Total enrollment
17,056
-464 (-3%) vs SY 2020-21
Chautauqua County
New York · Public K-12
Chautauqua County operates 51 public K-12 schools inside New York, with combined enrollment of approximately 17,056 (about 334 students per school). By grade band, the county runs 27 elementary, 6 middle, and 17 high schools.
4-year change in Chautauqua County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
50
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Chautauqua County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In New York | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 49.9% | #44 of 61 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 17,056 | #24 of 61 | #543 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 50 | #18 of 61 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 9.2:1 | #11 of 61 | #40 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 57.1% | #8 of 61 | #1,242 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 43.2% | #27 of 61 | #1,368 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.
Chautauqua County school rankings
Residents
125,544
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
51
18 districts
Enrollment
17,056
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$58,351
Below New York avg
Free/reduced lunch
57.1%
Above New York avg
Elementary
27
7,944 students
Middle
6
2,166 students
High
17
6,616 students
Combined / other
1
330 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
JAMESTOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
4,370 students · 18 districts in Chautauqua County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Chautauqua 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+
25.1%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
11.8%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.9%
civilian labor
Median age
43
20.6% under 18
Test scores in Chautauqua County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 45 schools ranked. New York state average: 58.3%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- SILVER CREEK HIGH SCHOOL· 89.0%
- WESTFIELD HIGH SCHOOL· 89.0%
- SOUTHWESTERN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL· 80.0%
- JAMESTOWN HIGH SCHOOL· 78.0%
- CHAUTAUQUA LAKE SECONDARY SCHOOL· 76.8%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
Cities in Chautauqua County
Jamestown12 schoolsDunkirk5 schoolsFredonia4 schoolsMayville3 schoolsSilver Creek3 schoolsWestfield3 schoolsBemus Point2 schoolsBrocton2 schoolsFalconer2 schoolsForestville2 schoolsFrewsburg2 schoolsPanama2 schoolsSherman2 schoolsSinclairville2 schoolsSouth Dayton2 schoolsClymer1 schoolKennedy1 schoolRipley1 school
About Chautauqua County
Across the medium-population New York county of Chautauqua County of about 125,544 residents, the public-school footprint covers 51 schools and about 17,056 students.
For perspective, census numbers show the median household earns about $58,351 a year, 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 12%. That income level is 25% lower than the New York median.
On the school-mix side, Chautauqua County spans 27 elementary schools (7,944 students), 6 middle schools (2,166), 17 high schools (6,616), and 1 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Chautauqua County is JAMESTOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, which alone enrolls about 4,370 students.
Over the past 4-year window. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment declined 3%: 17,520 students in SY 2020-21 versus 17,056 in SY 2024-25.
On allk12, the community for Chautauqua County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data