Total enrollment
6,932
+474 (+7%) vs SY 2020-21
Columbia County
Oregon · Public K-12
Columbia County sits inside Oregon and runs 23 public K-12 schools, enrolling about 6,932 students. St Helens SD 502 alone accounts for 2,856 of those students. By level, that breaks down as 11 elementary, 4 middle, and 6 high schools.
4-year change in Columbia County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
23
+2 (+10%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Columbia County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Oregon | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 29.8% | #20 of 26 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 6,932 | #17 of 33 | #1,064 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 23 | #17 of 33 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 18.1:1 | #19 of 33 | #2,457 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 62.2% | #28 of 32 | #1,011 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 36.5% | #28 of 33 | #1,602 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.
Columbia County school rankings
Residents
53,493
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
23
5 districts
Enrollment
6,932
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$87,458
Above Oregon avg
Free/reduced lunch
62.2%
Below Oregon avg
Elementary
11
2,856 students
Middle
4
1,425 students
High
6
2,448 students
Combined / other
2
203 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
St Helens SD 502
2,856 students · 5 districts in Columbia County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Columbia 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+
19.8%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
5.8%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.1%
civilian labor
Median age
43
20.3% under 18
Test scores in Columbia County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 17 schools ranked. Oregon state average: 43.0%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- St Helens Arthur Academy· 51.5%
- Otto Petersen Elementary School· 50.9%
- Scappoose Middle School· 50.5%
- Rainier Jr/Sr High School· 47.9%
- Grant Watts Elementary School· 42.4%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Scappoose High School· 21.2%
- Hudson Park Elementary School· 21.4%
- Vernonia High School· 23.3%
- St Helens Middle School· 24.2%
- Vernonia Elementary School· 28.6%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Helens High School | St Helens | High | 09-12 | 823 | · |
| Scappoose High School | Scappoose | High | 09-12 | 709 | · |
| St Helens Middle School | St Helens | Middle | 06-08 | 563 | · |
| McBride Elementary School | St Helens | Elementary | KG-05 | 452 | · |
| Lewis & Clark Elementary School | St Helens | Elementary | KG-05 | 426 | · |
| Hudson Park Elementary School | Rainier | Elementary | KG-06 | 423 | · |
| Otto Petersen Elementary School | Scappoose | Middle | 04-06 | 416 | · |
| Clatskanie Elementary School | Clatskanie | Elementary | KG-06 | 387 | · |
| Grant Watts Elementary School | Scappoose | Elementary | 01-03 | 382 | · |
| Rainier Jr/Sr High School | Rainier | High | 07-12 | 366 | · |
| Clatskanie Middle/High School | Clatskanie | High | 07-12 | 307 | · |
| Scappoose Middle School | Scappoose | Middle | 07-08 | 307 | · |
| Columbia City School | Columbia City | Elementary | KG-05 | 214 | · |
| Vernonia Elementary School | Vernonia | Elementary | KG-05 | 206 | · |
| Vernonia High School | Vernonia | High | 09-12 | 178 | · |
| St Helens Arthur Academy | St Helens | Elementary | KG-05 | 160 | · |
| St. Helens Virtual Academy | St Helens | Combined | KG-12 | 153 | · |
| Vernonia Middle School | Vernonia | Middle | 06-08 | 139 | · |
| Warren Elementary School | Warren | Elementary | KG-KG | 109 | · |
| South Columbia Family School | Warren | Elementary | KG-08 | 66 | · |
| Plymouth High School | St Helens | High | 09-12 | 65 | · |
| Scappoose Online Academy | Scappoose | Combined | KG-12 | 50 | · |
| Mist Elementary School | Mist | Elementary | KG-05 | 31 | · |
Cities in Columbia County
About Columbia County
Columbia County is a compact county of about 53,493 residents in Oregon. Its public-school system hosts approximately 6,932 students across 23 schools.
Stepping back, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $87,458, 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 6%. That income level is 21% meaningfully above the Oregon median.
In terms of grade levels, Columbia County consists of 11 elementary schools (2,856 students), 4 middle schools (1,425), 6 high schools (2,448), and 2 combined or other schools.
St Helens SD 502 dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 2,856 students on its own.
Looking at the last 4 years. Total public-school enrollment in Columbia County has increased 7% since SY 2020-21, moving from about 6,458 students to 6,932. Columbia County now counts 23 public schools, up from 21 in SY 2020-21.
On this page, the community for Columbia County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data