Total enrollment
79,936
+1,807 (+2%) vs SY 2017-18
Ada County
Idaho · Public K-12
Of the public K-12 schools operating across Idaho, 156 sit inside Ada County, collectively enrolling roughly 80,006 students (85 elementary, 22 middle, and 37 high).
7-year change in Ada County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
151
+23 (+18%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
73%
was 80%
% Hispanic
15%
was 11%
% Black
3%
was 2%
% Asian
3%
was 3%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
518,935
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
156
28 districts
Enrollment
80,006
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$91,502
Above Idaho avg
Free/reduced lunch
33.5%
Below Idaho avg
Elementary
85
32,117 students
Middle
22
14,989 students
High
37
24,006 students
Combined / other
12
8,894 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2
38,740 students · 28 districts in Ada County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Ada 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+
44.6%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
5.2%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.1%
civilian labor
Median age
38
22.0% under 18
Test scores in Ada County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 124 schools ranked. Idaho state average: 53.7%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- IDAHO FINE ARTS ACADEMY· 89.5%
- GALILEO STEM ACADEMY· 86.2%
- NORTH STAR CHARTER SCHOOL· 85.0%
- OWYHEE HIGH SCHOOL· 83.1%
- EAGLE HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 82.8%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- GARFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 23.0%
- MORLEY NELSON ELEMENTARY· 23.4%
- KOELSCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 24.4%
- BOISE ONLINE SCHOOL - SECONDARY· 26.8%
- TAFT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 26.9%
Cities in Ada County
About Ada County
Ada County is a sizable Idaho county of about 518,935 residents, home to 156 public schools and roughly 80,006 students.
Zooming out, census numbers show the median household earns about $91,502 a year, 45% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 5%. That income level is 33% noticeably above the Idaho median.
In terms of grade levels, Ada County covers 85 elementary schools (32,117 students), 22 middle schools (14,989), 37 high schools (24,006), and 12 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Ada County is JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2, which alone enrolls about 38,740 students.
Looking at the last 7 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 79,936 students, remained close to its prior level from the 78,129 reported in SY 2017-18. Ada County now counts 151 public schools, up from 128 in SY 2017-18. The White share of public-school enrollment shrank from 80% to 73%.
On this page, the community for Ada County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.
Frequently asked questions
Ada County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data