Total enrollment
8,111
-144 (-2%) vs SY 2020-21
Carbon County
Pennsylvania · Public K-12
Carbon County's school count of 18 reflects a public K-12 system serving about 8,111 students inside Pennsylvania, around 12% of the county population. By level, that breaks down as 8 elementary, 4 middle, and 6 high schools.
4-year change in Carbon County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
18
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Carbon County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Pennsylvania | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 45.6% | #50 of 62 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 8,111 | #40 of 64 | #946 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 18 | #41 of 64 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.4:1 | #24 of 64 | #655 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 65.1% | #36 of 63 | #895 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 34.7% | #25 of 64 | #1,662 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.
Carbon County school rankings
Residents
65,382
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
18
6 districts
Enrollment
8,111
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$67,554
Below Pennsylvania avg
Free/reduced lunch
65.1%
Below Pennsylvania avg
Elementary
8
3,885 students
Middle
4
1,369 students
High
6
2,857 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Lehighton Area SD
2,113 students · 6 districts in Carbon County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Carbon 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+
19.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
8.3%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
7.5%
civilian labor
Median age
46
18.9% under 18
Test scores in Carbon County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 17 schools ranked. Pennsylvania state average: 51.1%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Palmerton Area HS· 73.5%
- Lehighton Area HS· 69.1%
- Jim Thorpe Area HS· 68.2%
- Carbon Career & Technical Institute· 63.6%
- Towamensing El Sch· 63.3%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Panther Valley El Sch· 17.2%
- Panther Valley Intermediate Sch· 20.7%
- Panther Valley JSHS· 26.4%
- Weatherly Area MS· 36.6%
- Lehighton Area Elementary Center· 38.7%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lehighton Area Elementary Center | Lehighton | Elementary | PK-05 | 1,005 | · |
| Panther Valley JSHS | Lansford | High | 07-12 | 759 | · |
| Lehighton Area HS | Lehighton | High | 09-12 | 630 | · |
| L B Morris El Sch | Jim Thorpe | Elementary | PK-08 | 615 | · |
| Panther Valley El Sch | Nesquehoning | Elementary | KG-03 | 556 | · |
| Penn-Kidder Campus | Albrightsville | Elementary | PK-08 | 541 | · |
| Jim Thorpe Area HS | Jim Thorpe | High | 09-12 | 490 | · |
| Lehighton Area MS | Lehighton | Middle | 06-08 | 478 | · |
| Palmerton Area HS | Palmerton | High | 09-12 | 478 | · |
| Panther Valley Intermediate Sch | Lansford | Middle | 04-06 | 458 | · |
| S S Palmer El Sch | Palmerton | Elementary | 02-06 | 399 | · |
| Carbon Career & Technical Institute | Jim Thorpe | High | 09-12 | 375 | · |
| Towamensing El Sch | Lehighton | Elementary | KG-06 | 328 | · |
| Weatherly Area El Sch | Weatherly | Elementary | PK-05 | 291 | · |
| Palmerton Area JHS | Palmerton | Middle | 07-08 | 261 | · |
| Weatherly Area MS | Weatherly | Middle | 06-08 | 172 | · |
| Parkside Education Center | Palmerton | Elementary | KG-01 | 150 | · |
| Weatherly Area HS | Weatherly | High | 09-12 | 125 | · |
Cities in Carbon County
About Carbon County
Carbon County is a moderately sized Pennsylvania county of about 65,382 residents, home to 18 public schools and roughly 8,111 students.
Zooming out, census numbers show median household income runs near $67,554, roughly 19% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate is around 8%. That income level is 5% below the Pennsylvania median.
For a sense of the school types, Carbon County comprises 8 elementary schools (3,885 students), 4 middle schools (1,369), and 6 high schools (2,857).
Lehighton Area SD dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 2,113 students on its own.
Five-year track record. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment stayed largely flat: 8,255 students in SY 2020-21 versus 8,111 in SY 2024-25.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Carbon 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
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data