State district guide

Michigan public school districts

Compare district systems across Michigan by enrollment scale, school count, county context, generated guide coverage, and the parent checks that matter before choosing where to live.

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Direct answer for parents

What this district ranking can and cannot tell you

If you are searching for the best school districts in Michigan, start with the largest and most data-rich district systems below, then verify the specific school assigned to each address. SchoolsByCounty orders districts by reported enrollment and school count because those fields are consistent in NCES. It does not convert district size into a quality rating.

Start with scale

Detroit Public Schools Community District

48,251 reported students

Check county context

Keweenaw County

99/100 county score

Verify locally

Address fit

Attendance boundaries and transfers are not in NCES

District table

Largest public school districts in Michigan

The first 60 rows show the largest district systems by reported enrollment. Open district guides where available, or use the county profile when a detailed district page is not generated yet.

890 districts in state file

Michigan public school districts ranked by reported enrollment.
Rank	District	County context	Students	Schools	Parent lens
1	Detroit Public Schools Community District LEA ID 2601103 Wayne County107 schools	Wayne County 31/100 county score	48,251	107	Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 virtual Open district guide
2	Utica Community Schools LEA ID 2634470 Macomb County38 schools	Macomb County 42/100 county score	25,628	38	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
3	Dearborn City School District LEA ID 2611600 Wayne County37 schools	Wayne County 31/100 county score	19,874	37	Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 virtual Open district guide
4	Ann Arbor Public Schools LEA ID 2602820 Washtenaw County32 schools	Washtenaw County 50/100 county score	16,740	32	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
5	Plymouth-Canton Community Schools LEA ID 2628560 Wayne County25 schools	Wayne County 31/100 county score	16,143	25	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
6	Chippewa Valley Schools LEA ID 2609570 Macomb County20 schools	Macomb County 42/100 county score	14,903	20	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
7	Rochester Community School District LEA ID 2629940 Oakland County22 schools	Oakland County 49/100 county score	14,723	22	elementary, high school records 1 virtual Open district guide
8	Grand Rapids Public Schools LEA ID 2616440 Kent County51 schools	Kent County 39/100 county score	13,657	51	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
9	Livonia Public Schools School District LEA ID 2621840 Wayne County26 schools	Wayne County 31/100 county score	13,045	26	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
10	Warren Consolidated Schools LEA ID 2635190 Macomb County23 schools	Macomb County 42/100 county score	12,468	23	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
11	Kalamazoo Public Schools LEA ID 2619950 Kalamazoo County31 schools	Kalamazoo County 25/100 county score	12,239	31	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
12	Walled Lake Consolidated Schools LEA ID 2635160 Oakland County20 schools	Oakland County 49/100 county score	11,907	20	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
13	Troy School District LEA ID 2634260 Oakland County21 schools	Oakland County 49/100 county score	11,762	21	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
14	Lansing Public School District LEA ID 2621150 Ingham County28 schools	Ingham County 25/100 county score	9,896	28	Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 virtual Open district guide
15	Wayne-Westland Community School District LEA ID 2600015 Wayne County16 schools	Wayne County 31/100 county score	9,334	16	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
16	L'Anse Creuse Public Schools LEA ID 2621870 Macomb County19 schools	Macomb County 42/100 county score	9,289	19	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
17	Kentwood Public Schools LEA ID 2620340 Kent County16 schools	Kent County 39/100 county score	9,260	16	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
18	Forest Hills Public Schools LEA ID 2614610 Kent County18 schools	Kent County 39/100 county score	9,156	18	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
19	Farmington Public School District LEA ID 2614070 Oakland County16 schools	Oakland County 49/100 county score	8,895	16	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
20	Traverse City Area Public Schools LEA ID 2633870 Grand Traverse County16 schools	Grand Traverse County 43/100 county score	8,689	16	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
21	Portage Public Schools LEA ID 2628950 Kalamazoo County14 schools	Kalamazoo County 25/100 county score	8,591	14	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
22	South Lyon Community Schools LEA ID 2632250 Livingston County13 schools	Livingston County 55/100 county score	8,316	13	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
23	Grand Blanc Community Schools LEA ID 2616350 Genesee County13 schools	Genesee County 22/100 county score	7,772	13	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
24	Rockford Public Schools LEA ID 2630030 Kent County14 schools	Kent County 39/100 county score	7,654	14	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
25	Huron Valley Schools LEA ID 2618990 Oakland County17 schools	Oakland County 49/100 county score	7,614	17	Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 virtual Open district guide
26	Clarkston Community School District LEA ID 2609900 Oakland County13 schools	Oakland County 49/100 county score	7,552	13	Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 virtual Open district guide
27	Midland Public Schools LEA ID 2623820 Midland County13 schools	Midland County 37/100 county score	7,436	13	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
28	Port Huron Area School District LEA ID 2628830 St. Clair County17 schools	St. Clair County 29/100 county score	7,206	17	Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 virtual Open district guide
29	Birmingham Public Schools LEA ID 2605850 Oakland County13 schools	Oakland County 49/100 county score	7,112	13	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
30	Northville Public Schools LEA ID 2625980 Oakland County10 schools	Oakland County 49/100 county score	7,095	10	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
31	Waterford School District LEA ID 2635310 Oakland County17 schools	Oakland County 49/100 county score	6,948	17	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
32	Howell Public Schools LEA ID 2618720 Livingston County10 schools	Livingston County 55/100 county score	6,868	10	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
33	Hudsonville Public School District LEA ID 2618840 Ottawa County13 schools	Ottawa County 61/100 county score	6,752	13	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
34	Lake Orion Community Schools LEA ID 2620730 Oakland County13 schools	Oakland County 49/100 county score	6,731	13	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
35	Novi Community School District LEA ID 2626130 Oakland County10 schools	Oakland County 49/100 county score	6,603	10	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
36	West Ottawa Public School District LEA ID 2635910 Ottawa County13 schools	Ottawa County 61/100 county score	6,558	13	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
37	Grosse Pointe Public Schools LEA ID 2625740 Wayne County12 schools	Wayne County 31/100 county score	6,421	12	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
38	Bay City School District LEA ID 2604260 Bay County13 schools	Bay County 22/100 county score	6,385	13	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
39	Zeeland Public Schools LEA ID 2636660 Ottawa County12 schools	Ottawa County 61/100 county score	5,995	12	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
40	Brighton Area Schools LEA ID 2606870 Livingston County9 schools	Livingston County 55/100 county score	5,800	9	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
41	Oxford Community Schools LEA ID 2627240 Oakland County10 schools	Oakland County 49/100 county score	5,625	10	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
42	Davison Community Schools LEA ID 2611430 Genesee County9 schools	Genesee County 22/100 county score	5,566	9	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
43	Grandville Public Schools LEA ID 2616470 Kent County10 schools	Kent County 39/100 county score	5,494	10	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
44	Taylor School District LEA ID 2633540 Wayne County13 schools	Wayne County 31/100 county score	5,385	13	Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 virtual Open district guide
45	Grand Haven Area Public Schools LEA ID 2616380 Ottawa County13 schools	Ottawa County 61/100 county score	5,378	13	Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 virtual Open district guide
46	Anchor Bay School District LEA ID 2602790 Macomb County11 schools	Macomb County 42/100 county score	5,347	11	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
47	Woodhaven-Brownstown School District LEA ID 2636485 Wayne County10 schools	Wayne County 31/100 county score	5,294	10	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
48	Saginaw School District of the City of LEA ID 2630390 Saginaw County16 schools	Saginaw County 23/100 county score	5,178	16	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
49	Jenison Public Schools LEA ID 2619830 Ottawa County11 schools	Ottawa County 61/100 county score	5,176	11	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
50	Hartland Consolidated Schools LEA ID 2617910 Livingston County9 schools	Livingston County 55/100 county score	5,162	9	Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 virtual Open district guide
51	Romeo Community Schools LEA ID 2630090 Macomb County7 schools	Macomb County 42/100 county score	5,118	7	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
52	Grand Ledge Public Schools LEA ID 2616410 Eaton County8 schools	Eaton County 23/100 county score	5,065	8	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
53	Bloomfield Hills Schools LEA ID 2606090 Oakland County11 schools	Oakland County 49/100 county score	4,946	11	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
54	Holt Public Schools LEA ID 2618480 Ingham County9 schools	Ingham County 25/100 county score	4,906	9	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
55	Southfield Public School District LEA ID 2632310 Oakland County13 schools	Oakland County 49/100 county score	4,849	13	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
56	Lincoln Park School District of the City of LEA ID 2621600 Wayne County10 schools	Wayne County 31/100 county score	4,827	10	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
57	Saline Area Schools LEA ID 2630660 Washtenaw County8 schools	Washtenaw County 50/100 county score	4,788	8	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
58	West Bloomfield School District LEA ID 2635820 Oakland County11 schools	Oakland County 49/100 county score	4,768	11	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
59	Royal Oak Schools LEA ID 2630300 Oakland County9 schools	Oakland County 49/100 county score	4,734	9	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
60	Fraser Public Schools LEA ID 2614820 Macomb County9 schools	Macomb County 42/100 county score	4,593	9	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide

— = enrollment not reported in the district record. District rows are informational and must be paired with local assignment tools before a housing decision.

Methodology

How to use district rankings without overreading them

District-level data is useful because it shows the operating system around a public school search: how many schools exist, which county record anchors the district, how much enrollment is reported, and whether a detailed district guide is available. It is not enough to decide where a student should enroll.

Ranking basis

Rows are ordered by reported enrollment, then school count. The method favors broad, data-rich systems because those are the districts parents most often need to research before relocation.

County context

Each district is attached to a primary county record when available. County school scores are context signals, not district ratings, and nearby counties can still matter for commute and housing decisions.

Grade pathway

Elementary, middle, and high school counts help parents spot whether a district looks like a full K-12 pathway or a narrower operating unit. Feeder patterns still require local verification.

Address verification

The final decision happens at the address level. Confirm attendance zones, open-enrollment rules, magnet admissions, charter lotteries, and transfer windows with official district sources.

County context

Districts anchored in higher-scoring county contexts

These rows pair district records with the county-level SchoolsByCounty score. Treat this as a shortlist for deeper research, not a district quality ranking.

Public Schools of Calumet Laurium & Keweenaw

Keweenaw County

Students: 1,359
Schools: 4

Grant Township S/D #2

Keweenaw County

Students: 7
Schools: 1

Munising Public Schools

Alger County

Students: 554
Schools: 2

Superior Central School District

Alger County

Students: 329
Schools: 1

Michigan Department of Corrections

Alger County

Students: 44
Schools: 26

Burt Township School District

Alger County

Students: 35
Schools: 1

Parent checklist before relying on a district ranking

Use this page to narrow the field, then answer these local questions before treating any district as a fit for a specific home.

Which school does this address actually feed into?

Use the district address lookup and confirm edge cases near attendance-zone borders.

What happens at transition grades?

A strong elementary fit can split into several middle or high school paths.

Are choice programs realistic for this student?

Magnet, charter, virtual, and transfer options can involve lotteries, applications, or deadlines.

Is the county context aligned with housing tradeoffs?

Pair school research with taxes, commute, home prices, and safety before choosing where to live.

Frequently Asked Questions About Michigan School Districts

What are the best school districts in Michigan?

Detroit Public Schools Community District, Utica Community Schools, Dearborn City School District are the largest Michigan district systems by reported enrollment in the NCES file. SchoolsByCounty does not call them the best districts; use this page to find data-rich district systems, then verify assigned schools, program rules, and local fit.

How are Michigan districts ranked here?

Districts are ordered by reported student enrollment, then school count, using NCES public school district records. This is a research-priority ranking, not a quality rating.

Why do only 100 Michigan districts have district guide links?

SchoolsByCounty statically generates detailed district guides for the largest district systems nationally so the pages stay fast and substantive. Districts without guide links remain represented through county and state context pages.

Do these district pages show attendance boundaries?

No. Attendance zones, transfer rules, magnet eligibility, charter admission, transportation, and program availability must be verified with official district or local assignment tools before choosing a home.

Does a large district mean better schools?

No. Larger districts usually have more school options and more public data, but enrollment size is not a school-quality measure. Compare school-level records and official local sources before treating a district as a fit.

How many districts are included for Michigan?

This page includes 890 Michigan public school districts from the current NCES district file, alongside county context and generated district-guide availability where available.

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorPublished Jun 9, 2026

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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