Total enrollment
75,075
-1,459 (-2%) vs SY 2020-21
Suffolk County
Massachusetts · Public K-12
Massachusetts's Suffolk County runs 157 public K-12 schools between its districts, the largest being Boston at 46,437 students. By level, that breaks down as 94 elementary, 12 middle, and 44 high schools.
4-year change in Suffolk County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
154
-2 (-1%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Suffolk County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Massachusetts | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 75,679 | #7 of 14 | #138 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 157 | #6 of 14 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 11.0:1 | #6 of 13 | #300 of 2,655 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 66.0% | #2 of 14 | #276 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.
Suffolk County school rankings
Residents
785,121
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
157
26 districts
Enrollment
75,679
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$95,631
Below Massachusetts avg
Free/reduced lunch
·
Enrollment-weighted
Elementary
94
37,296 students
Middle
12
4,875 students
High
44
28,144 students
Combined / other
7
5,364 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Boston
46,437 students · 26 districts in Suffolk County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Suffolk 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+
50.6%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
11.4%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
6.3%
civilian labor
Median age
34
16.0% under 18
Test scores in Suffolk County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 126 schools ranked. Massachusetts state average: 43.8%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Boston Latin School· 81.0%
- Eliot K-8 Innovation School· 72.0%
- Boston Latin Academy· 68.8%
- Manning Elementary School· 67.0%
- Brooke Charter School· 66.2%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
Cities in Suffolk County
Dorchester30 schoolsRoxbury18 schoolsBoston16 schoolsChelsea12 schoolsEast Boston12 schoolsRevere11 schoolsHyde Park8 schoolsMattapan8 schoolsBrighton7 schoolsJamaica Plain7 schoolsSouth Boston7 schoolsRoslindale6 schoolsCharlestown4 schoolsWest Roxbury4 schoolsWinthrop4 schoolsAllston1 schoolBack Bay1 schoolRoxbury Plain1 school
About Suffolk County
Across the population-heavy Massachusetts county of Suffolk County of about 785,121 residents, the public-school footprint covers 157 schools and about 75,679 students.
In context, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $95,631, about 51% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 11%. That income level is 6% meaningfully below the Massachusetts median.
For a sense of the school types, Suffolk County is built around 94 elementary schools (37,296 students), 12 middle schools (4,875), 44 high schools (28,144), and 7 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Suffolk County is Boston, which alone enrolls about 46,437 students.
Over the past 4-year window. Combined enrollment now sits at 75,075 students, stayed largely flat from the 76,534 reported in SY 2020-21. Suffolk County now counts 154 public schools, down from 156 in SY 2020-21.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Suffolk County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data