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Benton County

Washington · Public K-12

Across 69 public schools, Benton County, Washington serves roughly 38,191 K-12 students, roughly 1 in 6 residents. By grade band, the county runs 36 elementary, 12 middle, and 17 high schools.

4-year change in Benton County

SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
38,191
+1,906 (+5%) vs SY 2020-21
School count
66
+2 (+3%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages

How Benton County ranks

Among counties
MeasureThis countyIn WashingtonIn the US
Enrollment
ranked largest first
38,191#8 of 37#279 of 2,745
Number of schools
ranked most first
66#10 of 37N/A
Students per teacher
ranked fewest first
18.8:1#37 of 37#2,517 of 2,655
Free or reduced-price lunch share
ranked highest first
48.5%#26 of 37#1,696 of 2,526
Diversity index
ranked most diverse first
58.0%#11 of 36#678 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.

Benton County school rankings

Largest schoolsAll rankings →
Residents
212,905
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
69
6 districts
Enrollment
38,191
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$89,874
Above Washington avg
Free/reduced lunch
48.5%
Below Washington avg
Elementary
36
16,405 students
Middle
12
8,218 students
High
17
11,970 students
Combined / other
4
1,598 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Kennewick School District
18,826 students · 6 districts in Benton County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Benton 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
70%
Hispanic
26%
Black
2%
Asian
3%
Two or more
15%
Native American
1%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
51%
Hispanic
39%
Black
2%
Asian
2%
Two or more
5%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
33.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
8.2%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.3%
civilian labor
Median age
36
26.1% under 18

All schools (69)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
Richland High SchoolRichlandHigh09-122,218·
Hanford High SchoolRichlandHigh09-121,959·
Kamiakin High SchoolKennewickHigh09-121,956·
Kennewick High SchoolKennewickHigh09-121,921·
Southridge High SchoolKennewickHigh09-121,612·
Chinook Middle SchoolKennewickMiddle06-08950·
Desert Hills Middle SchoolKennewickMiddle06-08906·
Amistad Elementary SchoolKennewickElementaryPK-05878·
Prosser High SchoolProsserHigh09-12877·
Horse Heaven Hills Middle SchoolKennewickMiddle06-08856·
Leona Libby Middle SchoolWest RichlandMiddle06-08805·
Carmichael Middle SchoolRichlandMiddle06-08791·
Three Rivers Home LinkRichlandCombinedKG-12756·
Enterprise Middle SchoolWest RichlandMiddle06-08745·
Highlands Middle SchoolKennewickMiddle06-08745·
Park Middle SchoolKennewickMiddle06-08688·
Chief Joseph Middle SchoolRichlandMiddle06-08659·
White Bluffs Elementary SchoolRichlandElementaryPK-05653·
Fuerza ElementaryKennewickElementaryPK-05629·
Kiona-Benton City ElementaryBenton CityElementaryPK-05620·
Badger Mountain ElementaryRichlandElementaryKG-05605·
Amon Creek ElementaryRichlandElementaryPK-05594·
Orchard ElementaryRichlandElementaryPK-05594·
Housel Middle SchoolProsserMiddle06-08529·
Jason Lee Elementary SchoolRichlandElementaryPK-05518·
Cascade Elementary SchoolKennewickElementaryKG-05509·
Sage Crest ElementaryKennewickElementaryKG-05509·
Mid-Columbia Parent PartnershipKennewickCombinedKG-12503·
William Wiley Elementary SchoolWest RichlandElementaryKG-05493·
Cottonwood ElementaryKennewickElementaryKG-05474·
Sacajawea ElementaryRichlandElementaryKG-05474·
Lewis & Clark Elementary SchoolRichlandElementaryPK-05471·
Ridge View Elementary SchoolKennewickElementaryKG-05471·
Eastgate Elementary SchoolKennewickElementaryPK-05468·
Marcus Whitman ElementaryRichlandElementaryKG-05467·
Tapteal Elementary SchoolWest RichlandElementaryPK-05458·
Desert Sky ElementaryWest RichlandElementaryKG-05441·
Kiona-Benton City High SchoolBenton CityHigh09-12435·
Lincoln Elementary SchoolKennewickElementaryKG-05427·
Westgate Elementary SchoolKennewickElementaryPK-05426·
Jefferson ElementaryRichlandElementaryPK-05418·
Hawthorne Elementary SchoolKennewickElementaryKG-05417·
Southgate Elementary SchoolKennewickElementaryKG-05416·
Prosser Heights ElementaryProsserElementaryKG-05412·
Sunset View Elementary SchoolKennewickElementaryKG-05411·
Vista Elementary SchoolKennewickElementaryKG-05409·
Keene-Riverview ElementaryProsserElementaryPK-02407·
Washington Elementary SchoolKennewickElementaryKG-05405·
Edison Elementary SchoolKennewickElementaryPK-05378·
Finley ElementaryKennewickElementaryPK-05367·
Canyon View Elementary SchoolKennewickElementaryKG-05347·
Kiona-Benton City Middle SchoolBenton CityMiddle06-08340·
Pacific Crest Online AcademyWest RichlandCombinedKG-12325·
River View High SchoolKennewickHigh09-12321·
Richland School District Early Learning CenterRichlandElementaryPK-PK301·
Whitstran ElementaryProsserElementaryKG-05261·
Rivers Edge High SchoolRichlandHigh09-12245·
Finley Middle SchoolKennewickMiddle06-08204·
Legacy High SchoolKennewickHigh06-12193·
Keewaydin Discovery CenterKennewickElementaryPK-PK143·
Paterson Elementary SchoolPatersonElementaryKG-08134·
Endeavor High SchoolKennewickHigh09-1293·
Phoenix High SchoolKennewickHigh09-1258·
Prosser Opportunity AcademyProsserHigh09-1248·
Benton/Franklin Juvenile Justice CenterKennewickHigh06-1234·
Special ProgramsWest RichlandCombinedPK-1214·
Benton County JailKennewickHigh09-120·
Tri-Tech Skills CenterKennewickHigh09-120·
Twin Rivers Group HomeRichlandHigh09-120·

Cities in Benton County

Kennewick27 schoolsRichland16 schoolsKennewick8 schoolsWest Richland7 schoolsProsser5 schoolsBenton City3 schoolsPaterson1 schoolProsser1 schoolRichland1 school

About Benton County

Benton County is a mid-sized county of about 212,905 residents in Washington. Its public-school system hosts approximately 38,191 students across 69 schools.

For perspective, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $89,874, about 33% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 14% above the Washington median.

On the level-by-level breakdown, Benton County comprises 36 elementary schools (16,405 students), 12 middle schools (8,218), 17 high schools (11,970), and 4 combined or other schools.

The largest single district in Benton County is Kennewick School District, which alone enrolls about 18,826 students.

Looking at the last 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment rose 5%: 36,285 students in SY 2020-21 versus 38,191 in SY 2024-25. The school count climbed from 64 to 66 across the same 4-year window.

Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Benton County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.

Frequently asked questions

How many K-12 schools serve Benton County?
There are 69 public K-12 schools in Benton County, Washington, with a combined enrollment of about 38,191.
How many high schools are in Benton County?
Benton County, Washington has 17 public high schools, serving approximately 11,970 students.
How many middle schools are in Benton County?
Benton County, Washington has 12 public middle schools, serving approximately 8,218 students.
How many elementary schools are in Benton County?
Benton County, Washington has 36 public elementary schools, serving approximately 16,405 students.
What is the largest school district in Benton County?
Kennewick School District is the largest school district in Benton County, serving approximately 18,826 students. The county contains 6 school districts overall.
What is the population of Benton County?
Benton County, Washington has a population of approximately 212,905, with a median age of 36. About 26.1% of residents are under 18.
What is the median household income in Benton County?
Median household income in Benton County is $89,874, above the Washington average of $79,106. About 8.2% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Benton County?
Approximately 33.2% of adults 25 and older in Benton County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Benton County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 48.5% of students in Benton County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is lower than the Washington county average of 53.8%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Benton County schools?
Across Benton County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 19.9 to 1.
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data