Total enrollment
1,144
+703 (+159%) vs SY 2020-21
Columbia County
Washington · Public K-12
Combined enrollment across Columbia County's 6 public schools is roughly 1,144 students, an average of about 191 per campus. Starbuck School District runs the largest share. That works out to 2 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools.
4-year change in Columbia County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
6
+1 (+20%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Columbia County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Washington | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,144 | #36 of 37 | #2,667 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 6 | #37 of 37 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.0:1 | #1 of 37 | #525 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 23.7% | #37 of 37 | #2,473 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 58.2% | #9 of 36 | #663 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.
Residents
4,014
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
6
2 districts
Enrollment
1,144
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$71,810
Below Washington avg
Free/reduced lunch
23.7%
Below Washington avg
Elementary
2
202 students
Middle
1
93 students
High
2
101 students
Combined / other
1
748 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Starbuck School District
765 students · 2 districts in Columbia County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Columbia 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+
24.9%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
4.1%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.9%
civilian labor
Median age
50
18.0% under 18
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Preparatory Academy of Washington | Starbuck | Combined | KG-12 | 748 | · |
| Dayton Elementary School | Dayton | Elementary | PK-05 | 185 | · |
| Dayton Middle School | Dayton | Middle | 06-08 | 93 | · |
| Dayton High School | Dayton | High | 09-12 | 88 | · |
| Starbuck School | Starbuck | Elementary | KG-08 | 17 | · |
| Dayton School District Alternative Program | Dayton | High | 09-12 | 13 | · |
Cities in Columbia County
About Columbia County
Across the small Washington county of Columbia County of about 4,014 residents, the public-school footprint covers 6 schools and about 1,144 students.
In context, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $71,810, about 25% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 4%. That income level is 9% meaningfully below the Washington median.
For a sense of the school types, Columbia County is built around 2 elementary schools (202 students), 1 middle school (93), 2 high schools (101), and 1 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Columbia County is Starbuck School District, which alone enrolls about 765 students.
Looking at the last 4 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 1,144 students, rose 159% from the 441 reported in SY 2020-21. Columbia County now counts 6 public schools, up from 5 in SY 2020-21.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Columbia County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data