Total enrollment
4,984
-84 (-2%) vs SY 2017-18
Baxter County
Arkansas · Public K-12
Baxter County is one of Arkansas's public-school counties, with 11 campuses serving about 4,984 students (5 elementary, 1 middle, and 5 high). Median household income in the county is roughly $48,452.
7-year change in Baxter County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
10
0 (0%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
92%
was 93%
% Hispanic
4%
was 4%
% Black
1%
was 0%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
11
4 districts
Enrollment
4,984
NCES CCD
Median income
$48,452
Below Arkansas avg
Free/reduced lunch
51.6%
Below Arkansas avg
Elementary
5
2,343 students
Middle
1
546 students
High
5
2,095 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
MOUNTAIN HOME SCHOOL DISTRICT
3,817 students · 4 districts in Baxter County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Baxter County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
19.4%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
9.1%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
6.3%
civilian labor
Median age
51
17.7% under 18
Test scores in Baxter County
Latest 2023-24 ELA proficiency, 7 schools ranked. Arkansas state average: 33.9%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- NORFORK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 55.4%
- AMANDA GIST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 44.8%
- PINKSTON MIDDLE SCHOOL· 41.7%
- HACKLER INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL· 38.9%
- COTTER HIGH SCHOOL· 37.6%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- NORFORK HIGH SCHOOL· 30.3%
- MOUNTAIN HOME CAREER ACADEMIES· 34.2%
- COTTER HIGH SCHOOL· 37.6%
- HACKLER INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL· 38.9%
- PINKSTON MIDDLE SCHOOL· 41.7%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOUNTAIN HOME CAREER ACADEMIES | Mountain Home | High | 08-12 | 1,523 | · |
| HACKLER INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL | Mountain Home | Elementary | 03-05 | 837 | · |
| NELSON WILKS HERRON ELEMENTARY | Mountain Home | Elementary | 01-02 | 559 | · |
| PINKSTON MIDDLE SCHOOL | Mountain Home | Middle | 06-07 | 546 | · |
| AMANDA GIST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Cotter | Elementary | PK-06 | 374 | · |
| COTTER HIGH SCHOOL | Cotter | High | 07-12 | 324 | · |
| MOUNTAIN HOME KINDERGARTEN | Mountain Home | Elementary | PK-KG | 300 | · |
| NORFORK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Norfork | Elementary | PK-06 | 273 | · |
| NORFORK HIGH SCHOOL | Norfork | High | 07-12 | 196 | · |
| GUY BERRY COLLEGE AND CAREER ACADEMY | Mountain Home | High | 06-12 | 52 | · |
| ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY-MOUNTAIN HOME CAREER CENTER | Mountain Home | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Baxter County
About Baxter County
Baxter County is a thinly populated Arkansas county of about 42,407 residents, home to 11 public schools and roughly 4,984 students.
Looking at the wider area, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $48,452, roughly 19% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 9% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 8% meaningfully below the Arkansas median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Baxter County comprises 5 elementary schools (2,343 students), 1 middle school (546), and 5 high schools (2,095).
The largest single district in Baxter County is MOUNTAIN HOME SCHOOL DISTRICT, which alone enrolls about 3,817 students.
Over the past 7-year window. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment stayed largely flat: 5,068 students in SY 2017-18 versus 4,984 in SY 2024-25.
On this page, the community for Baxter County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
Baxter County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data