On this page, the community for Riverside County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data