Total enrollment
8,456
+293 (+4%) vs SY 2020-21
Pearl River County
Mississippi · Public K-12
Pearl River County's public-school footprint spans 20 K-12 campuses with combined enrollment of about 8,456, the largest district being Picayune School District. That works out to 10 elementary, 3 middle, and 7 high schools.
4-year change in Pearl River County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
15
-1 (-6%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Pearl River County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Mississippi | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 62.2% | #23 of 73 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 8,456 | #13 of 73 | #921 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 15 | #15 of 73 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 16.3:1 | #68 of 73 | #2,152 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 65.0% | #61 of 73 | #903 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 44.5% | #48 of 70 | #1,315 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.
Pearl River County school rankings
Residents
57,458
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
20
3 districts
Enrollment
8,456
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$58,135
Above Mississippi avg
Free/reduced lunch
65.0%
Below Mississippi avg
Elementary
10
4,321 students
Middle
3
1,703 students
High
7
2,432 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Picayune School District
3,359 students · 3 districts in Pearl River County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Pearl River 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+
17.0%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
13.7%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
6.1%
civilian labor
Median age
42
22.9% under 18
Test scores in Pearl River County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 15 schools ranked. Mississippi state average: 46.0%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Poplarville Upper Elementary· 66.5%
- Picayune Memorial High School· 66.2%
- Poplarville High School· 62.3%
- Poplarville Lower Elementary· 61.4%
- PEARL RIVER CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL· 56.8%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Picayune Junior High School· 33.2%
- PEARL RIVER CENTRAL JUNIOR HIGH· 37.1%
- Nicholson Elementary· 44.0%
- Roseland Park Elementary· 45.3%
- Early Head Start Nicholson· 46.3%
Cities in Pearl River County
About Pearl River County
Across the sparse Mississippi county of Pearl River County of about 57,458 residents, the public-school footprint covers 20 schools and about 8,456 students.
For perspective, census numbers show the median household earns about $58,135 a year, about 17% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 14%. That income level is 16% noticeably above the Mississippi median.
On the school-mix side, Pearl River County consists of 10 elementary schools (4,321 students), 3 middle schools (1,703), and 7 high schools (2,432).
The largest single district in Pearl River County is Picayune School District, which alone enrolls about 3,359 students.
Over the past 4-year window. Combined enrollment now sits at 8,456 students, expanded 4% from the 8,163 reported in SY 2020-21. Pearl River County now counts 15 public schools, down from 16 in SY 2020-21.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Pearl River 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
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data