Total enrollment
35,429
-2,589 (-7%) vs SY 2017-18
Erie County
Pennsylvania · Public K-12
Erie County serves about 35,738 K-12 students across 68 public schools, an average of roughly 526 students per campus. By grade band, the county runs 35 elementary, 16 middle, and 16 high schools.
7-year change in Erie County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
66
-2 (-3%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
69%
was 74%
% Hispanic
6%
was 6%
% Black
13%
was 13%
% Asian
4%
was 3%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
269,052
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
68
18 districts
Enrollment
35,738
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$63,354
Below Pennsylvania avg
Free/reduced lunch
74.2%
Above Pennsylvania avg
Elementary
35
16,179 students
Middle
16
7,714 students
High
16
11,845 students
Combined / other
1
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Erie City SD
10,473 students · 18 districts in Erie County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Erie 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+
30.3%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
10.2%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.4%
civilian labor
Median age
40
20.7% under 18
Test scores in Erie County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 64 schools ranked. Pennsylvania state average: 51.1%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Fort LeBoeuf SHS· 80.3%
- Mill Village El Sch· 79.6%
- Fairview HS· 77.9%
- General McLane HS· 77.4%
- Northwest PA Collegiate Academy· 77.1%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Edison El Sch· 5.3%
- McKinley El Sch· 8.0%
- Jefferson El Sch· 8.1%
- East MS· 8.3%
- Diehl Sch· 9.4%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erie HS | Erie | High | 09-12 | 2,501 | · |
| McDowell HS | Erie | High | 09-12 | 2,133 | · |
| Woodrow Wilson MS | Erie | Middle | 06-08 | 769 | · |
| Northwest PA Collegiate Academy | Erie | High | 09-12 | 750 | · |
| Strong Vincent MS | Erie | Middle | 06-08 | 711 | · |
| Fairview El Sch | Fairview | Elementary | KG-04 | 707 | · |
| Harbor Creek Senior HS | Harborcreek | High | 09-12 | 692 | · |
| Grandview El Sch | Erie | Elementary | KG-05 | 691 | · |
| General McLane HS | Edinboro | High | 09-12 | 690 | · |
| Pfeiffer-Burleigh Sch | Erie | Elementary | PK-05 | 690 | · |
| East MS | Erie | Middle | 06-08 | 672 | · |
| Fort LeBoeuf SHS | Waterford | High | 09-12 | 652 | · |
| James W Parker MS | Edinboro | Middle | 05-08 | 652 | · |
| Fairview MS | Fairview | Middle | 05-08 | 633 | · |
| Harding Sch | Erie | Elementary | PK-05 | 633 | · |
| Perseus House CS of Excellence | Erie | High | 06-12 | 627 | · |
| Belle Valley El Sch | Erie | Elementary | PK-05 | 626 | · |
| Montessori Regional CS | Erie | Elementary | KG-08 | 626 | · |
| Fairview HS | Fairview | High | 09-12 | 593 | · |
| North East El Sch | North East | Elementary | KG-05 | 589 | · |
| Asbury El Sch | Fairview | Elementary | PK-05 | 572 | · |
| Corry Area HS | Corry | High | 09-12 | 562 | · |
| Iroquois JSHS | Erie | High | 07-12 | 560 | · |
| Grover Cleveland El Sch | Erie | Elementary | PK-05 | 559 | · |
| Iroquois El Sch | Erie | Elementary | PK-06 | 557 | · |
| JoAnna Connell Sch | Erie | Elementary | PK-05 | 556 | · |
| Robert Benjamin Wiley Community CS | Erie | Elementary | PK-08 | 550 | · |
| James S Wilson MS | Erie | Middle | 06-08 | 547 | · |
| Elk Valley El Sch | Lake City | Elementary | PK-04 | 526 | · |
| North East High School | North East | High | 09-12 | 521 | · |
| Tracy El Sch | Erie | Elementary | KG-05 | 515 | · |
| McKinley El Sch | Erie | Elementary | PK-05 | 504 | · |
| Wattsburg Area El Ctr | Erie | Elementary | KG-04 | 488 | · |
| Girard HS | Girard | High | 09-12 | 477 | · |
| Westlake MS | Erie | Middle | 06-08 | 477 | · |
| Rolling Ridge El Sch | Erie | Elementary | KG-06 | 472 | · |
| Fort LeBoeuf MS | Waterford | Middle | 06-08 | 471 | · |
| Perry El Sch | Erie | Elementary | PK-05 | 466 | · |
| Jefferson El Sch | Erie | Elementary | PK-05 | 447 | · |
| Rice Avenue MS | Girard | Middle | 05-08 | 443 | · |
| Diehl Sch | Erie | Elementary | PK-05 | 441 | · |
| Edison El Sch | Erie | Elementary | PK-05 | 427 | · |
| Corry Area Primary Sch | Corry | Elementary | PK-02 | 426 | · |
| Union City El Sch | Union City | Elementary | PK-05 | 421 | · |
| Corry Area MS | Corry | Middle | 06-08 | 415 | · |
| Edinboro El Sch | Edinboro | Elementary | KG-04 | 414 | · |
| Chestnut Hill El Sch | Erie | Elementary | KG-05 | 403 | · |
| Walnut Creek MS | Fairview | Middle | 06-08 | 399 | · |
| Northwestern SHS | Albion | High | 09-12 | 398 | · |
| Seneca HS | Erie | High | 09-12 | 383 | · |
| Wattsburg Area MS | Erie | Middle | 05-08 | 383 | · |
| Robison El Sch | Erie | Elementary | KG-05 | 359 | · |
| Northwestern El Sch | Albion | Elementary | KG-05 | 350 | · |
| Lincoln El Sch | Erie | Elementary | PK-05 | 347 | · |
| Waterford El Sch | Waterford | Elementary | KG-05 | 340 | · |
| Harbor Creek Junior HS | Harborcreek | Middle | 07-08 | 330 | · |
| North East Middle School | North East | Middle | 06-08 | 322 | · |
| McKean El Sch | Mc Kean | Elementary | KG-04 | 319 | · |
| Earle C. Davis Primary | North East | Elementary | KG-02 | 309 | · |
| Union City HS | Union City | High | 09-12 | 304 | · |
| Clark El Sch | Erie | Elementary | KG-06 | 303 | · |
| Klein El Sch | Erie | Elementary | KG-06 | 282 | · |
| Northwestern MS | Albion | Middle | 06-08 | 266 | · |
| Union City MS | Union City | Middle | 06-08 | 224 | · |
| Springfield El Sch | East Springfield | Elementary | KG-05 | 162 | · |
| Mill Village El Sch | Mill Village | Elementary | KG-05 | 102 | · |
| Erie County Technical School | Erie | High | 09-12 | 2 | · |
| Erie Rise Leadership Academy CS | Erie | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Erie County
About Erie County
Erie County is a population-heavy county of about 269,052 residents in Pennsylvania. Its public-school system serves approximately 35,738 students across 68 schools.
Stepping back, census numbers show median household income runs near $63,354, about 30% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate is around 10%. That income level is 11% meaningfully below the Pennsylvania median.
In terms of grade levels, Erie County spans 35 elementary schools (16,179 students), 16 middle schools (7,714), 16 high schools (11,845), and 1 combined or other schools.
Erie City SD dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 10,473 students on its own.
Five-year track record. Total public-school enrollment in Erie County has decreased 7% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 38,018 students to 35,429. Over that span, Erie County lost 2 schools, going from 68 to 66. Demographically, the White share of enrollment contracted from 74% to 69%.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Erie County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
Erie County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data