Can I use Denver County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Denver County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Denver County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Denver County?

Start with the 205 listed public schools and 2 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

How does Denver County compare with nearby school counties?

Denver County appears in the Denver Front Range comparison with Arapahoe County, CO and Jefferson County, CO. Use that regional guide to compare county school score, graduation rate, and spending before narrowing to individual districts and schools.

Denver County Schools & Education

Name: Denver County, Colorado Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Denver County, Colorado

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

School Score

10/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

73.3%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

73.3%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 83.1%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,100

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,447

School Score

10/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 36/100

State Score Position

#57

of 63 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Denver County

Measured School Summary

Denver County faces educational challenges with a school score of 10/100 and a graduation rate of 73.3%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $6,100 per pupil, Denver County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 74% below the Colorado average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 9.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 18% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Denver County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

205 public schools and 2 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

10/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #57 of 63 Colorado counties with school score data.

Completion

73.3%

9.8 pts below the state average

Funding context

$6,100

$1,347 below the state average

School coverage

205

2 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Denver County has 205 public schools across 2 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Denver County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Dominant-district county

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C carries most of the listed public-school system, with 203 of 205 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#57

of 63 Colorado counties with school score data. The county score is 26 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

Elementary to high school visible

87,883 students

Elementary 113Middle 34High 51Other 5

203 listed schools in this county slice.

DENVER 1

Other grade structure

390 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C is the largest listed district slice, with 203 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Denver County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Denver County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Comparison context

Compare Denver County With Nearby School Markets

Denver County appears in curated regional school comparisons where parents commonly weigh county lines, housing tradeoffs, commute, and district boundaries before narrowing to individual schools.

Denver Front Range

Denver County vs Arapahoe County vs Jefferson County Schools

This guide is useful when a family is choosing between Denver proper and nearby suburban counties along the Front Range.

Compared with

Arapahoe County, CO and Jefferson County, CO

Current leader

Arapahoe County, CO at 41/100

Graduation-rate leader: Jefferson County, CO at 85.0%

Open regional guide Open interactive comparison

Education Overview

About Schools in Denver County, Colorado

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Colorado's Largest Urban School System

Denver County hosts a massive educational landscape with 205 public schools serving 88,636 students. The system is exceptionally diverse, featuring 114 elementary, 34 middle, and 51 high schools. Charter schools play a major role here, with 57 schools representing nearly 28% of all public options.

Denver Public Schools Dominance

School District No. 1 (Denver Public Schools) is the primary engine, managing 203 schools and over 87,000 students. The district is a leader in school choice, offering dozens of charter and magnet programs. For those seeking alternatives, there are 20 designated alternative schools within the city's borders.

Vibrant City Life and Large Campuses

With 198 schools classified as city locales, the education experience is deeply urban and fast-paced. Average school size is 432 students, but flagship campuses like East High School can reach over 2,500. This scale allows for immense diversity in extracurriculars, arts, and advanced academic tracks.

School Overview

Total Schools

205

in Denver County

Reported Enrollment

88,636

205 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

28% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary114

Middle34

High51

Other6

2 School Districts in Denver County

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER 1

1 school

390 students

205 Public Schools in Denver County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 11 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Search schools

Level

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Showing 20 of 205 matching schools

Public schools in Denver County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
East High School	Profile	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80206City: Large	9–12	High	2,505
Northfield High School	Profile	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80238Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,872
South High School	Profile	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80210City: Large	9–12	High	1,844
North High School	Profile	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80211City: Large	9–12	High	1,637
McAuliffe International School	Profile	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80207City: Large	6–8	Middle	1,487
Thomas Jefferson High School	Profile	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80237City: Large	9–12	High	1,329
George Washington High School	Profile	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80224City: Large	9–12	High	1,270
Montbello High School	Profile	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80239City: Large	9–12	High	1,130
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Early College	Profile	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80249City: Large	6–12	High	1,062
Denver School of the Arts	Profile	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80220City: Large	6–12	High	1,058
Abraham Lincoln High School	Profile	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80219City: Large	9–12	High	986
Denver Language School	Record	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80220City: Large	KG–8	Charter	882
Florida Pitt-Waller ECE-8 School	Record	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80249City: Large	PK–8	Primary	828
William (Bill) Roberts ECE-8 School	Record	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80238City: Large	KG–8	Primary	828
Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy	Record	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80219City: Large	KG–12	Other	821
McGlone Academy	Record	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80239City: Large	PK–8	Primary	803
Denver Online	Record	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80211City: Large	KG–12	Other	799
John F Kennedy High School	Record	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80227City: Large	9–12	High	789
Slavens K-8 School	Record	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80210City: Large	KG–8	Primary	752
Place Bridge Academy	Record	School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C	DENVER, 80224City: Large	PK–8	Primary	746

East High School

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80206 / City: Large

Profile9–12High2,505 students

Northfield High School

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80238 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,872 students

South High School

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80210 / City: Large

Profile9–12High1,844 students

North High School

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80211 / City: Large

Profile9–12High1,637 students

McAuliffe International School

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80207 / City: Large

Profile6–8Middle1,487 students

Thomas Jefferson High School

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80237 / City: Large

Profile9–12High1,329 students

George Washington High School

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80224 / City: Large

Profile9–12High1,270 students

Montbello High School

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80239 / City: Large

Profile9–12High1,130 students

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Early College

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80249 / City: Large

Profile6–12High1,062 students

Denver School of the Arts

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80220 / City: Large

Profile6–12High1,058 students

Abraham Lincoln High School

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80219 / City: Large

Profile9–12High986 students

Denver Language School

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80220 / City: Large

RecordKG–8Charter882 students

Florida Pitt-Waller ECE-8 School

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80249 / City: Large

RecordPK–8Primary828 students

William (Bill) Roberts ECE-8 School

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80238 / City: Large

RecordKG–8Primary828 students

Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80219 / City: Large

RecordKG–12Other821 students

McGlone Academy

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80239 / City: Large

RecordPK–8Primary803 students

Denver Online

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80211 / City: Large

RecordKG–12Other799 students

John F Kennedy High School

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80227 / City: Large

Record9–12High789 students

Slavens K-8 School

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80210 / City: Large

RecordKG–8Primary752 students

Place Bridge Academy

School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C

DENVER, 80224 / City: Large

RecordPK–8Primary746 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,100

State avg $7,447

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Denver County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Colorado counties have the highest graduation rates?

Pitkin County (97.0%), Rio Blanco County (93.2%), and Routt County (93.2%) currently lead Colorado among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in Colorado?

Across Colorado counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $7,447. The highest current county values are Mineral County ($13,728), San Juan County ($13,639), and Hinsdale County ($13,446). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Denver County?

Denver County has a school score of 10/100, which is a lower measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.

What is the graduation rate in Denver County?

The high school graduation rate in Denver County is 73.3%, which is below the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.

How much does Denver County spend per student?

Denver County spends $6,100 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Denver County, Colorado — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Denver County, Colorado?

What are the major school districts in Denver County, Colorado?

What is the school experience like in Denver County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Moffat County

Colorado

-0 pts

9/100

School score

Rio Grande County

Colorado

-2 pts

7/100

School score

Mesa County

Colorado

-3 pts

7/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

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