The bulletin board for America's public schools. Parents, teachers, students, and staff. One community per school.

Lake County

Indiana · Public K-12

Lake County, Indiana hosts 121 public K-12 schools and around 74,661 students, averaging roughly 617 per campus. School City of Hammond runs the largest share. By grade band, the county runs 71 elementary, 21 middle, and 23 high schools.

7-year change in Lake County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
73,419
-7,271 (-9%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
115
-9 (-7%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
36%
was 39%
% Hispanic
28%
was 25%
% Black
31%
was 31%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
121
30 districts
Enrollment
74,661
NCES CCD
Median income
$71,493
Above Indiana avg
Free/reduced lunch
47.2%
Below Indiana avg
Elementary
71
32,990 students
Middle
21
14,489 students
High
23
23,673 students
Combined / other
6
3,509 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
School City of Hammond
10,997 students · 30 districts in Lake County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Lake 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
White
55%
Hispanic
21%
Black
23%
Asian
2%
Two or more
12%
Native American
1%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
36%
Hispanic
28%
Black
31%
Asian
1%
Two or more
4%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
25.8%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
11.1%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
6.1%
civilian labor
Median age
40
23.2% under 18

Test scores in Lake County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 89 schools ranked. Indiana state average: 39.2%.

See all 89 schools in Lake County ranked by score →

All schools (121)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
Banneker Elementary at MarquetteGaryElementaryKG-05293·
Mildred Merkley Elementary SchoolHighlandElementaryKG-05290·
Steel City AcademyGaryCombinedKG-12286·
Abraham Lincoln Elementary SchoolEast ChicagoElementaryKG-06282·
Kenwood Elementary SchoolHammondElementaryPK-06267·
Early Learning Center-George EarleHobartElementaryPK-KG264·
Higher Institute of Arts & TechMerrillvilleElementaryKG-08259·
Whiting Middle SchoolWhitingMiddle06-08250·
Virgil I Bailey Elementary SchoolLake StationElementaryKG-05235·
Mary M Bethune Early Child Dev CtrGaryElementaryPK-KG231·
John Wood Elementary SchoolMerrillvilleElementaryPK-04227·
Excel Center - HammondHammondHigh09-12205·
Gary Middle CollegeGaryHigh09-12202·
Alexander Hamilton Elementary SchLake StationElementaryKG-05200·
Excel Center - GaryGaryHigh09-12125·
Carrie Gosch PK CenterEast ChicagoElementaryPK-PK113·
Eagle Park Community SchoolCrown PointCombinedKG-1287·
Gary Virtual AcademyGaryCombinedKG-1245·
Area Career CenterHammondHigh06-120·
Gary Career CenterGaryHigh06-120·
Benjamin Franklin Elementary SchWhitingElementaryPK-06··

Cities in Lake County

Gary22 schoolsHammond18 schoolsCrown Point10 schoolsEast Chicago9 schoolsHobart9 schoolsMerrillville9 schoolsCedar Lake6 schoolsHighland6 schoolsLowell6 schoolsMunster5 schoolsLake Station4 schoolsSchererville4 schoolsWhiting4 schoolsDyer3 schoolsGriffith3 schoolsSaint John3 schools

About Lake County

Lake County is a large Indiana county of about 500,379 residents, home to 121 public schools and roughly 74,661 students.

In context, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $71,493, about 26% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 11%.

In terms of grade levels, Lake County consists of 71 elementary schools (32,990 students), 21 middle schools (14,489), 23 high schools (23,673), and 6 combined or other schools.

School City of Hammond dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 10,997 students on its own.

Over the past 7-year window. Total public-school enrollment in Lake County has decreased 9% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 80,690 students to 73,419. Lake County now counts 115 public schools, down from 124 in SY 2017-18. On the demographic side, White enrollment moved from 39% to 36% over the same window.

Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Lake County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.

Frequently asked questions

How many public schools are in Lake County?
Lake County, Indiana has 121 public K-12 schools serving approximately 74,661 students.
How many high schools are in Lake County?
Lake County, Indiana has 23 public high schools, serving approximately 23,673 students.
How many middle schools are in Lake County?
Lake County, Indiana has 21 public middle schools, serving approximately 14,489 students.
How many elementary schools are in Lake County?
Lake County, Indiana has 71 public elementary schools, serving approximately 32,990 students.
What is the largest school district in Lake County?
School City of Hammond is the largest school district in Lake County, serving approximately 10,997 students. The county contains 30 school districts overall.
How many people live in Lake County?
Lake County has roughly 500,379 residents according to the latest Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What is the median household income in Lake County?
Median household income in Lake County is $71,493, above the Indiana average of $70,257. About 11.1% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Lake County?
Approximately 25.8% of adults 25 and older in Lake County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Lake County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 47.2% of students in Lake County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is lower than the Indiana county average of 48.4%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Lake County schools?
Across Lake County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 19.0 to 1.

Lake County school rankings

Largest schoolsAll rankings →
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data