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Harris County

Texas · Public K-12

On the public-school side, Harris County (Texas) totals 1,205 K-12 campuses and roughly 886,911 students. Median household income is around $74,983. By grade band, the county runs 715 elementary, 228 middle, and 235 high schools.

7-year change in Harris County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
885,618
-12,290 (-1%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
1,150
+64 (+6%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
14%
was 17%
% Hispanic
58%
was 56%
% Black
19%
was 19%
% Asian
5%
was 5%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
1,205
82 districts
Enrollment
886,911
NCES CCD
Median income
$74,983
Above Texas avg
Free/reduced lunch
70.4%
Above Texas avg
Elementary
715
415,876 students
Middle
228
182,138 students
High
235
272,105 students
Combined / other
27
16,792 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
HOUSTON ISD
176,727 students · 82 districts in Harris County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Harris 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
White
34%
Hispanic
44%
Black
19%
Asian
7%
Two or more
24%
Native American
1%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
14%
Hispanic
58%
Black
19%
Asian
5%
Two or more
3%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
34.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
13.1%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
6.7%
civilian labor
Median age
35
25.9% under 18

Test scores in Harris County

Latest 2023-24 ELA proficiency, 1,003 schools ranked. Texas state average: 52.7%.

Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
  1. CARAWAY EL· 13.0%
  2. JOHNSON EL· 16.0%
  3. BLOOM ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL· 17.0%
  4. REVE PREPARATORY CHARTER SCHOOL· 17.0%
  5. SMITH EL· 18.0%

See all 1,003 schools in Harris County ranked by score →

All schools (1,205)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
H S FOR LAW AND JUSTICEHoustonHigh09-12391·
SPRING EARLY COLLEGE ACADEMYHoustonHigh09-12391·
THOMAS MIDDLEHoustonMiddle06-08391·
THORNWOOD ELHoustonElementaryPK-05391·
GOLDEN ACRES ELPasadenaElementaryPK-04390·
GROSS ELHoustonElementaryPK-05390·
FARIAS EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERHoustonElementaryPK-KG389·
DEDRE' & ELLA JEFFERSON EARLY LEARNING CENTERHoustonElementaryPK-PK388·
EDISON MIDDLEHoustonMiddle06-08388·
MEMORIAL DRIVE ELHoustonElementaryPK-05388·
MCGOWEN ELHoustonElementaryPK-05386·
ROOSEVELT ELHoustonElementaryPK-05385·
HARRIS R P ELHoustonElementaryPK-05383·
FREEMAN ELHoustonElementaryPK-04382·
GARDENS ELPasadenaElementaryPK-04382·
KETELSEN ELHoustonElementaryPK-05382·
WAINWRIGHT ELHoustonElementaryPK-05382·
MARTINEZ R ELHoustonElementaryPK-05380·
MORALES ELPasadenaElementaryPK-04379·
PARKS ELPasadenaElementaryPK-04379·
SANCHEZ ELHoustonElementaryPK-05378·
MONTGOMERY ELHoustonElementaryPK-05373·
GOLFCREST ELHoustonElementaryPK-05372·
HOUSTON ACADEMYHoustonMiddle05-06372·
BOB HOPE EL SCHOOL-BAYTOWNBaytownElementaryPK-03370·
SPARKS ELPasadenaElementaryPK-04370·
WHIDBY ELHoustonElementaryPK-05369·
KIPP VOYAGE ACADEMY FOR GIRLSHoustonMiddle05-08368·
ALIEF MONTESSORI COMMUNITY SCHOOLHoustonElementaryPK-08367·
EASTWOOD ACADEMYHoustonHigh09-12365·
KELSO ELHoustonElementaryPK-05364·
CLIFTON MIDDLEHoustonMiddle06-08363·
DREW ACADEMYHoustonMiddle07-08363·
GARDEN VILLAS ELHoustonElementaryPK-05363·
THOMPSON ELHoustonElementaryPK-05363·
NORTHLINE ELHoustonElementaryPK-05358·
PETERSEN ELHoustonElementaryPK-05357·
MOORE ELHoustonElementaryPK-04356·
YOUNG WOMENS LEADERSHIP ACADEMYHoustonMiddle06-10355·
THE VARNETT SCHOOL - NORTHEASTHoustonElementaryPK-08354·
LIBERTY H SHoustonHigh09-12352·
WILLIAMS MIDDLEHoustonMiddle06-08352·
GALLEGOS ELHoustonElementaryPK-05351·
BROWNING ELHoustonElementaryPK-05348·
CARRILLO ELHoustonElementaryPK-05346·
FOSTER ELKingwoodElementaryPK-05343·
CODWELL ELHoustonElementaryPK-05342·
HOUSTON CLASSICALHoustonElementaryPK-05342·
FONDREN ELHoustonElementaryPK-05341·
KIPP POLARIS ACADEMY FOR BOYSHoustonMiddle05-08341·
LOVE ELHoustonElementaryPK-05340·
MCMASTERS ELPasadenaElementaryPK-04339·
THOMAS HANCOCK ELHoustonElementaryPK-04336·
ENERGIZED FOR STEM ACADEMY MIDDLEHoustonMiddle06-08335·
MARIA DEL CARMEN MARTINEZ EARLY LEARNING CENTERHoustonElementaryPK-PK335·
FOSTER ELHoustonElementaryPK-05334·
SHADOWBRIAR ELHoustonElementaryPK-05334·
SHEILA LILES EARLY LEARNING ACADEMYBaytownElementaryPK-PK334·
YOUNG ELHoustonElementaryPK-05334·
TIJERINA ELHoustonElementaryPK-05333·
JEFFERSON ELHoustonElementaryPK-05330·
KASHMERE GARDENS ELHoustonElementaryPK-05329·
MISTRAL CENTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOODHoustonElementaryPK-KG329·
ODYSSEY ACADEMY - WEBSTERWebsterElementaryPK-08328·
JESSUP ELHoustonElementaryPK-04326·
WHITTIER ELHoustonElementaryPK-05326·
BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE BIOTECH ACADEMY AT RUSKHoustonMiddle06-08325·
BURNET ELHoustonElementaryKG-05324·
STEP CHARTER IIHoustonElementaryKG-08324·
ODOM ELHoustonElementary01-05322·
RIPLEY HOUSE CHARTER SCHOOLHoustonElementaryPK-05322·
TEXANS CAN ACADEMY - HOUSTON HOBBYDallasHigh09-12322·
SOUTHMAYD ELHoustonElementaryPK-05321·
YELLOWSTONE COLLEGE PREPARATORYHoustonMiddle06-10321·
CAGE ELHoustonElementaryPK-05319·
FLEMING MIDDLEHoustonMiddle06-08319·
THE GRACE ENGLAND EARLY CHILDHOOD/PRE-K CENTERKleinElementaryPK-PK314·
BELLFORT EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERHoustonElementaryPK-KG313·
CULLEN MIDDLEHoustonMiddle06-08310·
BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE ACADEMY AT RYANHoustonMiddle06-08306·
LOCKHART ELHoustonElementaryPK-05306·
EARLY COLLEGE T-STEM ACADEMYHoustonHigh09-12303·
ETOILE ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL-BISSONNETHoustonElementaryKG-07303·
BLOOM ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOLHoustonElementaryKG-05302·
HALPIN EARLY CHILDHOOD CTRHoustonElementaryPK-KG302·
REYNOLDS ELHoustonElementaryPK-05301·
KING EARLY CHILDHOOD CTRHoustonElementaryPK-KG299·
LEO A RIZZUTO ELLa PorteElementaryPK-05299·
JONES FUTURES ACADEMYHoustonHigh09-12298·
MADING ELHoustonElementaryPK-05298·
MCREYNOLDS MIDDLEHoustonMiddle06-08297·
RAYMOND ELHoustonElementary01-05297·
MEYERPARK ELHoustonElementaryPK-08296·
STEP CHARTER ELHoustonElementaryKG-08293·
WESLEY ELHoustonElementaryPK-05291·
GARCIA ELHoustonElementaryPK-05289·
GREGG ELHoustonElementaryPK-05289·
HARRIS J R ELHoustonElementaryPK-05288·
PECK ELHoustonElementaryPK-05288·
HARTSFIELD ELHoustonElementaryPK-05287·

Cities in Harris County

Houston783 schoolsKaty60 schoolsKlein54 schoolsPasadena49 schoolsHumble41 schoolsCypress38 schoolsBaytown29 schoolsTomball24 schoolsSpring21 schoolsKingwood14 schoolsLa Porte13 schoolsChannelview11 schoolsDeer Park11 schoolsCrosby8 schoolsBellaire5 schoolsFriendswood5 schoolsWebster5 schoolsGalena Park4 schoolsHighlands4 schoolsHuffman4 schoolsSeabrook4 schoolsSo Houston4 schoolsThe Woodlands4 schoolsWaller4 schoolsHockley2 schoolsCyress1 schoolDallas1 schoolEl Lago1 schoolSouth Houston1 school

About Harris County

Harris County is a sizable Texas county of about 4,838,303 residents, home to 1205 public schools and roughly 886,911 students.

In context, census numbers show median household income runs near $74,983, about 34% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 13%. That income level is 13% higher than the Texas median.

Looking at the level breakdown, Harris County consists of 715 elementary schools (415,876 students), 228 middle schools (182,138), 235 high schools (272,105), and 27 combined or other schools.

HOUSTON ISD dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 176,727 students on its own.

Five-year track record. Combined enrollment now sits at 885,618 students, remained close to its prior level from the 897,908 reported in SY 2017-18. Harris County now counts 1150 public schools, up from 1086 in SY 2017-18.

On this page, the community for Harris County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.

Frequently asked questions

How many K-12 schools serve Harris County?
There are 1,205 public K-12 schools in Harris County, Texas, with a combined enrollment of about 886,911.
How many high schools are in Harris County?
Harris County, Texas has 235 public high schools, serving approximately 272,105 students.
How many middle schools are in Harris County?
Harris County, Texas has 228 public middle schools, serving approximately 182,138 students.
How many elementary schools are in Harris County?
Harris County, Texas has 715 public elementary schools, serving approximately 415,876 students.
What is the largest school district in Harris County?
HOUSTON ISD is the largest school district in Harris County, serving approximately 176,727 students. The county contains 82 school districts overall.
How many people live in Harris County?
Harris County has roughly 4,838,303 residents according to the latest Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What is the median household income in Harris County?
Median household income in Harris County is $74,983, above the Texas average of $66,482. About 13.1% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Harris County?
Approximately 34.2% of adults 25 and older in Harris County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Harris County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 70.4% of students in Harris County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is higher than the Texas county average of 61.1%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Harris County schools?
Across Harris County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 16.2 to 1.

Harris County school rankings

Largest schoolsAll rankings →
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data