Total enrollment
73,419
-159 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Lake County
Indiana · Public K-12
Lake County, Indiana hosts 121 public K-12 schools and around 74,661 students, averaging roughly 617 per school. School City of Hammond runs the largest share. By grade band, the county runs 71 elementary, 21 middle, and 23 high schools.
4-year change in Lake County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
115
-1 (-1%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Lake County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Indiana | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 35.0% | #67 of 80 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 74,661 | #2 of 91 | #142 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 118 | #2 of 91 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 17.2:1 | #87 of 91 | #2,322 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 47.2% | #57 of 91 | #1,769 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 69.8% | #2 of 91 | #110 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Lake County school rankings
Residents
500,379
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
121
30 districts
Enrollment
74,661
students · 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
School enrollment
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%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
Cities in Lake County
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 4-year window. Total public-school enrollment in Lake County has stayed largely flat since SY 2020-21, moving from about 73,578 students to 73,419. Lake County now counts 115 public schools, down from 116 in SY 2020-21.
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
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data