Total enrollment
58,646
+4,936 (+9%) vs SY 2020-21
Mercer County
New Jersey · Public K-12
Across 110 public schools, Mercer County, New Jersey serves roughly 58,647 K-12 students, roughly 1 in 7 residents. By grade band, the county runs 61 elementary, 21 middle, and 25 high schools.
4-year change in Mercer County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
105
+9 (+9%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Mercer County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In New Jersey | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 35.7% | #15 of 21 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 58,647 | #12 of 21 | #192 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 106 | #12 of 21 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.2:1 | #18 of 21 | #601 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 48.2% | #8 of 21 | #1,714 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 73.3% | #2 of 21 | #37 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.
Mercer County school rankings
Residents
385,864
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
110
23 districts
Enrollment
58,647
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$100,645
Below New Jersey avg
Free/reduced lunch
48.2%
Above New Jersey avg
Elementary
61
23,190 students
Middle
21
15,104 students
High
25
18,798 students
Combined / other
3
1,555 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Trenton Public School District
13,549 students · 23 districts in Mercer County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Mercer 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+
45.4%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
6.3%
civilian labor
Median age
40
22.0% under 18
Test scores in Mercer County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 93 schools ranked. New Jersey state average: 53.1%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph F. Cappello School | Hamilton | Elementary | PK-03 | 97 | · |
| MCVS Assunpink Shared Time Center/Rubino | Trenton | High | 07-12 | 96 | · |
| Marie H Katzenbach Middle/High School | Trenton | High | 06-12 | 33 | · |
| Marie H Katzenbach Elementary School for the Deaf | Trenton | Elementary | PK-05 | 22 | · |
| MCVS Arthur R. Sypek Center | Pennington | High | 11-12 | 21 | · |
| Regional Day School | Hamilton | High | 10-12 | 1 | · |
| Ann Klein Forensic Center | West Trenton | High | 12-12 | 0 | · |
| MERCER REGIONAL SCHOOL | Trenton | Combined | 02-12 | 0 | · |
| NEW JERSEY STATE PRISON | Trenton | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
| Trenton Psychiatric Hospital | Trenton | Elementary | N-N | · | · |
Cities in Mercer County
Hamilton23 schoolsTrenton22 schoolsTrenton15 schoolsLawrenceville7 schoolsPrinceton7 schoolsEwing5 schoolsHamilton5 schoolsPennington5 schoolsWest Windsor5 schoolsEast Windsor3 schoolsHightstown3 schoolsRobbinsville3 schoolsPennington2 schoolsEwing1 schoolHamilton Twp1 schoolHopewell1 schoolTitusville1 schoolWest Trenton1 school
About Mercer County
In New Jersey, Mercer County is a wide-reaching county of about 385,864 residents. 110 public schools across the county hosts about 58,647 students between them.
Looking at the wider area, census numbers show the median household earns about $100,645 a year, 45% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the federal-poverty share is near 7%.
In terms of grade levels, Mercer County consists of 61 elementary schools (23,190 students), 21 middle schools (15,104), 25 high schools (18,798), and 3 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Mercer County is Trenton Public School District, which alone enrolls about 13,549 students.
Five-year track record. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment grew 9%: 53,710 students in SY 2020-21 versus 58,646 in SY 2024-25. Mercer County now counts 105 public schools, up from 96 in SY 2020-21.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Mercer County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data