Largest school districts in the United States by enrollment

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Last updated December 17, 2025

During the 2023-2024 school year, there were 13,303 public school districts. These school districts enrolled 49,516,361 students across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

A total of 14,028,041 students (28.33%) attended schools within the nation's 200 largest school districts by enrollment. Ballotpedia's coverage scope includes these 200 districts as well as all school districts in America's 100 largest cities by population. However, only these 200 districts are included on this page.

As of the 2023-2024 school year, the largest school district was the New York City Department of Education with 845,509 students. The smallest school district in the top 200 was Amarillo Independent School District in Texas with 29,729 students.

See also: List of school districts in the United States

National map

Hover over the map below to see the total number of top 200 school districts in each state:

Districts by state

Click on the tabs for specific state details:

Alabama

See also: List of school districts in Alabama

There were two districts in Alabama in the top 200 school districts:

1. Mobile County Public Schools: 50,929 students
2. Jefferson County Schools: 35,671 students

Alaska

See also: List of school districts in Alaska

There was one district in Alaska in the top 200 school districts:

1. Anchorage School District: 43,363 students

Arizona

See also: List of school districts in Arizona

There were six districts in Arizona in the top 200 school districts:

1. Mesa Public Schools: 57,204 students
2. Chandler Unified School District: 42,832 students
3. Tucson Unified School District: 40,929 students
4. Peoria Unified School District: 35,466 students
5. Deer Valley Unified School District: 32,837 students
6. Gilbert Public Schools: 32,402 students

Arkansas

See also: List of school districts in Arkansas

There were no districts in Arkansas in the top 200 school districts.

California

See also: List of school districts in California

There were 24 districts in California in the top 200 school districts:

1. Los Angeles Unified School District: 419,929 students
2. San Diego Unified School District: 95,492 students
3. Fresno Unified School District: 68,568 students
4. Long Beach Unified School District: 63,966 students
5. Elk Grove Unified School District: 62,603 students
6. Corona-Norco Unified School District: 50,256 students
7. San Francisco Unified School District: 48,736 students
8. San Bernardino City Unified School District: 44,712 students
9. Clovis Unified School District: 43,291 students
10. Kern High School District: 43,116 students
11. Capistrano Unified School District: 40,836 students
12. Riverside Unified School District: 38,855 students
13. San Juan Unified School District: 38,488 students
14. Sacramento City Unified School District: 38,268 students
15. Santa Ana Unified School District: 38,031 students
16. Garden Grove Unified School District: 37,763 students
17. Irvine Unified School District: 37,731 students
18. Sweetwater Union High School District: 35,226 students
19. Poway Unified School District: 34,935 students
20. Stockton Unified School District: 34,544 students
21. Oakland Unified School District: 33,916 students
22. Fontana Unified School District: 33,205 students
23. Fremont Unified School District: 33,063 students
24. Moreno Valley Unified School District: 31,344 students

Colorado

See also: List of school districts in Colorado

There were seven districts in Colorado in the top 200 school districts:

1. Denver Public Schools: 88,258 students
2. Jeffco Public Schools: 74,251 students
3. Douglas County School District: 61,409 students
4. Cherry Creek School District: 51,808 students
5. Aurora Public Schools: 38,178 students
6. Adams 12 Five Star Schools: 34,998 students
7. St. Vrain Valley School District: 31,757 students

Connecticut

See also: List of school districts in Connecticut

There were no districts in Connecticut in the top 200 school districts.

Delaware

See also: List of school districts in Delaware

There were no districts in Delaware in the top 200 school districts.

District of Columbia

There was one district in the District of Columbia in the top 200 school districts:

1. District of Columbia Public Schools: 50,839 students

Florida

See also: List of school districts in Florida

There were 25 districts in Florida in the top 200 school districts:

1. Miami-Dade County Public Schools: 335,500 students
2. Broward County Public Schools: 251,408 students
3. Hillsborough County Public Schools: 224,152 students
4. Orange County Public Schools: 206,815 students
5. School District of Palm Beach County: 189,777 students
6. Duval County Public Schools: 127,971 students
7. Polk County Public Schools: 111,041 students
8. School District of Lee County: 100,064 students
9. Pinellas County Schools: 91,021 students
10. Pasco County Schools: 85,855 students
11. School District of Osceola County: 74,289 students
12. Brevard Public Schools: 73,810 students
13. Seminole County Public Schools: 65,443 students
14. Volusia County Schools: 62,742 students
15. School District of Manatee County: 52,895 students
16. St. Johns County School District: 51,434 students
17. Lake County Schools: 48,285 students
18. Collier County Public Schools: 48,282 students
19. St. Lucie Public Schools: 46,987 students
20. Marion County Public Schools: 45,547 students
21. Sarasota County Schools: 45,314 students
22. Clay County District Schools: 39,362 students
23. Escambia County School District: 37,203 students
24. Okaloosa County School District,: 32,426 students
25. Leon County Schools: 31,769 students

Georgia

See also: List of school districts in Georgia

There were 10 districts in Georgia in the top 200 school districts:

1. Gwinnett County Public Schools: 182,214 students
2. Cobb County School District: 106,358 students
3. DeKalb County School District: 91,398 students
4. Fulton County Schools: 88,043 students
5. Forsyth County Schools: 54,984 students
6. Clayton County Public Schools: 50,832 students
7. Atlanta Public Schools: 49,660 students
8. Henry County Schools: 43,258 students
9. Cherokee County School District: 42,016 students
10. Savannah-Chatham County Public School System: 35,781 students

Hawaii

See also: List of school districts in Hawaii

There was one district in Hawaii in the top 200 school districts:

1. Hawaii State Department of Education: 169,308 students

Idaho

See also: List of school districts in Idaho

There was one district in Idaho in the top 200 school districts:

1. West Ada School District: 38,991 students

Illinois

See also: List of school districts in Illinois

There were two districts in Illinois in the top 200 school districts:

1. Chicago Public Schools: 322,809 students
2. School District U-46: 34,553 students

Indiana

See also: List of school districts in Indiana

There were no districts in Indiana in the top 200 school districts.

Iowa

See also: List of school districts in Iowa

There was one district in Iowa in the top 200 school districts:

1. Des Moines Public Schools: 30,277 students

Kansas

See also: List of school districts in Kansas

There was one district in Kansas in the top 200 school districts:

1. Wichita Public Schools: 46,516 students

Kentucky

See also: List of school districts in Kentucky

There were two districts in Kentucky in the top 200 school districts:

1. Jefferson County Public Schools: 94,793 students
2. Fayette County Public Schools: 41,697 students

Louisiana

See also: List of school districts in Louisiana

There were four districts in Louisiana in the top 200 school districts:

1. Jefferson Parish Public School System: 50,467 students
2. East Baton Rouge Parish School System: 42,590 students
3. St. Tammany Parish Public Schools: 38,794 students
4. Caddo Parish Public Schools: 35,044 students

Maine

See also: List of school districts in Maine

There were no districts in Maine in the top 200 school districts.

Maryland

See also: List of school districts in Maryland

There were eight districts in Maryland in the top 200 school districts:

1. Montgomery County Public Schools: 160,223 students
2. Prince George's County Public Schools: 131,310 students
3. Baltimore County Public Schools: 110,275 students
4. Anne Arundel County Public Schools: 84,346 students
5. Baltimore City Public School System: 75,811 students
6. Howard County Public Schools: 57,633 students
7. Frederick County Public Schools: 47,681 students
8. Harford County Public Schools: 38,105 students

Massachusetts

See also: List of school districts in Massachusetts

There was one district in Massachusetts in the top 200 school districts:

1. Boston Public Schools: 45,742 students

Michigan

See also: List of school districts in Michigan

There was one district in Michigan in the top 200 school districts:

1. Detroit Public Schools Community District: 48,271 students

Minnesota

See also: List of school districts in Minnesota

There were two districts in Minnesota in the top 200 school districts:

1. Anoka-Hennepin School District: 38,631 students
2. Saint Paul Public Schools: 32,145 students

Mississippi

See also: List of school districts in Mississippi

There was one district in Mississippi in the top 200 school districts:

1. DeSoto County School District: 34,819 students

Missouri

See also: List of school districts in Missouri

There were no districts in Missouri in the top 200 school districts.

Montana

See also: List of school districts in Montana

There were no districts in Montana in the top 200 school districts.

Nebraska

See also: List of school districts in Nebraska

There were two districts in Nebraska in the top 200 school districts:

1. Omaha Public Schools: 51,693 students
2. Lincoln Public Schools: 41,654 students

Nevada

See also: List of school districts in Nevada

There were two districts in Nevada in the top 200 school districts:

1. Clark County School District: 304,565 students
2. Washoe County School District: 63,777 students

New Hampshire

See also: List of school districts in New Hampshire

There were no districts in New Hampshire in the top 200 school districts.

New Jersey

See also: List of school districts in New Jersey

There was one district in New Jersey in the top 200 school districts:

1. Newark Public Schools: 42,791 students

New Mexico

See also: List of school districts in New Mexico

There was one district in New Mexico in the top 200 school districts:

1. Albuquerque Public Schools: 76,756 students

New York

See also: List of school districts in New York

There were two districts in New York in the top 200 school districts:

1. New York City Department of Education: 845,509 students
2. Buffalo Public Schools: 29,866 students

North Carolina

See also: List of school districts in North Carolina

There were nine districts in North Carolina in the top 200 school districts:

1. Wake County Public School System: 161,481 students
2. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools: 144,116 students
3. Guilford County Schools: 67,832 students
4. Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools: 52,157 students
5. Cumberland County Schools: 49,314 students
6. Union County Public Schools: 41,687 students
7. Johnston County Schools: 37,289 students
8. Cabarrus County Schools: 35,021 students
9. Durham Public Schools: 31,339 students

North Dakota

See also: List of school districts in North Dakota

There were no districts in North Dakota in the top 200 school districts.

Ohio

See also: List of school districts in Ohio

There were three districts in Ohio in the top 200 school districts:

1. Columbus City Schools: 45,181 students
2. Cincinnati Public Schools: 34,860 students
3. Cleveland Metropolitan School District: 33,841 students

Oklahoma

See also: List of school districts in Oklahoma

There were two districts in Oklahoma in the top 200 school districts:

1. Tulsa Public Schools: 33,562 students
2. Oklahoma City Public Schools: 32,899 students

Oregon

See also: List of school districts in Oregon

There were three districts in Oregon in the top 200 school districts:

1. Portland Public Schools: 44,039 students
2. Salem-Keizer Public Schools: 38,818 students
3. Beaverton School District: 38,049 students

Pennsylvania

See also: List of school districts in Pennsylvania

There was one district in Pennsylvania in the top 200 school districts:

1. School District of Philadelphia: 117,907 students

Rhode Island

See also: List of school districts in Rhode Island

There were no districts in Rhode Island in the top 200 school districts.

South Carolina

See also: List of school districts in South Carolina

There were four districts in South Carolina in the top 200 school districts:

1. Greenville County School District: 78,371 students
2. Charleston County School District: 50,400 students
3. Horry County Schools: 48,205 students
4. Berkeley County School District: 39,265 students

South Dakota

See also: List of school districts in South Dakota

There were no districts in South Dakota in the top 200 school districts.

Tennessee

See also: List of school districts in Tennessee

There were seven districts in Tennessee in the top 200 school districts:

1. Memphis-Shelby County Schools: 110,057 students
2. Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools: 80,468 students
3. Knox County School District: 60,604 students
4. Rutherford County Schools: 51,595 students
5. Hamilton County School District: 45,790 students
6. Williamson County Schools: 41,909 students
7. Clarksville-Montgomery County School System: 39,345 students

Texas

See also: List of school districts in Texas

There were 44 districts in Texas in the top 200 school districts:

1. Houston Independent School District: 184,109 students
2. Dallas Independent School District: 139,246 students
3. Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District: 118,470 students
4. Northside Independent School District: 101,095 students
5. Katy Independent School District: 94,785 students
6. Fort Bend Independent School District: 80,206 students
7. Austin Independent School District: 72,830 students
8. Conroe Independent School District: 72,352 students
9. Fort Worth Independent School District: 71,060 students
10. Frisco Independent School District: 66,698 students
11. Aldine Independent School District: 57,844 students
12. North East Independent School District: 57,374 students
13. Arlington Independent School District: 54,750 students
14. Klein Independent School District: 53,093 students
15. Garland Independent School District: 51,659 students
16. El Paso Independent School District: 49,139 students
17. Humble Independent School District: 48,552 students
18. Lewisville Independent School District: 48,440 students
19. Plano Independent School District: 47,899 students
20. Pasadena Independent School District: 47,486 students
21. Socorro Independent School District: 47,304 students
22. Round Rock Independent School District: 46,197 students
23. San Antonio Independent School District: 44,670 students
24. Lamar Consolidated Independent School District: 44,512 students
25. Killeen Independent School District: 43,864 students
26. Leander Independent School District: 42,593 students
27. United Independent School District: 41,203 students
28. Clear Creek Independent School District: 40,132 students
29. Alief Independent School District: 39,474 students
30. Mesquite Independent School District: 38,265 students
31. Richardson Independent School District: 37,085 students
32. Brownsville Independent School District: 37,065 students
33. Mansfield Independent School District: 35,851 students
34. Ysleta Independent School District: 34,918 students
35. Spring Independent School District: 33,935 students
36. Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District: 33,810 students
37. Ector County Independent School District: 33,426 students
38. Spring Branch Independent School District: 33,407 students
39. Keller Independent School District: 33,250 students
40. Corpus Christi Independent School District: 33,053 students
41. Irving Independent School District: 31,485 students
42. Northwest Independent School District: 30,736 students
43. Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District: 30,008 students
44. Amarillo Independent School District: 29,729 students

Utah

See also: List of school districts in Utah

There were eight districts in Utah in the top 200 school districts:

1. Alpine School District: 87,051 students
2. Davis School District: 72,499 students
3. Granite School District: 60,270 students
4. Jordan School District: 59,145 students
5. Nebo School District: 44,446 students
6. Washington County School District: 37,575 students
7. Canyons School District: 33,196 students
8. Weber School District: 32,443 students

Vermont

See also: List of school districts in Vermont

There were no districts in Vermont in the top 200 school districts.

Virginia

See also: List of school districts in Virginia

There were seven districts in Virginia in the top 200 school districts:

1. Fairfax County Public Schools: 180,714 students
2. Prince William County Public Schools: 90,550 students
3. Loudoun County Public Schools: 81,636 students
4. Virginia Beach City Public Schools: 64,986 students
5. Chesterfield County Public Schools: 64,132 students
6. Henrico County Public Schools: 50,463 students
7. Chesapeake Public Schools: 40,576 students

Washington

See also: List of school districts in Washington

There were two districts in Washington in the top 200 school districts:

1. Seattle Public Schools: 50,770 students
2. Lake Washington School District: 30,882 students

West Virginia

See also: List of school districts in West Virginia

There were no districts in West Virginia in the top 200 school districts.

Wisconsin

See also: List of school districts in Wisconsin

There was one district in Wisconsin in the top 200 school districts:

1. Milwaukee Public Schools: 66,864 students

Wyoming

See also: List of school districts in Wyoming

There were no districts in Wyoming in the top 200 school districts.

See also

• United States school districts
• List of school districts in the United States
• School board elections, 2026
• School board elections, 2025
• School board elections, 2024
• School board elections, 2023
• School board elections, 2022
• School board recalls

External links

• National Center for Education Statistics

Footnotes

School districts in the United States

Districts by state

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Elections

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Analysis

2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020

Lists

Largest school districts in the United States by enrollment • List of school districts in the United States • Glossary of education terms • Analysis of spending in America's largest school districts • United States school shootings, 1990-present • School board salaries in America's largest school districts

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