Wayne County

Ohio · Public K-12

Wayne County operates 45 public K-12 schools inside Ohio, with combined enrollment of approximately 14,479 (about 322 students per school). That works out to 20 elementary, 9 middle, and 14 high schools.

7-year change in Wayne County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25

Total enrollment

14,235

-939 (-6%) vs SY 2017-18

School count

0 (0%) vs SY 2017-18

% White

88%

was 90%

% Hispanic

was 3%

% Black

was 1%

% Asian

was 1%

Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages

Schools

15 districts

Enrollment

14,479

NCES CCD

Median income

$73,574

Above Ohio avg

Free/reduced lunch

49.0%

Above Ohio avg

Elementary

6,331 students

Middle

2,845 students

High

5,127 students

Combined / other

176 students

LARGEST DISTRICT

Wooster City

3,222 students · 15 districts in Wayne County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Wayne 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

93%

Hispanic

Black

Asian

Two or more

Native American

Pacific Islander

School enrollment

White

88%

Hispanic

Black

Asian

Two or more

Native American

Pacific Islander

Bachelor's+

25.1%

adults 25+

Poverty rate

5.5%

ACS 5-year

Unemployment

3.3%

civilian labor

Median age

24.0% under 18

Test scores in Wayne County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 33 schools ranked. Ohio state average: 59.8%.

Top 5 schools (ELA)

Lowest 5 schools (ELA)

Wooster High School· 55.1%
Cornerstone Elementary School· 59.0%
Beacon Hill Community School AKA Beacon Hill Academy· 62.2%
Edgewood Middle School· 63.0%
Shreve Elementary School· 63.6%

See all 33 schools in Wayne County ranked by score →

All schools (45)

Largest A-Z Top rated

Name	City	Level	Grades	Enrollment	Rating
Wooster High School	Wooster	High	08-12	1,182	·
Edgewood Middle School	Wooster	Middle	05-07	704	·
Northwestern Elementary School	West Salem	Elementary	PK-05	632	·
Wayne County Schools Career Center	Smithville	High	07-12	624	·
Chippewa Jr./Sr. High School	Doylestown	High	07-12	588	·
Norwayne Elementary School	Creston	Elementary	KG-05	539	·
Green Elementary School	Smithville	Elementary	KG-05	524	·
Orrville Elementary School	Orrville	Elementary	KG-04	514	·
Orrville Middle School	Orrville	Middle	04-08	462	·
Waynedale Elementary School	Apple Creek	Elementary	PK-05	459	·
Orrville High School	Orrville	High	08-12	416	·
Norwayne High School	Creston	High	09-12	415	·
Triway Middle School	Wooster	Middle	06-08	364	·
Rittman Elementary School	Rittman	Elementary	KG-05	359	·
Triway High School	Wooster	High	09-12	355	·
Wooster Twp Elementary School	Wooster	Elementary	PK-05	352	·
Cornerstone Elementary School	Wooster	Elementary	KG-04	347	·
Dalton Elementary School	Dalton	Elementary	KG-04	339	·
Chippewa Intermediate School	Doylestown	Elementary	03-06	336	·
Waynedale High School	Apple Creek	High	09-12	333	·
Northwestern High School	West Salem	High	09-12	327	·
Shreve Elementary School	Shreve	Elementary	PK-05	317	·
Kean Elementary School	Wooster	Elementary	KG-04	313	·
Hazel Harvey Elementary School	Doylestown	Elementary	PK-02	312	·
Norwayne Middle School	Creston	Middle	05-08	310	·
Smithville High School	Smithville	High	09-12	295	·
Northwestern Middle School	West Salem	Middle	06-08	284	·
Dalton High School	Dalton	High	09-12	282	·
Dalton Middle School	Dalton	Middle	05-08	277	·
Parkview Elementary School	Wooster	Elementary	KG-04	264	·
Green Middle School	Smithville	Middle	06-08	254	·
Melrose Elementary School	Wooster	Elementary	KG-04	251	·
Rittman High School	Rittman	High	09-12	212	·
Rittman Middle School	Rittman	Middle	06-08	190	·
Beacon Hill Community School AKA Beacon Hill Academy	Mt Eaton	Combined	KG-12	176	·
Wooster Littlest Generals Preschool	Wooster	Elementary	PK-PK	161	·
Fredericksburg Elementary School	Fredericksburg	Elementary	KG-08	127	·
Mount Eaton Elementary School	Mount Eaton	Elementary	KG-06	117	·
Liberty Preparatory School	Smithville	High	09-12	46	·
Heartland Early Learning Program	Orrville	Elementary	PK-PK	40	·
Rittman Academy	Rittman	High	09-12	31	·
Rittman Early Learning Center	Rittman	Elementary	PK-PK	28	·
Chippewa Virtual Learning Academy	Doylestown	High	05-12	21	·
Norwayne Online School	Creston	Combined	KG-12	0	·
Waynedale Middle School	Apple Creek	Middle	06-08	·	·

Cities in Wayne County

Wooster10 schools Rittman5 schools Smithville5 schools Creston4 schools Doylestown4 schools Orrville4 schools Apple Creek3 schools Dalton3 schools West Salem3 schools Fredericksburg1 school Mount Eaton1 school Mt Eaton1 school Shreve1 school

About Wayne County

Wayne County is a medium-population county of about 116,588 residents in Ohio. Its public-school system teaches approximately 14,479 students across 45 schools.

Looking at the wider area, census numbers show the median household earns about $73,574 a year, about 25% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate is around 6%. That income level is 5% above the Ohio median.

On the school-mix side, Wayne County comprises 20 elementary schools (6,331 students), 9 middle schools (2,845), 14 high schools (5,127), and 2 combined or other schools.

The largest single district in Wayne County is Wooster City, which alone enrolls about 3,222 students.

Trend over the past 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment contracted 6%: 15,174 students in SY 2017-18 versus 14,235 in SY 2024-25.

On this page, the community for Wayne County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.

Frequently asked questions

How many K-12 schools serve Wayne County?

There are 45 public K-12 schools in Wayne County, Ohio, with a combined enrollment of about 14,479.

How many high schools are in Wayne County?

Wayne County, Ohio has 14 public high schools, serving approximately 5,127 students.

How many middle schools are in Wayne County?

Wayne County, Ohio has 9 public middle schools, serving approximately 2,845 students.

How many elementary schools are in Wayne County?

Wayne County, Ohio has 20 public elementary schools, serving approximately 6,331 students.

What is the largest school district in Wayne County?

Wooster City is the largest school district in Wayne County, serving approximately 3,222 students. The county contains 15 school districts overall.

How many people live in Wayne County?

Wayne County has roughly 116,588 residents according to the latest Census ACS 5-year estimate.

What is the median household income in Wayne County?

Median household income in Wayne County is $73,574, above the Ohio average of $69,789. About 5.5% of residents live below the federal poverty line.

How educated are residents of Wayne County?

Approximately 25.1% of adults 25 and older in Wayne County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.

What share of students in Wayne County qualify for free or reduced lunch?

Roughly 49.0% of students in Wayne County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is higher than the Ohio county average of 49.0%.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Wayne County schools?

Across Wayne County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 16.8 to 1.

Wayne County school rankings

Largest schools All rankings →

DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data