Total enrollment
2,670
+11 (+0%) vs SY 2017-18
Jefferson County
Washington · Public K-12
Combined enrollment across Jefferson County's 13 public schools is roughly 2,670 students, an average of about 205 per campus. Port Townsend School District runs the largest share. That works out to 6 elementary, 1 middle, and 3 high schools.
7-year change in Jefferson County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
12
-3 (-20%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
76%
was 81%
% Hispanic
11%
was 8%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
2%
was 2%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
13
5 districts
Enrollment
2,670
NCES CCD
Median income
$74,048
Below Washington avg
Free/reduced lunch
49.2%
Below Washington avg
Elementary
6
1,414 students
Middle
1
222 students
High
3
634 students
Combined / other
3
400 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Port Townsend School District
1,277 students · 5 districts in Jefferson County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Jefferson 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+
43.9%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.3%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
6.6%
civilian labor
Median age
60
11.2% under 18
Test scores in Jefferson County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 7 schools ranked. Washington state average: 58.4%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Port Townsend High School· 82.1%
- Brinnon Elementary· 67.3%
- Chimacum Junior/Senior High School· 54.9%
- Salish Coast Elementary· 52.2%
- Blue Heron Middle School· 42.8%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Quilcene High And Elementary· 36.2%
- Chimacum Elementary School· 39.3%
- Blue Heron Middle School· 42.8%
- Salish Coast Elementary· 52.2%
- Chimacum Junior/Senior High School· 54.9%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salish Coast Elementary | Port Townsend | Elementary | PK-05 | 528 | · |
| Port Townsend High School | Port Townsend | High | 09-12 | 383 | · |
| Partnership for Excellence in Alternative Remote Learning | Quilcene | Elementary | KG-08 | 373 | · |
| Chimacum Elementary School | Chimacum | Elementary | 02-06 | 257 | · |
| Chimacum Junior/Senior High School | Chimacum | High | 07-12 | 251 | · |
| Blue Heron Middle School | Port Townsend | Middle | 06-08 | 222 | · |
| Quilcene High And Elementary | Quilcene | Combined | PK-12 | 207 | · |
| Chimacum Creek Primary School | Port Hadlock | Elementary | PK-01 | 147 | · |
| OCEAN | Port Townsend | Combined | KG-12 | 144 | · |
| Brinnon Elementary | Brinnon | Elementary | KG-08 | 72 | · |
| PI Program | Chimacum | Combined | KG-12 | 49 | · |
| Queets-Clearwater Elementary | Forks | Elementary | KG-08 | 37 | · |
| Open Doors Reengagement Program | Chimacum | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Jefferson County
About Jefferson County
Jefferson County is a small county of about 33,577 residents in Washington. Its public-school system educates approximately 2,670 students across 13 schools.
Zooming out, census numbers show median household income runs near $74,048, 44% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 6%. That income level is 6% meaningfully below the Washington median.
In terms of grade levels, Jefferson County covers 6 elementary schools (1,414 students), 1 middle school (222), 3 high schools (634), and 3 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Jefferson County is Port Townsend School District, which alone enrolls about 1,277 students.
Trend over the past 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment remained close to its prior level: 2,659 students in SY 2017-18 versus 2,670 in SY 2024-25. Over that span, Jefferson County shed 3 schools, going from 15 to 12. The White share of public-school enrollment contracted from 81% to 76%.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Jefferson County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
Jefferson County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data