King County

Washington · Public K-12

On the public-school side, King County (Washington) totals 544 K-12 schools and roughly 278,492 students. Median household income is around $124,746. The level mix is 309 elementary, 80 middle, and 114 high schools.

4-year change in King County

SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25

Total enrollment

278,470

-2,466 (-1%) vs SY 2020-21

School count

508

+5 (+1%) vs SY 2020-21

Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages

How King County ranks

Among counties

Measure	This county	In Washington	In the US
State test proficiency ranked highest first	53.3%	#2 of 26	N/A
Enrollment ranked largest first	278,492	#1 of 37	#15 of 2,745
Number of schools ranked most first	509	#1 of 37	N/A
Students per teacher ranked fewest first	18.0:1	#28 of 37	#2,448 of 2,655
Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first	37.9%	#35 of 37	#2,173 of 2,526
Diversity index ranked most diverse first	76.2%	#1 of 36	#12 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.

King County school rankings

Largest schools All rankings →

Residents

2,287,171

all ages · ACS 5-yr

Schools

544

31 districts

Enrollment

278,492

students · NCES CCD

Median income

$124,746

Above Washington avg

Free/reduced lunch

37.9%

Below Washington avg

Elementary

309

126,113 students

Middle

57,323 students

High

114

90,733 students

Combined / other

4,323 students

LARGEST DISTRICT

Seattle School District No. 1

50,773 students · 31 districts in King County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of King 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

55%

Hispanic

11%

Black

Asian

21%

Two or more

12%

Native American

Pacific Islander

School enrollment

White

36%

Hispanic

20%

Black

Asian

22%

Two or more

10%

Native American

Pacific Islander

Bachelor's+

56.7%

adults 25+

Poverty rate

5.2%

ACS 5-year

Unemployment

4.8%

civilian labor

Median age

19.5% under 18

Test scores in King County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 409 schools ranked. Washington state average: 58.4%.

Top 5 schools (ELA)

Lowest 5 schools (ELA)

Midway Elementary· 14.3%
Glacier Middle School· 14.7%
Mill Creek Middle School· 14.7%
River Ridge Elementary· 15.2%
Meadow Ridge Elementary School· 15.3%

See all 409 schools in King County ranked by score →

All schools (544)

Largest A-Z Top rated

Name	City	Level	Grades	Enrollment	Rating
Skykomish High School	Skykomish	High	09-12	13	·
Snoqualmie Access	Snoqualmie	Combined	PK-12	12	·
Contractual Schools	Redmond	Combined	PK-12	10	·
Highline Home School Center	Burien	Combined	KG-12	10	·
Out Of District Facility	Renton	Combined	PK-12	10	·
Open Doors at LWIT	Kirkland	High	11-12	5	·
Woodinville Community Center	Bothell	High	10-12	5	·
Puget Sound Skills Center	Seattle	High	10-12	3	·
Fircrest Residential Habilitation	Shoreline	Combined	KG-12	1	·
Bear Creek Elementary	Woodinville	Elementary	PK-05	0	·
Birth to Age 2	Kent	Elementary	PK-PK	0	·
Birth to Three Development Center	Federal Way	Elementary	PK-PK	0	·
Career Link	Seattle	High	09-12	0	·
Choice	Carnation	High	07-10	0	·
Dropout Prevention and Reengagement Academy	Renton	High	09-12	0	·
Dynamic Family Services	Kent	Combined	PK-12	0	·
Federal Way Public Schools Headstart	Federal Way	Elementary	PK-PK	0	·
Futures School	Kirkland	High	09-12	0	·
Gateway to College	Des Moines	High	09-12	0	·
Gateway to College	Burien	High	10-12	0	·
Griffin Home	Renton	High	06-12	0	·
Head Start	Seattle	Elementary	PK-PK	0	·
Northshore Family Partnership	Woodinville	Elementary	KG-08	0	·
Northshore Networks	Woodinville	Combined	KG-12	0	·
Puget Sound High School	Burien	High	09-12	0	·
Ready Start Preschool	Redmond	Elementary	PK-PK	0	·
Regional Justice Center	Kent	High	09-12	0	·
Renton Remote School	Renton	Combined	KG-12	0	·
Renton Technical College	Renton	High	09-12	0	·
Residential Consortium	Seattle	Combined	PK-12	0	·
Satellite High School	Seattle	Combined	PK-12	0	·
Seattle Skills Center	Seattle	High	09-12	0	·
Southern Heights Elementary	Seattle	Elementary	PK-05	0	·
Southwest Youth and Family Services	Seattle	High	09-12	0	·
Tahoma Open Doors	Maple Valley	High	09-12	0	·
Tukwila Online Learning	Tukwila	High	06-12	0	·
Auburn Online	Auburn	Combined	M-M	·	·
Cascade Parent Partnership Program	Seattle	Combined	M-M	·	·
Eagle Rock Multiage School	Duvall	Combined	M-M	·	·
Eastgate Elementary School	Bellevue	Combined	M-M	·	·
SNOQUALMIE VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT OPEN DOORS	Snoqualmie	Combined	M-M	·	·
Sammamish River Valley Online School	Redmond	Combined	M-M	·	·
West Auburn Senior High School	Auburn	Combined	M-M	·	·
Wilburton Elementary School	Bellevue	Combined	M-M	·	·

Cities in King County

Seattle94 schools Seattle42 schools Kent33 schools Renton33 schools Bellevue30 schools Auburn27 schools Kirkland27 schools Redmond24 schools Federal Way20 schools Shoreline16 schools Burien13 schools Federal Way13 schools Woodinville12 schools Sammamish10 schools Des Moines9 schools Enumclaw9 schools Issaquah9 schools Auburn8 schools Bothell8 schools Covington8 schools Maple Valley8 schools Seatac8 schools Carnation6 schools Issaquah6 schools Mercer Island6 schools Renton6 schools Snoqualmie6 schools Kenmore5 schools Tukwila5 schools Sammamish4 schools Snoqualmie4 schools Vashon4 schools Bellevue3 schools Duvall3 schools Kent3 schools Newcastle3 schools Black Diamond2 schools Fall City2 schools Lake Forest Park2 schools North Bend2 schools Skykomish2 schools Des Moines1 school Medina1 school Normandy Park1 school North Bend1 school Pacific1 school Ravensdale1 school Redmond1 school Tukwila1 school Vashon1 school

About King County

King County is a broad county of about 2,287,171 residents in Washington. Its public-school system educates approximately 278,492 students across 544 schools.

Looking at the wider area, census numbers show the median household earns about $124,746 a year, 57% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 5%. That income level is 58% above the Washington median.

Looking at the level breakdown, King County covers 309 elementary schools (126,113 students), 80 middle schools (57,323), 114 high schools (90,733), and 41 combined or other schools.

Seattle School District No. 1 dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 50,773 students on its own.

Looking at the last 4 years. Total public-school enrollment in King County has remained close to its prior level since SY 2020-21, moving from about 280,936 students to 278,470. The school count climbed from 503 to 508 across the same 4-year window.

On this page, the community for King County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.

Frequently asked questions

How many K-12 schools serve King County?

There are 544 public K-12 schools in King County, Washington, with a combined enrollment of about 278,492.

How many high schools are in King County?

King County, Washington has 114 public high schools, serving approximately 90,733 students.

How many middle schools are in King County?

King County, Washington has 80 public middle schools, serving approximately 57,323 students.

How many elementary schools are in King County?

King County, Washington has 309 public elementary schools, serving approximately 126,113 students.

What is the largest school district in King County?

Seattle School District No. 1 is the largest school district in King County, serving approximately 50,773 students. The county contains 31 school districts overall.

What is the population of King County?

King County, Washington has a population of approximately 2,287,171, with a median age of 37. About 19.5% of residents are under 18.

What is the median household income in King County?

Median household income in King County is $124,746, above the Washington average of $79,106. About 5.2% of residents live below the federal poverty line.

How educated are residents of King County?

Approximately 56.7% of adults 25 and older in King County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.

What share of students in King County qualify for free or reduced lunch?

Roughly 37.9% of students in King 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 King County schools?

Across King County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 19.1 to 1.

DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data