Total enrollment
42,200
-1,354 (-3%) vs SY 2020-21
Boulder County
Colorado · Public K-12
Boulder County is a Colorado county whose public-school system spans 86 schools and approximately 42,200 students. Median household income runs about $103,994. By grade band, the county runs 52 elementary, 13 middle, and 17 high schools.
4-year change in Boulder County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
86
+2 (+2%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Boulder County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Colorado | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 53.4% | #2 of 34 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 42,200 | #9 of 41 | #257 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 86 | #9 of 41 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 17.0:1 | #35 of 41 | #2,282 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 33.1% | #36 of 41 | #2,322 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 55.4% | #8 of 40 | #825 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.
Boulder County school rankings
Residents
328,961
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
86
3 districts
Enrollment
42,200
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$103,994
Above Colorado avg
Free/reduced lunch
33.1%
Below Colorado avg
Elementary
52
18,839 students
Middle
13
6,507 students
High
17
13,955 students
Combined / other
4
2,899 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Boulder Valley School District No. Re2
24,006 students · 3 districts in Boulder County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Boulder 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+
64.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
3.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.8%
civilian labor
Median age
38
17.5% under 18
Test scores in Boulder County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 64 schools ranked. Colorado state average: 44.9%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- High Peaks Elementary School· 94.7%
- Summit Middle Charter School· 89.2%
- Southern Hills Middle School· 85.9%
- Bear Creek Elementary School· 85.8%
- Eisenhower Elementary School· 85.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
Cities in Boulder County
About Boulder County
In Colorado, Boulder County is a broad county of about 328,961 residents. 86 public schools across the county hosts about 42,200 students between them.
For perspective, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $103,994, about 64% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 4%. That income level is 34% meaningfully above the Colorado median.
For a sense of the school types, Boulder County consists of 52 elementary schools (18,839 students), 13 middle schools (6,507), 17 high schools (13,955), and 4 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Boulder County is Boulder Valley School District No. Re2, which alone enrolls about 24,006 students.
Trend over the past 4 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 42,200 students, shrank 3% from the 43,554 reported in SY 2020-21. Boulder County now counts 86 public schools, up from 84 in SY 2020-21.
On allk12, the community for Boulder County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data