Total enrollment
11,121
-1,266 (-10%) vs SY 2017-18
Polk County
Oregon · Public K-12
The schools list below covers the full public K-12 directory for Polk County: 24 campuses, 11,121 students, Salem-Keizer SD 24j as the largest district. That works out to 13 elementary, 4 middle, and 4 high schools.
7-year change in Polk County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
23
-1 (-4%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
60%
was 66%
% Hispanic
29%
was 24%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
2%
was 2%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
24
6 districts
Enrollment
11,121
NCES CCD
Median income
$85,118
Above Oregon avg
Free/reduced lunch
83.8%
Below Oregon avg
Elementary
13
4,506 students
Middle
4
2,424 students
High
4
3,621 students
Combined / other
3
570 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Salem-Keizer SD 24J
4,624 students · 6 districts in Polk County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Polk 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+
31.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
9.0%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.7%
civilian labor
Median age
38
21.6% under 18
Test scores in Polk County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 22 schools ranked. Oregon state average: 43.0%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Luckiamute Valley Charter School· 66.4%
- Brush College Elementary School· 54.1%
- Myers Elementary School· 53.3%
- Kalapuya Elementary School· 52.7%
- Straub Middle School· 49.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Falls City Elementary School· 15.6%
- Independence Elementary School· 21.5%
- Lyle Elementary School· 22.1%
- Dallas High School· 24.7%
- Central High School· 25.2%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Salem High School | Salem | High | 09-12 | 1,606 | · |
| Central High School | Independence | High | 09-12 | 1,008 | · |
| Dallas High School | Dallas | High | 09-12 | 948 | · |
| Talmadge Middle School | Independence | Middle | 06-08 | 716 | · |
| Walker Middle School | Salem | Middle | 06-08 | 571 | · |
| LaCreole Middle School | Dallas | Middle | 06-08 | 569 | · |
| Straub Middle School | Salem | Middle | 06-08 | 568 | · |
| Harritt Elementary School | Salem | Elementary | KG-05 | 498 | · |
| Kalapuya Elementary School | Salem | Elementary | KG-05 | 483 | · |
| Monmouth Elementary School | Monmouth | Elementary | KG-05 | 468 | · |
| Ash Creek Elementary School | Monmouth | Elementary | KG-05 | 433 | · |
| Independence Elementary School | Independence | Elementary | KG-05 | 425 | · |
| Whitworth Elementary School | Dallas | Elementary | 03-05 | 367 | · |
| Myers Elementary School | Salem | Elementary | KG-05 | 342 | · |
| Perrydale School | Amity | Combined | KG-12 | 319 | · |
| Chapman Hill Elementary School | Salem | Elementary | KG-05 | 306 | · |
| Lyle Elementary School | Dallas | Elementary | KG-03 | 305 | · |
| Oakdale Heights Elementary School | Dallas | Elementary | KG-03 | 300 | · |
| Dallas Community Charter | Dallas | Combined | KG-12 | 251 | · |
| Brush College Elementary School | Salem | Elementary | KG-05 | 250 | · |
| Luckiamute Valley Charter School | Monmouth | Elementary | KG-08 | 213 | · |
| Falls City Elementary School | Falls City | Elementary | KG-08 | 116 | · |
| Falls City High School | Falls City | High | 09-12 | 59 | · |
| Eola Hills Charter School | Amity | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Polk County
About Polk County
Across the mid-sized Oregon county of Polk County of about 89,662 residents, the public-school footprint covers 24 schools and about 11,121 students.
In context, census numbers show median household income runs near $85,118, roughly 31% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 9% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 18% above the Oregon median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Polk County covers 13 elementary schools (4,506 students), 4 middle schools (2,424), 4 high schools (3,621), and 3 combined or other schools.
Salem-Keizer SD 24J is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 4,624 students across Polk County.
Five-year track record. Total public-school enrollment in Polk County has decreased 10% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 12,387 students to 11,121. The school count fell from 24 to 23 across the same 7-year window. Demographically, the White share of enrollment decreased from 66% to 60%.
On this page, the community for Polk County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
Polk County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data