Total enrollment
7,501
-371 (-5%) vs SY 2020-21
Columbia County
Pennsylvania · Public K-12
Public K-12 schools in Columbia County number 20, teaching approximately 7,501 Pennsylvania students against a population of 65,362. That works out to 8 elementary, 4 middle, and 7 high schools.
4-year change in Columbia County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
19
-1 (-5%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Columbia County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Pennsylvania | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 57.6% | #13 of 62 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 7,501 | #41 of 64 | #996 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 19 | #39 of 64 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.5:1 | #28 of 64 | #699 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 56.2% | #47 of 63 | #1,288 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 23.1% | #38 of 64 | #2,018 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
65,362
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
20
8 districts
Enrollment
7,501
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$64,644
Below Pennsylvania avg
Free/reduced lunch
56.2%
Below Pennsylvania avg
Elementary
8
3,021 students
Middle
4
1,434 students
High
7
3,046 students
Combined / other
1
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Central Columbia SD
1,893 students · 8 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+
26.6%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
7.7%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
6.0%
civilian labor
Median age
41
17.6% under 18
Test scores in Columbia County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 19 schools ranked. Pennsylvania state average: 51.1%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Beaver-Main El Sch· 73.5%
- Bloomsburg Area HS· 72.1%
- Central Columbia SHS· 70.5%
- Benton Area MS· 69.1%
- L R Appleman El Sch· 67.1%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Columbia-Montour Area Vocational-Technical School· 33.8%
- West Berwick El Sch· 41.0%
- Memorial El Sch· 47.8%
- W W Evans Memorial El Sch· 50.8%
- Millville Area JSHS· 51.3%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Columbia El Sch | Bloomsburg | Elementary | KG-04 | 705 | · |
| Berwick Area HS | Berwick | High | 09-12 | 692 | · |
| Columbia-Montour Area Vocational-Technical School | Bloomsburg | High | 09-12 | 609 | · |
| Central Columbia SHS | Bloomsburg | High | 09-12 | 601 | · |
| Central Columbia MS | Bloomsburg | Middle | 05-08 | 587 | · |
| West Berwick El Sch | Berwick | Elementary | KG-04 | 487 | · |
| Hartman El Ctr | Catawissa | Elementary | KG-04 | 480 | · |
| Memorial El Sch | Bloomsburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 405 | · |
| Bloomsburg Area MS | Bloomsburg | Middle | 06-08 | 380 | · |
| Southern Columbia MS | Catawissa | Middle | 05-08 | 367 | · |
| Bloomsburg Area HS | Bloomsburg | High | 09-12 | 362 | · |
| Southern Columbia HS | Catawissa | High | 09-12 | 348 | · |
| L R Appleman El Sch | Benton | Elementary | KG-06 | 308 | · |
| Millville Area Elementary School | Millville | Elementary | KG-06 | 291 | · |
| W W Evans Memorial El Sch | Bloomsburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 250 | · |
| Millville Area JSHS | Millville | High | 07-12 | 234 | · |
| Benton Area HS | Benton | High | 09-12 | 200 | · |
| Benton Area MS | Benton | Middle | 07-08 | 100 | · |
| Beaver-Main El Sch | Bloomsburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 95 | · |
| Susq-Cyber CS | Bloomsburg | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Columbia County
About Columbia County
Columbia County is a mid-sized county of about 65,362 residents in Pennsylvania. Its public-school system serves approximately 7,501 students across 20 schools.
Zooming out, census numbers show median household income runs near $64,644, about 27% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 9% lower than the Pennsylvania median.
In terms of grade levels, Columbia County is built around 8 elementary schools (3,021 students), 4 middle schools (1,434), 7 high schools (3,046), and 1 combined or other schools.
Central Columbia SD dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 1,893 students on its own.
Over the past 4-year window. Total public-school enrollment in Columbia County has fell 5% since SY 2020-21, moving from about 7,872 students to 7,501. Over that span, Columbia County lost 1 school, going from 20 to 19.
On allk12, the community for Columbia 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