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Sussex County

Delaware · Public K-12

Sussex County's 55 public schools sit inside Delaware and collectively enroll about 32,366 K-12 students across 28 elementary, 11 middle, and 12 high.

7-year change in Sussex County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
32,366
+3,291 (+11%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
49
+2 (+4%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
48%
was 53%
% Hispanic
28%
was 23%
% Black
16%
was 18%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
55
11 districts
Enrollment
32,366
NCES CCD
Median income
$81,497
Below Delaware avg
Free/reduced lunch
·
Enrollment-weighted
Elementary
28
14,227 students
Middle
11
6,496 students
High
12
9,625 students
Combined / other
4
2,018 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Indian River School District
10,753 students · 11 districts in Sussex County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Sussex 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
74%
Hispanic
12%
Black
10%
Asian
1%
Two or more
9%
Native American
1%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
48%
Hispanic
28%
Black
16%
Asian
1%
Two or more
6%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
33.0%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
7.5%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.3%
civilian labor
Median age
52
18.1% under 18

Test scores in Sussex County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 31 schools ranked. Delaware state average: 41.4%.

See all 31 schools in Sussex County ranked by score →

All schools (55)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
Sussex Central High SchoolGeorgetownHigh09-122,012·
Cape Henlopen High SchoolLewesHigh09-121,889·
Sussex Technical High SchoolGeorgetownHigh09-121,341·
Sussex AcademyGeorgetownCombinedKG-121,182·
Laurel Elementary SchoolLaurelElementary01-061,145·
Indian River High SchoolDagsboroHigh09-121,073·
Seaford Senior High SchoolSeafordHigh09-12960·
Georgetown Middle SchoolGeorgetownMiddle06-08861·
Georgetown Elementary SchoolGeorgetownElementaryKG-05825·
East Millsboro Elementary SchoolMillsboroElementaryKG-05820·
Seaford Middle SchoolSeafordMiddle06-08800·
Selbyville Middle SchoolSelbyvilleMiddle06-08770·
North Georgetown Elementary SchoolGeorgetownElementaryKG-05754·
Laurel Senior High SchoolLaurelHigh09-12753·
Delmar Middle SchoolDelmarMiddle05-08732·
Woodbridge High SchoolGreenwoodHigh09-12728·
Millsboro Middle SchoolMillsboroMiddle06-08726·
Delmar High SchoolDelmarHigh09-12713·
Long Neck Elementary SchoolMillsboroElementaryKG-05712·
Ross (Lulu M.) Elementary SchoolMilfordElementary01-05693·
Phillis Wheatley Elementary SchoolBridgevilleElementary03-05644·
Love Creek Elementary SchoolLewesElementaryKG-05631·
Lewes Elementary SchoolLewesElementaryKG-05620·
Woodbridge Early Childhood Education CenterGreenwoodElementaryPK-02609·
Woodbridge Middle SchoolBridgevilleMiddle06-08596·
Milton Elementary SchoolMiltonElementaryKG-05582·
Mispillion ElementaryMilfordElementary01-05568·
Lord Baltimore Elementary SchoolOcean ViewElementaryKG-05557·
Rehoboth Elementary SchoolRehoboth BeachElementaryKG-05557·
Mariner Middle SchoolMiltonMiddle06-08552·
H. O. Brittingham Elementary SchoolMiltonElementaryKG-05506·
Seaford Central Elementary SchoolSeafordElementary03-05473·
Frederick Douglass Elementary SchoolSeafordElementary03-05456·
Frederick D Thomas Middle SchoolLewesMiddle06-08451·
Clayton (John M.) Elementary SchoolFrankfordElementaryKG-05446·
Sussex ConsortiumLewesCombinedPK-12439·
Morris (Evelyn I.) Early ChildhoodLincolnElementaryPK-KG438·
Beacon Middle SchoolLewesMiddle06-08427·
West Seaford Elementary SchoolSeafordElementaryKG-02424·
Blades Elementary SchoolBladesElementaryKG-02410·
Southern Delaware School of the ArtsSelbyvilleElementaryKG-08404·
Sussex Montessori SchoolSeafordElementaryKG-06383·
Laurel Middle SchoolLaurelMiddle07-08373·
Ennis (Howard T.) SchoolGeorgetownCombinedPK-12340·
Showell (Phillip C.) Elementary SchoolSelbyvilleElementaryKG-05297·
North Laurel Early Learning AcademyLaurelElementaryPK-KG273·
Bryan Allen Stevenson School of ExcellenceGeorgetownMiddle06-08208·
Indian River Intensive Learning CenterSelbyvilleHigh12-12156·
Sussex Orthopedic ProgramSeafordCombinedPK-1257·
Delmar Middle Level ILCDelmarHighUG-UG0·
SCOPE - NorthBridgevilleHighUG-UG0·
SCOPE - SouthFrankfordHighUG-UG0·
Carver (G.W.) Educational CenterFrankfordElementaryM-M··
Milford Middle SchoolMilfordElementaryM-M··
Sussex Central MiddleGeorgetownElementaryM-M··

Cities in Sussex County

Georgetown9 schoolsSeaford7 schoolsLewes6 schoolsLaurel4 schoolsSelbyville4 schoolsBridgeville3 schoolsDelmar3 schoolsFrankford3 schoolsMilford3 schoolsMillsboro3 schoolsMilton3 schoolsGreenwood2 schoolsBlades1 schoolDagsboro1 schoolLincoln1 schoolOcean View1 schoolRehoboth Beach1 school

About Sussex County

Sussex County is a wide-reaching county of about 255,626 residents in Delaware. Its public-school system serves approximately 32,366 students across 55 schools.

Stepping back, census numbers show median household income runs near $81,497, roughly 33% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate is around 8%.

On the level-by-level breakdown, Sussex County is built around 28 elementary schools (14,227 students), 11 middle schools (6,496), 12 high schools (9,625), and 4 combined or other schools.

Indian River School District dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 10,753 students on its own.

Trend over the past 7 years. Total public-school enrollment in Sussex County has grew 11% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 29,075 students to 32,366. Sussex County now counts 49 public schools, up from 47 in SY 2017-18. On the demographic side, Hispanic enrollment moved from 23% to 28% over the same window.

In the discussion threads here, the community for Sussex County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.

Frequently asked questions

How many K-12 schools serve Sussex County?
There are 55 public K-12 schools in Sussex County, Delaware, with a combined enrollment of about 32,366.
How many high schools are in Sussex County?
Sussex County, Delaware has 12 public high schools, serving approximately 9,625 students.
How many middle schools are in Sussex County?
Sussex County, Delaware has 11 public middle schools, serving approximately 6,496 students.
How many elementary schools are in Sussex County?
Sussex County, Delaware has 28 public elementary schools, serving approximately 14,227 students.
What is the largest school district in Sussex County?
Indian River School District is the largest school district in Sussex County, serving approximately 10,753 students. The county contains 11 school districts overall.
How many people live in Sussex County?
Sussex County has roughly 255,626 residents according to the latest Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What is the median household income in Sussex County?
Median household income in Sussex County is $81,497, below the Delaware average of $82,380. About 7.5% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Sussex County?
Approximately 33.0% of adults 25 and older in Sussex County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Sussex County schools?
Across Sussex County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 15.6 to 1.
What is the racial makeup of Sussex County?
Sussex County residents are approximately 74% White, 12% Hispanic, 10% Black, 1% Asian, 9% two or more races according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.

Sussex County school rankings

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