Total enrollment
29,120
+1,573 (+6%) vs SY 2017-18
Columbia County
Georgia · Public K-12
Columbia County's school count of 32 reflects a public K-12 system serving about 29,518 students inside Georgia, around 18% of the county population. By level, that breaks down as 19 elementary, 8 middle, and 5 high schools.
7-year change in Columbia County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
31
-1 (-3%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
52%
was 59%
% Hispanic
13%
was 10%
% Black
22%
was 20%
% Asian
5%
was 4%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
32
2 districts
Enrollment
29,518
NCES CCD
Median income
$95,592
Above Georgia avg
Free/reduced lunch
39.3%
Below Georgia avg
Elementary
19
13,532 students
Middle
8
6,816 students
High
5
9,170 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Columbia County Public Schools
28,964 students · 2 districts 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+
38.5%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
5.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.8%
civilian labor
Median age
38
24.8% under 18
Test scores in Columbia County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 24 schools ranked. Georgia state average: 40.1%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- River Ridge Elementary· 74.7%
- Stevens Creek Elementary School· 73.5%
- Greenbrier Middle School· 73.2%
- Parkway Elementary School· 71.5%
- Riverside Middle School· 71.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Grovetown Middle School· 40.4%
- Grovetown Elementary School· 43.4%
- North Harlem Elementary School· 43.8%
- Harlem Middle School· 44.6%
- Euchee Creek Elementary School· 46.3%
Cities in Columbia County
About Columbia County
Columbia County is a mid-sized county of about 162,434 residents in Georgia. Its public-school system serves approximately 29,518 students across 32 schools.
Zooming out, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $95,592, about 39% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 6% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 52% above the Georgia median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Columbia County is built around 19 elementary schools (13,532 students), 8 middle schools (6,816), and 5 high schools (9,170).
The largest single district in Columbia County is Columbia County Public Schools, which alone enrolls about 28,964 students.
Trend over the past 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment grew 6%: 27,547 students in SY 2017-18 versus 29,120 in SY 2024-25. Columbia County now counts 31 public schools, down from 32 in SY 2017-18. Demographically, the White share of enrollment declined from 59% to 52%.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Columbia County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. 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