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Jefferson County

New York · Public K-12

Jefferson County runs 39 public K-12 schools inside New York, with the county population around 115,040. The mix is 21 elementary, 6 middle, and 7 high.

7-year change in Jefferson County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
16,789
-955 (-5%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
39
0 (0%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
77%
was 80%
% Hispanic
10%
was 8%
% Black
4%
was 5%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
39
12 districts
Enrollment
16,789
NCES CCD
Median income
$66,301
Below New York avg
Free/reduced lunch
49.4%
Above New York avg
Elementary
21
6,804 students
Middle
6
3,439 students
High
7
4,594 students
Combined / other
5
1,952 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
WATERTOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
3,940 students · 12 districts in Jefferson County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Jefferson 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
White
83%
Hispanic
8%
Black
5%
Asian
2%
Two or more
8%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
77%
Hispanic
10%
Black
4%
Asian
1%
Two or more
7%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
26.5%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
10.3%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.9%
civilian labor
Median age
34
24.0% under 18

Test scores in Jefferson County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 36 schools ranked. New York state average: 58.3%.

See all 36 schools in Jefferson County ranked by score →

All schools (39)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
WATERTOWN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLWatertownHigh09-121,181·
CARTHAGE MIDDLE SCHOOLCarthageMiddle05-08925·
CARTHAGE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLCarthageHigh09-12887·
INDIAN RIVER HIGH SCHOOLPhiladelphiaHigh09-12791·
INDIAN RIVER MIDDLE SCHOOLPhiladelphiaMiddle06-08730·
GENERAL BROWN JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLDexterHigh07-12675·
HAROLD T WILEY SCHOOLWatertownMiddle05-06614·
CASE MIDDLE SCHOOLWatertownMiddle07-08586·
SOUTH JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOLAdamsHigh09-12574·
BLACK RIVER SCHOOLBlack RiverElementaryPK-04572·
INDIAN RIVER INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLPhiladelphiaElementary04-05565·
BELLEVILLE HENDERSON CENTRAL SCHOOLBellevilleCombinedPK-12491·
CALCIUM PRIMARY SCHOOLCalciumElementaryPK-03480·
MAYNARD P WILSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLAdams CenterElementaryPK-05477·
LA FARGEVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOLLa FargevilleCombinedPK-12448·
NORTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOLWatertownElementaryKG-04435·
SACKETS HARBOR CENTRAL SCHOOLSackets HarborCombinedPK-12411·
CLARKE MIDDLE SCHOOLAdamsMiddle06-08399·
CARTHAGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLCarthageElementaryPK-04394·
WEST CARTHAGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLCarthageElementaryPK-04390·
BROWNVILLE SCHOOLBrownvilleElementary03-06374·
KNICKERBOCKER SCHOOLWatertownElementaryKG-04340·
MANNSVILLE MANOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMannsvilleElementaryPK-05338·
LYME CENTRAL SCHOOLChaumontCombinedPK-12335·
EVANS MILLS PRIMARY SCHOOLEvans MillsElementaryPK-03330·
SHERMAN SCHOOLWatertownElementaryKG-04323·
OHIO STREET SCHOOLWatertownElementaryKG-04308·
DEXTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLDexterElementaryPK-02300·
JEFFERSON-LEWIS-HAMILTON-HERKIMER-ONEIDA BOCESWatertownCombinedKG-12267·
THOUSAND ISLANDS HIGH SCHOOLClaytonHigh09-12262·
ALEXANDRIA CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLAlexandria BayElementaryPK-06243·
GUARDINO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLClaytonElementaryPK-05243·
ALEXANDRIA CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOLAlexandria BayHigh07-12224·
THOUSAND ISLANDS MIDDLE SCHOOLClaytonMiddle06-08185·
THERESA PRIMARY SCHOOLTheresaElementaryPK-03163·
STARBUCK ELEMENTARY SCHOOLWatertownElementaryKG-04153·
ANTWERP PRIMARY SCHOOLAntwerpElementaryPK-03145·
PHILADELPHIA PRIMARY SCHOOLPhiladelphiaElementaryPK-03122·
BASHAW ELEMENTARY SCHOOLCape VincentElementaryPK-05109·

Cities in Jefferson County

Watertown9 schoolsCarthage4 schoolsPhiladelphia4 schoolsClayton3 schoolsAdams2 schoolsAlexandria Bay2 schoolsDexter2 schoolsAdams Center1 schoolAntwerp1 schoolBelleville1 schoolBlack River1 schoolBrownville1 schoolCalcium1 schoolCape Vincent1 schoolChaumont1 schoolEvans Mills1 schoolLa Fargeville1 schoolMannsville1 schoolSackets Harbor1 schoolTheresa1 school

About Jefferson County

Across the medium-population New York county of Jefferson County of about 115,040 residents, the public-school footprint covers 39 schools and about 16,789 students.

For perspective, census numbers show the median household earns about $66,301 a year, 27% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 15% below the New York median.

For a sense of the school types, Jefferson County spans 21 elementary schools (6,804 students), 6 middle schools (3,439), 7 high schools (4,594), and 5 combined or other schools.

The largest single district in Jefferson County is WATERTOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, which alone enrolls about 3,940 students.

Over the past 7-year window. Total public-school enrollment in Jefferson County has fell 5% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 17,744 students to 16,789.

On allk12, the community for Jefferson County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.

Frequently asked questions

How many public schools are in Jefferson County?
Jefferson County, New York has 39 public K-12 schools serving approximately 16,789 students.
How many high schools are in Jefferson County?
Jefferson County, New York has 7 public high schools, serving approximately 4,594 students.
How many middle schools are in Jefferson County?
Jefferson County, New York has 6 public middle schools, serving approximately 3,439 students.
How many elementary schools are in Jefferson County?
Jefferson County, New York has 21 public elementary schools, serving approximately 6,804 students.
What is the largest school district in Jefferson County?
WATERTOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT is the largest school district in Jefferson County, serving approximately 3,940 students. The county contains 12 school districts overall.
How many people live in Jefferson County?
Jefferson County has roughly 115,040 residents according to the latest Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What is the median household income in Jefferson County?
Median household income in Jefferson County is $66,301, below the New York average of $77,785. About 10.3% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Jefferson County?
Approximately 26.5% of adults 25 and older in Jefferson County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Jefferson County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 49.4% of students in Jefferson County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is higher than the New York county average of 48.7%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Jefferson County schools?
Across Jefferson County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 11.4 to 1.

Jefferson County school rankings

Largest schoolsAll rankings →
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data