Total enrollment
1,705
-372 (-18%) vs SY 2020-21
Potter County
Pennsylvania · Public K-12
Potter County runs 13 public K-12 schools inside Pennsylvania, with the county population around 16,188. The mix is 5 elementary and 5 high.
4-year change in Potter County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
10
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Potter County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Pennsylvania | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 50.3% | #35 of 62 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,705 | #64 of 64 | #2,363 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 10 | #57 of 64 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 9.5:1 | #1 of 64 | #70 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 89.5% | #9 of 63 | #289 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 7.0% | #64 of 64 | #2,584 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.
Potter County school rankings
Residents
16,188
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
13
5 districts
Enrollment
1,705
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$59,020
Below Pennsylvania avg
Free/reduced lunch
89.5%
Above Pennsylvania avg
Elementary
5
897 students
Middle
0
schools
High
5
808 students
Combined / other
3
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Northern Potter SD
512 students · 5 districts in Potter County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Potter 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+
18.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
9.2%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.8%
civilian labor
Median age
48
20.0% under 18
Test scores in Potter County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 8 schools ranked. Pennsylvania state average: 51.1%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Coudersport Area El Sch· 63.8%
- Oswayo Valley El Sch· 54.0%
- Oswayo Valley JSHS· 44.2%
- Northern Potter Childrens School· 43.8%
- Northern Potter JSHS· 43.7%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Galeton JSHS· 17.4%
- Galeton Area Sch· 31.2%
- Coudersport Area JSHS· 37.8%
- Northern Potter JSHS· 43.7%
- Northern Potter Childrens School· 43.8%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Potter Childrens School | Ulysses | Elementary | PK-06 | 293 | · |
| Coudersport Area El Sch | Coudersport | Elementary | KG-06 | 265 | · |
| Coudersport Area JSHS | Coudersport | High | 07-12 | 244 | · |
| Northern Potter JSHS | Ulysses | High | 07-12 | 219 | · |
| Galeton Area Sch | Galeton | Elementary | PK-06 | 145 | · |
| Galeton JSHS | Galeton | High | 07-12 | 144 | · |
| Oswayo Valley JSHS | Shinglehouse | High | 06-12 | 140 | · |
| Oswayo Valley El Sch | Shinglehouse | Elementary | PK-05 | 132 | · |
| Austin Area El Sch | Austin | Elementary | PK-06 | 62 | · |
| Austin Area JSHS | Austin | High | 07-12 | 61 | · |
| Galeton Area Sch | Galeton | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| Oswayo Valley HS | Shinglehouse | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| Oswayo Valley MS | Shinglehouse | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Potter County
About Potter County
Potter County is a thinly populated county of about 16,188 residents in Pennsylvania. Its public-school system serves approximately 1,705 students across 13 schools.
Zooming out, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $59,020, roughly 18% 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 17% below the Pennsylvania median.
On the school-mix side, Potter County is built around 5 elementary schools (897 students), 5 high schools (808), and 3 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Potter County is Northern Potter SD, which alone enrolls about 512 students.
Over the past 4-year window. Combined enrollment now sits at 1,705 students, shrank 18% from the 2,077 reported in SY 2020-21.
On this page, the community for Potter 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