Total enrollment
67,044
-122 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Onondaga County
New York · Public K-12
Public education in Onondaga County reaches 67,044 students across 123 schools. Syracuse City School District is the largest district at 18,608 students. By grade band, the county runs 71 elementary, 24 middle, and 25 high schools.
4-year change in Onondaga County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
122
+1 (+1%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Onondaga County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In New York | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 48.7% | #49 of 61 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 67,044 | #10 of 61 | #158 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 122 | #10 of 61 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.0:1 | #57 of 61 | #538 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 48.8% | #28 of 61 | #1,683 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 60.6% | #16 of 61 | #528 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.
Onondaga County school rankings
Residents
471,129
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
123
25 districts
Enrollment
67,044
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$76,945
Below New York avg
Free/reduced lunch
48.8%
Above New York avg
Elementary
71
30,075 students
Middle
24
12,671 students
High
25
21,428 students
Combined / other
3
2,870 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
18,608 students · 25 districts in Onondaga County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Onondaga 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+
39.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
9.2%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.2%
civilian labor
Median age
40
20.9% under 18
Test scores in Onondaga County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 111 schools ranked. New York state average: 58.3%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- SKANEATELES SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL· 95.0%
- LIVERPOOL HIGH SCHOOL· 94.0%
- FAYETTEVILLE-MANLIUS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL· 93.0%
- WESTHILL HIGH SCHOOL· 93.0%
- MARCELLUS HIGH SCHOOL· 91.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- SYRACUSE STEM AT BLODGETT· 7.0%
- SEYMOUR DUAL LANGUAGE ACADEMY· 8.0%
- DELAWARE PRIMARY SCHOOL· 10.0%
- BELLEVUE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 11.0%
- BRIGHTON ACADEMY· 13.0%
Cities in Onondaga County
Syracuse46 schoolsLiverpool13 schoolsBaldwinsville8 schoolsCamillus6 schoolsEast Syracuse6 schoolsNorth Syracuse5 schoolsNedrow4 schoolsSkaneateles4 schoolsCicero3 schoolsFayetteville3 schoolsJamesville3 schoolsManlius3 schoolsMarcellus3 schoolsDewitt2 schoolsFabius2 schoolsJordan2 schoolsLafayette2 schoolsSolvay2 schoolsTully2 schoolsBrewerton1 schoolElbridge1 schoolMattydale1 schoolMinoa1 school
About Onondaga County
In New York, Onondaga County is a population-heavy county of about 471,129 residents. 123 public schools across the county enrolls about 67,044 students between them.
In context, census numbers show the median household earns about $76,945 a year, 39% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the federal-poverty share is near 9%.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Onondaga County covers 71 elementary schools (30,075 students), 24 middle schools (12,671), 25 high schools (21,428), and 3 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Onondaga County is SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, which alone enrolls about 18,608 students.
Over the past 4-year window. Total public-school enrollment in Onondaga County has remained close to its prior level since SY 2020-21, moving from about 67,166 students to 67,044. Over that span, Onondaga County added 1 school, going from 121 to 122.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Onondaga County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data