Garfield High School

Garfield High School operates as a high-enrollment secondary school in SEATTLE, Washington, overseen by Seattle School District No. 1. Current enrollment sits at 1,507 students spanning grades 9 through 12. That puts it 163% larger than the typical public school in Washington, which averages around 573 students.

Across the 107 schools in Seattle School District No. 1 (50,773 students total), Garfield High School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Looking at the student body, Garfield High School shows that the largest single group is White at 33%, but no single group is in the majority; the rest consists of 29% Black, 12% multiracial, 12% Asian, 10% Hispanic. By comparison, King County as a whole is about 55% White, so the school skews meaningfully less White than its surroundings.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Garfield High School reports 70 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 21.5:1. The state averages about 21.6:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. About 41% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Garfield High School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 52.6%; this one delivers 53.7%.

Zooming out to the county, the surrounding county (King County) logs that median household income runs about $124,746, 57% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 5% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, King County runs 544 public schools (combined enrollment of about 278,492 students), of which Garfield High School is one.

The closest other public school is Nova High School, roughly 0.2 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Garfield High School. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Garfield High School at 1st of 6; the average score across the group is 42.3%.

The campus sits in a downtown setting.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Garfield High School has fell 19%, going from 1,857 students in 2018 to 1,507 in 2025. The White share of enrollment edged down from 43% to 33% over that span.

On the community side, members of the Garfield High School community share and discuss pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.