Total enrollment
46,094
-488 (-1%) vs SY 2020-21
109 schools in Boston
Massachusetts · 46,437 students · 15 cities
Boston's 109 public K-12 schools collectively enroll about 46,437 students across 75 elementary, 3 middle, and 28 high.
4-year change in Boston
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
108
-1 (-1%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Boston ranks
Among districts| Measure | This district | In Massachusetts | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 46,437 | #1 of 231 | #113 of 9,234 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 109 | #1 of 231 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 10.5:1 | #36 of 231 | #658 of 9,044 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 68.8% | #10 of 206 | #528 of 6,853 |
Districts need at least 2 schools and 500 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.
Inside Boston
Since 2017-18, the 107 district schools that reported both years went from 48,712 to 45,513 students (down 7%) and from 3,839 to 4,314 full-time teachers (up 12%), as of 2024-25.
Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across each school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25; schools with fewer than 100 students and schools serving specialized populations are left out. Staffing figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data and count only schools that reported students and teachers in both years.
About Boston
Boston maintains 109 public schools across Massachusetts, collectively instructing roughly 46,437 students.
In terms of grade levels, Boston spans 75 elementary, 3 middle, 28 high schools, and 3 combined or other.
Average enrollment per school in Boston is about 426, meaningfully below the Massachusetts average of roughly 501.
Looking at the last 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment held roughly steady: 46,582 students in SY 2020-21 versus 46,094 in SY 2024-25. Boston now counts 108 public schools, down from 109 in SY 2020-21.
On allk12, the community for Boston discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.