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Thurston County

Washington · Public K-12

Parents in Thurston County researching K-12 options have 86 public schools to consider, with combined enrollment near 44,412 (45 elementary, 16 middle, and 21 high).

7-year change in Thurston County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
44,412
+836 (+2%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
84
+3 (+4%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
55%
was 63%
% Hispanic
20%
was 16%
% Black
4%
was 3%
% Asian
5%
was 5%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
86
12 districts
Enrollment
44,412
NCES CCD
Median income
$96,563
Above Washington avg
Free/reduced lunch
43.5%
Below Washington avg
Elementary
45
19,130 students
Middle
16
8,984 students
High
21
13,477 students
Combined / other
4
2,821 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
North Thurston Public Schools
15,167 students · 12 districts in Thurston County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Thurston 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
72%
Hispanic
11%
Black
3%
Asian
6%
Two or more
13%
Native American
1%
Pacific Islander
1%
School enrollment
White
55%
Hispanic
20%
Black
3%
Asian
5%
Two or more
12%
Native American
1%
Pacific Islander
2%
Bachelor's+
38.5%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.4%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.2%
civilian labor
Median age
40
20.9% under 18

Test scores in Thurston County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 68 schools ranked. Washington state average: 58.4%.

See all 68 schools in Thurston County ranked by score →

All schools (86)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
Washington Connections Academy GoldendaleLacyCombinedKG-122,121·
Olympia High SchoolOlympiaHigh09-121,901·
Yelm High School 12YelmHigh09-121,693·
River Ridge High SchoolLaceyHigh09-121,547·
Timberline High SchoolLaceyHigh09-121,401·
North Thurston High SchoolLaceyHigh09-121,378·
Capital High SchoolOlympiaHigh09-121,322·
Tumwater High SchoolTumwaterHigh09-121,117·
Nisqually Middle SchoolLaceyMiddle06-08789·
Mountain View ElementaryLaceyElementaryPK-05776·
Meadows ElementaryLaceyElementaryPK-05765·
George Bush Middle SchoolTumwaterMiddle06-08762·
A G West Black Hills High SchoolTumwaterHigh09-12753·
Chinook Middle SchoolLaceyMiddle06-08746·
Salish Middle SchoolLaceyMiddle06-08745·
Washington Middle SchoolOlympiaMiddle06-08702·
Southworth ElementaryYelmElementaryPK-05671·
Tumwater Middle SchoolTumwaterMiddle06-08665·
Yelm Middle SchoolYelmMiddle06-08652·
Komachin Middle SchoolLaceyMiddle06-08640·
Rochester High SchoolRochesterHigh09-12608·
Peter G Schmidt ElementaryTumwaterElementaryPK-05606·
Washington Connections Academy - Mary M. KnightTumwaterElementaryKG-08600·
South Bay ElementaryLaceyElementaryPK-05595·
Griffin SchoolOlympiaElementaryPK-08585·
Horizons ElementaryLaceyElementaryKG-05580·
East Olympia ElementaryOlympiaElementaryPK-05579·
Ridgeline Middle SchoolYelmMiddle06-08568·
Pleasant Glade ElementaryLaceyElementaryPK-05559·
Olympic View ElementaryLaceyElementaryKG-05552·
Rochester Middle SchoolRochesterMiddle06-08535·
Grand Mound ElementaryRochesterElementary03-05507·
Lydia Hawk ElementaryLaceyElementaryKG-05496·
Lakes Elementary SchoolLaceyElementaryKG-05495·
Rainier Elementary SchoolRainierElementaryPK-05493·
Chambers Prairie Elementary SchoolLaceyElementaryKG-05490·
Rochester Primary SchoolRochesterElementaryPK-02488·
Thurgood Marshall Middle SchoolOlympiaMiddle06-08469·
Fort Stevens ElementaryYelmElementaryPK-05462·
Jefferson Middle SchoolOlympiaMiddle06-08462·
Woodland ElementaryLaceyElementaryPK-05458·
Michael T Simmons ElementaryTumwaterElementaryPK-05457·
Evergreen Forest ElementaryLaceyElementaryKG-05442·
Centennial ElementaryOlympiaElementaryPK-05434·
Seven Oaks ElementaryLaceyElementaryPK-05428·
Yelm Prairie ElementaryYelmElementaryPK-05427·
Julia Butler Hansen ElementaryOlympiaElementaryPK-05412·
McLane Elementary SchoolOlympiaElementaryPK-05407·
Tumwater Hill ElementaryTumwaterElementaryPK-05400·
Reeves Middle SchoolOlympiaMiddle06-08394·
Pioneer Elementary SchoolOlympiaElementaryPK-05384·
Tenino High SchoolTeninoHigh09-12383·
Black Lake ElementaryOlympiaElementaryKG-05382·
Mill Pond Elementary SchoolYelmElementaryPK-05374·
Lacey ElementaryLaceyElementaryKG-05368·
Summit VIrtual AcademyLaceyCombinedKG-12355·
Olympia Regional Learning AcademyOlympiaCombinedKG-12345·
ESD 113 Consortium Reengagement ProgramTumwaterHigh11-12344·
Littlerock Elementary SchoolOlympiaElementaryPK-05343·
Roosevelt Elementary SchoolOlympiaElementaryKG-05340·
Leland P Brown ElementaryOlympiaElementaryKG-05328·
Aspire Middle SchoolLaceyMiddle06-08323·
McKenny ElementaryOlympiaElementaryPK-05322·
Parkside ElementaryTeninoElementaryPK-02316·
Garfield Elementary SchoolOlympiaElementaryPK-05314·
Lincoln Elementary SchoolOlympiaElementaryKG-05300·
Tenino Elementary SchoolTeninoElementary03-05293·
Tenino Middle SchoolTeninoMiddle06-08291·
Lackamas ElementaryYelmElementaryPK-05290·
Rainier Senior High SchoolRainierHigh09-12283·
Rainier Middle SchoolRainierMiddle06-08241·
Madison Elementary SchoolOlympiaElementaryPK-05203·
Boston Harbor ElementaryOlympiaElementaryPK-05178·
Avanti High SchoolOlympiaHigh09-12167·
Envision Career AcademyLaceyHigh09-12139·
Cascadia High SchoolTumwaterHigh08-12134·
Wa He Lut Indian SchoolOlympiaElementaryKG-08131·
Yelm Extension SchoolYelmHigh09-12116·
Ignite Family AcademyLaceyElementaryKG-08100·
New Market Skills CenterTumwaterHigh11-1286·
New Market High SchoolTumwaterHigh10-1261·
H.e.a.r.t. High SchoolRochesterHigh09-1237·
Thurs Co Juv Det/Tumwater West ETumwaterHigh06-125·
TouchstoneOlympiaHigh06-122·
Rochester Virtual AcademyRochesterCombinedM-M··
Tumwater Virtual AcademyTumwaterElementaryM-M··

Cities in Thurston County

Lacey24 schoolsOlympia18 schoolsTumwater14 schoolsYelm9 schoolsOlympia7 schoolsRochester6 schoolsTenino4 schoolsRainier3 schoolsLacy1 school

About Thurston County

Across the broad Washington county of Thurston County of about 299,067 residents, the public-school footprint covers 86 schools and about 44,412 students.

For perspective, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $96,563, about 39% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate is around 6%. That income level is 22% noticeably above the Washington median.

Looking at the level breakdown, Thurston County spans 45 elementary schools (19,130 students), 16 middle schools (8,984), 21 high schools (13,477), and 4 combined or other schools.

The largest single district in Thurston County is North Thurston Public Schools, which alone enrolls about 15,167 students.

Trend over the past 7 years. Total public-school enrollment in Thurston County has held roughly steady since SY 2017-18, moving from about 43,576 students to 44,412. The school count climbed from 81 to 84 across the same 7-year window. On the demographic side, White enrollment moved from 63% to 55% over the same window.

On allk12, the community for Thurston County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.

Frequently asked questions

How many K-12 schools serve Thurston County?
There are 86 public K-12 schools in Thurston County, Washington, with a combined enrollment of about 44,412.
How many high schools are in Thurston County?
Thurston County, Washington has 21 public high schools, serving approximately 13,477 students.
How many middle schools are in Thurston County?
Thurston County, Washington has 16 public middle schools, serving approximately 8,984 students.
How many elementary schools are in Thurston County?
Thurston County, Washington has 45 public elementary schools, serving approximately 19,130 students.
What is the largest school district in Thurston County?
North Thurston Public Schools is the largest school district in Thurston County, serving approximately 15,167 students. The county contains 12 school districts overall.
What is the population of Thurston County?
Thurston County, Washington has a population of approximately 299,067, with a median age of 40. About 20.9% of residents are under 18.
What is the median household income in Thurston County?
Median household income in Thurston County is $96,563, above the Washington average of $79,106. About 6.4% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Thurston County?
Approximately 38.5% of adults 25 and older in Thurston County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Thurston County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 43.5% of students in Thurston 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 Thurston County schools?
Across Thurston County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 19.3 to 1.

Thurston County school rankings

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