Total enrollment
87,970
+1,030 (+1%) vs SY 2020-21
Providence County
Rhode Island · Public K-12
Providence County's public schools, 206 in all, serve approximately 88,799 K-12 students inside Rhode Island, with Providence the largest district by enrollment. By level, that breaks down as 114 elementary, 40 middle, and 48 high schools.
4-year change in Providence County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
197
+7 (+4%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Providence County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Rhode Island | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 88,799 | #1 of 5 | #109 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 199 | #1 of 5 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 13.5:1 | #5 of 5 | #1,137 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 63.8% | #1 of 5 | #951 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 67.5% | #1 of 5 | #207 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.
Providence County school rankings
Residents
664,854
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
206
42 districts
Enrollment
88,799
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$78,787
Below Rhode Island avg
Free/reduced lunch
63.8%
Above Rhode Island avg
Elementary
114
40,137 students
Middle
40
19,584 students
High
48
29,001 students
Combined / other
4
77 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Providence
20,645 students · 42 districts in Providence County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Providence 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+
32.3%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
9.3%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
6.6%
civilian labor
Median age
38
20.1% under 18
Test scores in Providence County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 145 schools ranked. Rhode Island state average: 34.2%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Community School· 69.4%
- North Cumberland Middle· 67.4%
- Lincoln Central Elem.· 65.0%
- North Smithfield MS· 59.5%
- Raymond LaPerche School· 58.8%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carl G. Lauro El. School | Providence | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| Cranston Career & Tech Center | Cranston | High | 10-12 | · | · |
| Daniel D. Waterman School | Cranston | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| East Providence Career Tech | East Providence | High | 08-12 | · | · |
| Edward R. Martin Middle Annex | East Providence | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Woonsocket Career an Tech Ctr. | Woonsocket | High | 09-12 | · | · |
Cities in Providence County
Providence63 schoolsCranston26 schoolsPawtucket18 schoolsWoonsocket14 schoolsCumberland13 schoolsCentral Falls10 schoolsEast Providence9 schoolsNorth Providence9 schoolsJohnston8 schoolsLincoln7 schoolsNorth Scituate6 schoolsSmithfield5 schoolsHarrisville4 schoolsNorth Smithfield3 schoolsRiverside3 schoolsCentral Falls1 schoolChepachet1 schoolClayville1 schoolFoster1 schoolHope1 schoolManville1 schoolPascoag1 schoolRumford1 school
About Providence County
Across the large Rhode Island county of Providence County of about 664,854 residents, the public-school footprint covers 206 schools and about 88,799 students.
Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $78,787, about 32% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 9%. That income level is 21% meaningfully below the Rhode Island median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Providence County is built around 114 elementary schools (40,137 students), 40 middle schools (19,584), 48 high schools (29,001), and 4 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Providence County is Providence, which alone enrolls about 20,645 students.
Five-year track record. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment held roughly steady: 86,940 students in SY 2020-21 versus 87,970 in SY 2024-25. Over that span, Providence County gained 7 schools, going from 190 to 197.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Providence County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data