Total enrollment
111,011
-6,392 (-5%) vs SY 2020-21
Honolulu County
Hawaii · Public K-12
Public-school families in Honolulu County pick from 187 schools serving the county's roughly 111,011 K-12 students, with a mix of 127 elementary, 26 middle, and 27 high.
4-year change in Honolulu County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
186
+1 (+1%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Honolulu County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Hawaii | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 111,011 | #1 of 4 | #86 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 186 | #1 of 4 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 14.2:1 | #3 of 4 | #1,455 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 41.9% | #4 of 4 | #2,009 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 79.1% | #1 of 4 | #1 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.
Honolulu County school rankings
Residents
1,001,146
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
187
1 districts
Enrollment
111,011
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$106,195
Above Hawaii avg
Free/reduced lunch
41.9%
Below Hawaii avg
Elementary
127
55,782 students
Middle
26
18,393 students
High
27
32,450 students
Combined / other
7
4,386 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Hawaii Department of Education
111,011 students · 1 district in Honolulu County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Honolulu 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
6.1%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.7%
civilian labor
Median age
40
20.6% under 18
Test scores in Honolulu County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 182 schools ranked. Hawaii state average: 52.0%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Kamaile Academy PCS· 16.0%
- Nanakuli Elementary School· 18.0%
- Ka Waihona o ka Naauao - PCS· 23.0%
- Nanaikapono Elementary School· 24.0%
- Nanakuli High & Intermediate School· 24.0%
Cities in Honolulu County
About Honolulu County
Across the expansive Hawaii county of Honolulu County of about 1,001,146 residents, the public-school footprint covers 187 schools and about 111,011 students.
Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $106,195, 39% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 6% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 17% noticeably above the Hawaii median.
For a sense of the school types, Honolulu County consists of 127 elementary schools (55,782 students), 26 middle schools (18,393), 27 high schools (32,450), and 7 combined or other schools.
Hawaii Department of Education dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 111,011 students on its own.
Trend over the past 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment shrank 5%: 117,403 students in SY 2020-21 versus 111,011 in SY 2024-25. Honolulu County now counts 186 public schools, up from 185 in SY 2020-21.
On this page, the community for Honolulu County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data