Buffalo City School District had the highest enrollment among Erie County school districts, welcoming 29,673 students during the 2024-25 school year, according to the New York State Education Department.
Of all the students welcomed in the 2024-25 school year, 51.1% were boys, and 48.8% were girls.
The most represented ethnicity among Buffalo City School District students was Black, accounting for 41% of the student population.
Among the 48 districts in Erie County, Williamsville Central School District ranked second in enrollment numbers with 9,844 students, while Kenmore-Tonawanda Union Free School District welcomed 6,630 students and ranked third in the 2024-25 school year.
Buffalo City School District roughly covers schools within Erie County and has a main office in Buffalo.
In the previous school year, Buffalo City School District also had the highest number of students among Erie County districts.
New York’s public education system ranked second overall in the nation, but its K-12 performance landed at 31st place, according to an analysis by World Population Review.
| District | City (main office) | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo City School District | Buffalo | 29,673 |
| Williamsville Central School District | East Amherst | 9,844 |
| Kenmore-Tonawanda Union Free School District | Buffalo | 6,630 |
| West Seneca Central School District | West Seneca | 6,061 |
| Lancaster Central School District | Lancaster | 5,519 |
| Orchard Park Central School District | West Seneca | 4,842 |
| Frontier Central School District | Hamburg | 4,534 |
| Clarence Central School District | Clarence | 4,294 |
| Sweet Home Central School District | Amherst | 3,825 |
| Hamburg Central School District | Hamburg | 3,309 |
| Amherst Central School District | Amherst | 3,029 |
| Grand Island Central School District | Grand Island | 2,900 |
| Cheektowaga Central School District | Cheektowaga | 2,354 |
| Charter School for Applied Technologies | Buffalo | 2,260 |
| Cheektowaga-Maryvale Union Free School District | Cheektowaga | 2,244 |
| Lackawanna City School District | Lackawanna | 2,162 |
| Iroquois Central School District | Elma | 2,074 |
| Evans-Brant Central School District (Lake Shore) | Angola | 2,011 |
| Depew Union Free School District | Depew | 1,860 |
| East Aurora Union Free School District | East Aurora | 1,750 |
| Tonawanda City School District | Tonawanda | 1,709 |
| Springville-Griffith Institute Central School District | Springville | 1,592 |
| Alden Central School District | Alden | 1,544 |
| Cleveland Hill Union Free School District | Cheektowaga | 1,387 |
| Eden Central School District | Eden | 1,282 |
| Cheektowaga-Sloan Union Free School District | Sloan | 1,251 |
| Akron Central School District | Akron | 1,234 |
| Tapestry Charter School | Buffalo | 1,120 |
| South Buffalo Charter School | Buffalo | 912 |
| Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School | Buffalo | 899 |
| Global Concepts Charter School | Lackawanna | 878 |
| Reach Academy Charter School | Buffalo | 805 |
| Holland Central School District | Holland | 737 |
| Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School II | Buffalo | 704 |
| North Collins Central School District | North Collins | 553 |
| West Buffalo Charter School | Buffalo | 498 |
| Buffalo United Charter School | Buffalo | 465 |
| Health Sciences Charter School | Buffalo | 452 |
| Persistence Preparatory Academy Charter School | Buffalo | 434 |
| Elmwood Village Charter School Days Park | Buffalo | 429 |
| King Center Charter School | Buffalo | 419 |
| Elmwood Village Charter School Hertel | Buffalo | 416 |
| Enterprise Charter School | Buffalo | 402 |
| Western New York Maritime Charter School | Buffalo | 392 |
| Westminster Community Charter School | Buffalo | 342 |
| Charter School of Inquiry | Buffalo | 276 |
| Primary Hall Preparatory Charter School | Buffalo | 220 |
| Buffalo Creek Academy Charter School | Buffalo | 176 |
