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

No. Use the Erie 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 Erie 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 Erie County?

Start with the 221 listed public schools and 53 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Erie County Schools & Education

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

Erie County, New York

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

School Score

59/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

84.5%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

84.5%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 85.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$12,451

National avg $13,239

State avg $14,719

School Score

59/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 63/100

State Score Position

#41

of 62 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Erie County

Measured School Summary

Erie County has midrange measured school signals (score: 59/100) with a graduation rate of 84.5%, which warrants review in official state and district records.

Funding Context

With $12,451 per pupil, Erie County has adequate funding that generally covers core educational needs and some supplemental services.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 7% below the New York average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 0.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 15% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Erie 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

221 public schools and 53 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

59/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #41 of 62 New York counties with school score data.

Completion

84.5%

0.8 pts below the state average

Funding context

$12,451

$2,268 below the state average

School coverage

221

53 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Erie County has 221 public schools across 53 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 Erie 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.

Large multi-district county

Erie County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.

State position

#41

of 62 New York counties with school score data. The county score is 4 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.

BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary and high visible

29,507 students

Elementary 37Middle 0High 21Other 2

60 listed schools in this county slice.

WILLIAMSVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

9,624 students

Elementary 6Middle 4High 3Other 0

13 listed schools in this county slice.

KENMORE-TONAWANDA UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

6,269 students

Elementary 5Middle 2High 2Other 0

9 listed schools in this county slice.

WEST SENECA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

6,020 students

Elementary 5Middle 2High 2Other 0

9 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT is the largest listed district slice, with 60 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 Erie County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Erie 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?

Education Overview

About Schools in Erie County, New York

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.

A Massive Infrastructure of Over 200 Schools

Erie County operates an expansive system of 221 public schools within 53 districts, educating a total of 122,013 students. The landscape is rich with 123 elementary schools and 54 high schools, making it one of the largest educational networks in the state. This scale provides an unparalleled breadth of programs and extracurricular options for local students.

Buffalo City and Williamsville Lead the Way

Buffalo City School District is the largest entity by far, managing 60 schools and 29,507 students. Williamsville and Kenmore-Tonawanda also serve as major suburban hubs, educating nearly 16,000 students between them. Notably, 22 charter schools operate in the county, representing 10% of all facilities and offering significant parental choice.

Suburban and City Schools with Scale

The county's schools are primarily located in suburban (98) and city (93) locales, creating a fast-paced and social educational environment. The average school size is 552 students, with the Charter School for Applied Technologies topping the charts at 2,309 students. This scale ensures that students have access to a wide variety of specialized tracks and athletic programs.

School Overview

Total Schools

221

in Erie County

Reported Enrollment

122,013

221 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

10% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary123

Middle33

High54

Other11

53 School Districts in Erie County

BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

WILLIAMSVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

KENMORE-TONAWANDA UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT

WEST SENECA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

LANCASTER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

ORCHARD PARK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

FRONTIER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

CLARENCE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

HAMBURG CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

221 Public Schools in Erie County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 22 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 221 matching schools

Public schools in Erie County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
CHARTER SCHOOL FOR APPLIED TECHNOLOGIES	Profile	CHARTER SCHOOL FOR APPLIED TECHNOLOGIES	BUFFALO, 14207Suburb: Large	KG–12	Charter	2,309
LANCASTER HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	LANCASTER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	LANCASTER, 14086Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,652
ORCHARD PARK HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	ORCHARD PARK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	ORCHARD PARK, 14127Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,385
KENMORE WEST SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	KENMORE-TONAWANDA UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT	BUFFALO, 14223Suburb: Large	8–12	High	1,358
FRONTIER SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	FRONTIER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	HAMBURG, 14075Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,352
WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	WILLIAMSVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	WILLIAMSVILLE, 14221Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,321
WILLIAM STREET SCHOOL	Profile	LANCASTER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	LANCASTER, 14086Suburb: Large	4–6	Middle	1,293
CLARENCE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	CLARENCE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	CLARENCE, 14031Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,284
HUTCHINSON CENTRAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT	BUFFALO, 14201City: Large	9–12	High	1,175
KENMORE EAST SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	KENMORE-TONAWANDA UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT	TONAWANDA, 14150Suburb: Large	8–12	High	1,127
WEST SENECA WEST SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	WEST SENECA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	WEST SENECA, 14224Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,110
TAPESTRY CHARTER SCHOOL	Profile	TAPESTRY CHARTER SCHOOL	BUFFALO, 14216City: Large	KG–12	Charter	1,108
CITY HONORS SCHOOL	Profile	BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT	BUFFALO, 14204City: Large	5–12	High	1,080
SWEET HOME SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	AMHERST, 14228Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,072
FRONTIER MIDDLE SCHOOL	Profile	FRONTIER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	HAMBURG, 14075Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	1,071
ORCHARD PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL	Profile	ORCHARD PARK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	ORCHARD PARK, 14127Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	1,059
TONAWANDA MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	TONAWANDA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT	TONAWANDA, 14150Suburb: Large	5–12	High	1,011
HAMBURG HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HAMBURG CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	HAMBURG, 14075Suburb: Large	9–12	High	987
MCKINLEY VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT	BUFFALO, 14207City: Large	9–12	Vocational	986
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL	Profile	BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT	BUFFALO, 14213City: Large	PK–8	Primary	981

CHARTER SCHOOL FOR APPLIED TECHNOLOGIES

BUFFALO, 14207 / Suburb: Large

ProfileKG–12Charter2,309 students

LANCASTER HIGH SCHOOL

LANCASTER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

LANCASTER, 14086 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,652 students

ORCHARD PARK HIGH SCHOOL

ORCHARD PARK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

ORCHARD PARK, 14127 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,385 students

KENMORE WEST SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

KENMORE-TONAWANDA UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT

BUFFALO, 14223 / Suburb: Large

Profile8–12High1,358 students

FRONTIER SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

FRONTIER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

HAMBURG, 14075 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,352 students

WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

WILLIAMSVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

WILLIAMSVILLE, 14221 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,321 students

WILLIAM STREET SCHOOL

LANCASTER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

LANCASTER, 14086 / Suburb: Large

Profile4–6Middle1,293 students

CLARENCE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

CLARENCE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

CLARENCE, 14031 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,284 students

HUTCHINSON CENTRAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL

BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

BUFFALO, 14201 / City: Large

Profile9–12High1,175 students

KENMORE EAST SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

KENMORE-TONAWANDA UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT

TONAWANDA, 14150 / Suburb: Large

Profile8–12High1,127 students

WEST SENECA WEST SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

WEST SENECA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

WEST SENECA, 14224 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,110 students

TAPESTRY CHARTER SCHOOL

BUFFALO, 14216 / City: Large

ProfileKG–12Charter1,108 students

CITY HONORS SCHOOL

BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

BUFFALO, 14204 / City: Large

Profile5–12High1,080 students

SWEET HOME SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

AMHERST, 14228 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,072 students

FRONTIER MIDDLE SCHOOL

FRONTIER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

HAMBURG, 14075 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–8Middle1,071 students

ORCHARD PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL

ORCHARD PARK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

ORCHARD PARK, 14127 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–8Middle1,059 students

TONAWANDA MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL

TONAWANDA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

TONAWANDA, 14150 / Suburb: Large

Profile5–12High1,011 students

HAMBURG HIGH SCHOOL

HAMBURG CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

HAMBURG, 14075 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High987 students

MCKINLEY VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

BUFFALO, 14207 / City: Large

Profile9–12Vocational986 students

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

BUFFALO, 14213 / City: Large

ProfilePK–8Primary981 students

Additional School Profiles

Dedicated profile pages are generated for a subset of public schools with broad enrollment coverage. All other schools remain listed in the county table.

2 more profiles

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$12,451

State avg $14,719

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Erie 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 New York counties have the highest graduation rates?

Putnam County (93.4%), Genesee County (92.5%), and Schuyler County (91.8%) currently lead New York 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 New York?

Across New York counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $14,719. The highest current county values are Hamilton County ($26,327), New York County ($21,940), and Putnam County ($19,993). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Erie County?

Erie County has a school score of 59/100, which is a midrange 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 Erie County?

The high school graduation rate in Erie County is 84.5%, 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 Erie County spend per student?

Erie County spends $12,451 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 Erie County, New York — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Erie County, New York?

What are the major school districts in Erie County, New York?

What is the school experience like in Erie County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Otsego County

New York

-0 pts

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School score

Oswego County

New York

-1 pts

58/100

School score

Chautauqua County

New York

-1 pts

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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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