Total enrollment
9,508
-679 (-7%) vs SY 2017-18
Columbia County
Florida · Public K-12
Combined enrollment across Columbia County's 19 public schools is roughly 9,815 students, an average of about 517 per campus. Columbia runs the largest share. The level mix is 10 elementary, 2 middle, and 5 high schools.
7-year change in Columbia County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
15
-4 (-21%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
58%
was 64%
% Hispanic
11%
was 7%
% Black
22%
was 22%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
19
1 districts
Enrollment
9,815
NCES CCD
Median income
$59,205
Below Florida avg
Free/reduced lunch
55.5%
Above Florida avg
Elementary
10
4,817 students
Middle
2
1,264 students
High
5
2,906 students
Combined / other
2
828 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
COLUMBIA
9,815 students · 1 district in Columbia County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Columbia 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+
16.8%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
11.4%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.3%
civilian labor
Median age
41
22.2% under 18
Test scores in Columbia County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 13 schools ranked. Florida state average: 57.1%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- BELMONT ACADEMY· 80.6%
- WESTSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 69.0%
- RICHARDSON SIXTH GRADE ACADEMY· 57.0%
- PINEMOUNT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 56.9%
- EASTSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 54.2%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- FIVE POINTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 36.5%
- MELROSE PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 39.7%
- SUMMERS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 41.0%
- FORT WHITE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 47.6%
- COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL· 50.6%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL | Lake City | High | 09-12 | 1,711 | · |
| FORT WHITE HIGH SCHOOL | Fort White | High | 06-12 | 1,101 | · |
| BELMONT ACADEMY | Lake City | Combined | PK-12 | 828 | · |
| LAKE CITY MIDDLE SCHOOL | Lake City | Middle | 07-08 | 809 | · |
| WESTSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Lake City | Elementary | PK-05 | 695 | · |
| EASTSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Lake City | Elementary | PK-05 | 655 | · |
| FORT WHITE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Fort White | Elementary | PK-05 | 644 | · |
| MELROSE PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Lake City | Elementary | PK-05 | 635 | · |
| COLUMBIA CITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Lake City | Elementary | PK-05 | 585 | · |
| SUMMERS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Lake City | Elementary | PK-05 | 492 | · |
| RICHARDSON SIXTH GRADE ACADEMY | Lake City | Middle | 06-06 | 455 | · |
| PINEMOUNT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Lake City | Elementary | PK-05 | 448 | · |
| FIVE POINTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Lake City | Elementary | PK-05 | 349 | · |
| NIBLACK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Lake City | Elementary | PK-05 | 307 | · |
| PATHWAYS ACADEMY | Lake City | High | 06-12 | 94 | · |
| PREK ESE | Lake City | Elementary | PK-PK | 7 | · |
| COLUMBIA VIRTUAL FRANCHISE | Lake City | High | 06-12 | 0 | · |
| COLUMBIA VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION PROGRAM | Lake City | Combined | KG-12 | 0 | · |
| COLUMBIA VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION PROGRAM (DISTRICT PROVIDED) | Lake City | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Columbia County
About Columbia County
Across the middle-population Florida county of Columbia County of about 71,789 residents, the public-school footprint covers 19 schools and about 9,815 students.
Zooming out, census numbers show median household income runs near $59,205, roughly 17% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 13% below the Florida median.
In terms of grade levels, Columbia County is built around 10 elementary schools (4,817 students), 2 middle schools (1,264), 5 high schools (2,906), and 2 combined or other schools.
COLUMBIA dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 9,815 students on its own.
Looking at the last 7 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 9,508 students, declined 7% from the 10,187 reported in SY 2017-18. Over that span, Columbia County shed 4 schools, going from 19 to 15. Demographically, the White share of enrollment shrank from 64% to 58%.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Columbia County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
Columbia County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data