Total enrollment
14,608
-2,184 (-13%) vs SY 2017-18
Sumter County
South Carolina · Public K-12
Sumter County reports 27 public K-12 schools to NCES, against a population of 104,725, with an average school size of 541 students. By grade band, the county runs 16 elementary, 6 middle, and 5 high schools.
7-year change in Sumter County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
26
-1 (-4%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
25%
was 30%
% Hispanic
7%
was 4%
% Black
63%
was 62%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
27
3 districts
Enrollment
14,608
NCES CCD
Median income
$56,693
Below South Carolina avg
Free/reduced lunch
·
Enrollment-weighted
Elementary
16
7,341 students
Middle
6
3,020 students
High
5
4,247 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Sumter 01
13,871 students · 3 districts in Sumter County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Sumter 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+
23.5%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
12.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
6.9%
civilian labor
Median age
38
23.7% under 18
Test scores in Sumter County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 21 schools ranked. South Carolina state average: 59.7%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Alice Drive Elementary· 71.0%
- Liberty STEAM Charter School· 62.4%
- Shaw Heights Elementary· 60.5%
- Millwood Elementary· 57.5%
- Alice Drive Middle· 56.1%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Rafting Creek Elementary· 19.5%
- R. E. Davis College Preparatory Academy· 28.7%
- Chestnut Oaks Middle· 30.6%
- Lemira Elementary· 30.7%
- Cherryvale Elementary· 31.4%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sumter High School | Sumter | High | 09-12 | 2,122 | · |
| Crestwood High | Sumter | High | 09-12 | 1,105 | · |
| Lakewood High | Sumter | High | 09-12 | 1,013 | · |
| Alice Drive Middle | Sumter | Middle | 06-08 | 783 | · |
| Liberty STEAM Charter School | Sumter | Elementary | KG-04 | 730 | · |
| Furman Middle | Sumter | Middle | 06-08 | 700 | · |
| Pocalla Springs Elementary | Sumter | Elementary | PK-05 | 609 | · |
| Millwood Elementary | Sumter | Elementary | PK-05 | 602 | · |
| Alice Drive Elementary | Sumter | Elementary | PK-05 | 530 | · |
| Oakland Primary | Sumter | Elementary | PK-01 | 520 | · |
| Kingsbury Elementary | Sumter | Elementary | PK-05 | 514 | · |
| Willow Drive Elementary | Sumter | Elementary | PK-05 | 504 | · |
| Bates Middle | Sumter | Middle | 06-08 | 481 | · |
| Crosswell Drive Elementary | Sumter | Elementary | PK-05 | 481 | · |
| Cherryvale Elementary | Sumter | Elementary | PK-05 | 477 | · |
| High Hills Elementary | Shaw Air Force Base | Elementary | 04-05 | 435 | · |
| Shaw Heights Elementary | Shaw Air Force Base | Elementary | 02-03 | 404 | · |
| R. E. Davis College Preparatory Academy | Sumter | Elementary | PK-08 | 391 | · |
| Manchester Elementary | Pinewood | Elementary | PK-05 | 378 | · |
| Hillcrest Middle | Dalzell | Middle | 06-08 | 365 | · |
| Ebenezer Middle | Sumter | Middle | 06-08 | 352 | · |
| Lemira Elementary | Sumter | Elementary | PK-05 | 342 | · |
| Chestnut Oaks Middle | Sumter | Middle | 06-08 | 339 | · |
| Wilder Elementary | Sumter | Elementary | PK-05 | 299 | · |
| Rafting Creek Elementary | Rembert | Elementary | PK-05 | 125 | · |
| Lewis High | Rembert | High | 09-12 | 7 | · |
| Sumter Career and Technology Center | Sumter | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Sumter County
About Sumter County
Across the middle-population South Carolina county of Sumter County of about 104,725 residents, the public-school footprint covers 27 schools and about 14,608 students.
In context, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $56,693, roughly 24% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the federal-poverty share is near 13%.
Looking at the level breakdown, Sumter County comprises 16 elementary schools (7,341 students), 6 middle schools (3,020), and 5 high schools (4,247).
Sumter 01 is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 13,871 students across Sumter County.
Five-year track record. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment fell 13%: 16,792 students in SY 2017-18 versus 14,608 in SY 2024-25. The school count fell from 27 to 26 across the same 7-year window. On the demographic side, White enrollment moved from 30% to 25% over the same window.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Sumter County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
Sumter County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data