Total enrollment
15,417
+2,170 (+16%) vs SY 2017-18
Lancaster County
South Carolina · Public K-12
In Lancaster County, 23 public K-12 schools make up the local education system, comprising 12 elementary, 6 middle, and 5 high. Combined enrollment is about 15,417 students.
7-year change in Lancaster County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
22
+2 (+10%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
52%
was 60%
% Hispanic
14%
was 9%
% Black
23%
was 27%
% Asian
5%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
23
1 districts
Enrollment
15,417
NCES CCD
Median income
$78,869
Above South Carolina avg
Free/reduced lunch
·
Enrollment-weighted
Elementary
12
6,980 students
Middle
6
4,053 students
High
5
4,384 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Lancaster 01
15,417 students · 1 district in Lancaster County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Lancaster 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+
33.6%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
9.1%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.3%
civilian labor
Median age
43
21.6% under 18
Test scores in Lancaster County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 17 schools ranked. South Carolina state average: 59.7%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Harrisburg Elementary· 84.9%
- Indian Land Elementary· 79.3%
- Indian Land Intermediate· 77.9%
- Van Wyck Elementary· 75.8%
- Buford Elementary· 73.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- South Middle· 31.2%
- Erwin Elementary· 31.9%
- Brooklyn Springs Elementary· 34.8%
- Clinton Elementary· 35.3%
- A. R. Rucker Middle· 38.1%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Land High | Lancaster | High | 09-12 | 1,905 | · |
| Lancaster High | Lancaster | High | 09-12 | 1,390 | · |
| Indian Land Intermediate | Indian Land | Middle | 05-06 | 1,181 | · |
| Harrisburg Elementary | Indian Land | Elementary | PK-04 | 1,161 | · |
| Indian Land Middle | Indian Land | Middle | 07-08 | 1,102 | · |
| Indian Land Elementary | Indian Land | Elementary | KG-04 | 1,042 | · |
| Van Wyck Elementary | Lancaster | Elementary | PK-04 | 820 | · |
| Buford Elementary | Lancaster | Elementary | PK-05 | 792 | · |
| North Elementary | Lancaster | Elementary | PK-05 | 645 | · |
| Andrew Jackson High | Kershaw | High | 09-12 | 557 | · |
| Buford High | Lancaster | High | 09-12 | 532 | · |
| Kershaw Elementary | Kershaw | Elementary | PK-05 | 512 | · |
| Andrew Jackson Middle | Kershaw | Middle | 06-08 | 480 | · |
| A. R. Rucker Middle | Lancaster | Middle | 06-08 | 477 | · |
| South Middle | Lancaster | Middle | 06-08 | 439 | · |
| Erwin Elementary | Lancaster | Elementary | PK-05 | 418 | · |
| Clinton Elementary | Lancaster | Elementary | PK-05 | 412 | · |
| Brooklyn Springs Elementary | Lancaster | Elementary | PK-05 | 398 | · |
| Buford Middle | Lancaster | Middle | 06-08 | 374 | · |
| McDonald Green Elementary | Lancaster | Elementary | PK-05 | 337 | · |
| Heath Springs Elementary | Heath Springs | Elementary | PK-05 | 297 | · |
| Discovery Charter of Lancaster | Lancaster | Elementary | KG-05 | 146 | · |
| Lancaster County School District Career Center | Lancaster | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Lancaster County
About Lancaster County
Lancaster County is a middle-population South Carolina county of about 104,475 residents, home to 23 public schools and roughly 15,417 students.
For perspective, census numbers show the median household earns about $78,869 a year, about 34% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 9% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 34% above the South Carolina median.
In terms of grade levels, Lancaster County is built around 12 elementary schools (6,980 students), 6 middle schools (4,053), and 5 high schools (4,384).
The largest single district in Lancaster County is Lancaster 01, which alone enrolls about 15,417 students.
Five-year track record. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment climbed 16%: 13,247 students in SY 2017-18 versus 15,417 in SY 2024-25. The school count climbed from 20 to 22 across the same 7-year window. On the demographic side, White enrollment moved from 60% to 52% over the same window.
On this page, the community for Lancaster County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
Lancaster County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data