Total enrollment
72,394
+25,012 (+53%) vs SY 2017-18
Dauphin County
Pennsylvania · Public K-12
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania's 75 public schools span elementary through high school (42 elementary, 14 middle, and 16 high). Total enrollment is roughly 72,718 students.
7-year change in Dauphin County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
72
-1 (-1%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
48%
was 52%
% Hispanic
19%
was 15%
% Black
20%
was 22%
% Asian
6%
was 5%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
289,593
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
75
19 districts
Enrollment
72,718
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$76,242
Above Pennsylvania avg
Free/reduced lunch
58.7%
Below Pennsylvania avg
Elementary
42
17,242 students
Middle
14
8,126 students
High
16
12,009 students
Combined / other
3
35,341 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Commonwealth Charter Academy CS
29,320 students · 19 districts in Dauphin County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Dauphin 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+
34.4%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
9.0%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.5%
civilian labor
Median age
39
22.3% under 18
Test scores in Dauphin County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 67 schools ranked. Pennsylvania state average: 51.1%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Hershey HS· 86.6%
- Infinity CS· 86.4%
- Capital Area School for the Arts CS· 84.2%
- Millersburg Area High School· 81.1%
- Hershey MS· 80.8%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Downey Sch· 2.7%
- Rowland Academy· 3.7%
- Harrisburg HS· 7.3%
- Scott at Lincoln School· 8.6%
- Camp Curtin Academy· 9.8%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commonwealth Charter Academy CS | Harrisburg | Combined | KG-12 | 29,320 | · |
| Reach Cyber CS | Harrisburg | Combined | KG-12 | 5,721 | · |
| Central Dauphin SHS | Harrisburg | High | 09-12 | 1,966 | · |
| Central Dauphin East SHS | Harrisburg | High | 09-12 | 1,573 | · |
| Harrisburg HS | Harrisburg | High | 09-12 | 1,343 | · |
| Dauphin County Technical School | Harrisburg | High | 09-12 | 1,187 | · |
| Lower Dauphin HS | Hummelstown | High | 09-12 | 1,057 | · |
| Hershey HS | Hershey | High | 09-12 | 1,050 | · |
| Linglestown MS | Harrisburg | Middle | 06-08 | 841 | · |
| Central Dauphin MS | Harrisburg | Middle | 06-08 | 834 | · |
| Steelton-Highspire El Sch | Steelton | Elementary | KG-06 | 821 | · |
| Susquehanna Twp MS | Harrisburg | Middle | 06-08 | 820 | · |
| Thomas W Holtzman Jr El Sch | Harrisburg | Elementary | 03-05 | 792 | · |
| Lower Dauphin MS | Hummelstown | Middle | 06-08 | 781 | · |
| Susquehanna Twp HS | Harrisburg | High | 09-12 | 767 | · |
| Sara Lindemuth El Sch | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-02 | 758 | · |
| Hershey MS | Hershey | Middle | 06-08 | 742 | · |
| Camp Curtin Academy | Harrisburg | Middle | 06-08 | 724 | · |
| North Side El Sch | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 722 | · |
| Central Dauphin East MS | Harrisburg | Middle | 06-08 | 702 | · |
| Middletown Area HS | Middletown | High | 09-12 | 702 | · |
| Paxtonia El Sch | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 682 | · |
| Benjamin Franklin Sch | Harrisburg | Elementary | PK-05 | 678 | · |
| Steelton-Highspire HS | Steelton | High | 07-12 | 612 | · |
| Swatara MS | Steelton | Middle | 06-08 | 611 | · |
| South Side El Sch | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 603 | · |
| West Hanover El Sch | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 589 | · |
| Melrose Sch | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 536 | · |
| Middletown Area MS | Middletown | Middle | 06-08 | 534 | · |
| Foose Sch | Harrisburg | Elementary | PK-05 | 522 | · |
| Scott at Lincoln School | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 484 | · |
| Hershey Intrmd El Sch | Hershey | Elementary | 04-05 | 479 | · |
| Linglestown El Sch | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 475 | · |
| Rutherford El Sch | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 461 | · |
| Williams Valley JSHS | Tower City | High | 07-12 | 433 | · |
| Hershey Primary El Sch | Hershey | Elementary | 02-03 | 427 | · |
| Tri-Community El Sch | Steelton | Elementary | KG-05 | 427 | · |
| Hershey Early Childhood Ctr | Hershey | Elementary | KG-01 | 420 | · |
| Robert Reid El Sch | Middletown | Elementary | KG-05 | 410 | · |
| Marshall Math Science Academy | Harrisburg | Middle | 06-08 | 408 | · |
| Downey Sch | Harrisburg | Elementary | PK-05 | 405 | · |
| Phillips El Sch | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 393 | · |
| Mountain View El Sch | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 373 | · |
| Upper Dauphin Area El Sch | Lykens | Elementary | PK-04 | 373 | · |
| South Hanover El Sch | Hershey | Elementary | KG-05 | 371 | · |
| Kunkel El Sch | Middletown | Elementary | KG-05 | 369 | · |
| Steele School | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 362 | · |
| Pennsylvania STEAM Academy CS | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 360 | · |
| Rowland Academy | Harrisburg | Middle | 07-08 | 353 | · |
| Halifax Area El Sch | Halifax | Elementary | PK-04 | 349 | · |
| Harrisburg HS - SciTech Cmp | Harrisburg | High | 09-12 | 347 | · |
| East Hanover El Sch | Grantville | Elementary | KG-05 | 333 | · |
| Upper Dauphin Area HS | Elizabethville | High | 09-12 | 331 | · |
| Lenkerville Elementary School | Millersburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 324 | · |
| Nye El Sch | Hummelstown | Elementary | KG-05 | 317 | · |
| Lawnton El Sch | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 310 | · |
| Upper Dauphin Area MS | Lykens | Middle | 05-08 | 302 | · |
| Cougar Academy | Harrisburg | Combined | KG-12 | 300 | · |
| Middle Paxton El Sch | Dauphin | Elementary | KG-05 | 289 | · |
| Millersburg El Sch | Millersburg | Elementary | PK-04 | 287 | · |
| Paxtang El Sch | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 281 | · |
| Halifax Area MS | Halifax | Middle | 05-08 | 263 | · |
| Chambers Hill El Sch | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-05 | 257 | · |
| Fink El Sch | Middletown | Elementary | KG-05 | 257 | · |
| Infinity CS | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-08 | 256 | · |
| Conewago El Sch | Elizabethtown | Elementary | KG-05 | 239 | · |
| Halifax Area HS | Halifax | High | 09-12 | 234 | · |
| Londonderry El Sch | Middletown | Elementary | KG-05 | 234 | · |
| Sylvan Heights Science CS | Harrisburg | Elementary | KG-04 | 217 | · |
| Millersburg Area Middle School | Millersburg | Middle | 05-08 | 211 | · |
| Millersburg Area High School | Millersburg | High | 09-12 | 207 | · |
| Capital Area School for the Arts CS | Harrisburg | High | 09-12 | 193 | · |
| Price | Hummelstown | High | 06-12 | 7 | · |
| Marshall Academy | Harrisburg | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Premier Arts and Science CS | Harrisburg | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Dauphin County
About Dauphin County
Dauphin County is a population-heavy county of about 289,593 residents in Pennsylvania. Its public-school system educates approximately 72,718 students across 75 schools.
Stepping back, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $76,242, roughly 34% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the federal-poverty share is near 9%. That income level is 7% above the Pennsylvania median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Dauphin County comprises 42 elementary schools (17,242 students), 14 middle schools (8,126), 16 high schools (12,009), and 3 combined or other schools.
Commonwealth Charter Academy CS is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 29,320 students across Dauphin County.
Looking at the last 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment increased 53%: 47,382 students in SY 2017-18 versus 72,394 in SY 2024-25. Dauphin County now counts 72 public schools, down from 73 in SY 2017-18. Demographically, the Hispanic share of enrollment rose from 15% to 19%.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Dauphin County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
Dauphin County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data