Total enrollment
7,836
+80 (+1%) vs SY 2017-18
Ford County
Kansas · Public K-12
In Ford County, 15 public K-12 schools make up the local education system, comprising 10 elementary, 2 middle, and 3 high. Combined enrollment is about 7,836 students.
7-year change in Ford County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
15
-1 (-6%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
18%
was 22%
% Hispanic
77%
was 74%
% Black
2%
was 2%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
15
3 districts
Enrollment
7,836
NCES CCD
Median income
$70,781
Above Kansas avg
Free/reduced lunch
79.5%
Above Kansas avg
Elementary
10
3,833 students
Middle
2
1,591 students
High
3
2,412 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Dodge City
7,268 students · 3 districts in Ford County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Ford 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+
20.7%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
11.7%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.1%
civilian labor
Median age
32
29.9% under 18
Test scores in Ford County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 14 schools ranked. Kansas state average: 44.5%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Spearville Elem· 60.9%
- Bucklin Elem· 51.5%
- Spearville Jr/Sr High· 50.0%
- Miller Elem· 39.3%
- Ross Elementary School· 34.9%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Dodge City Middle School· 16.9%
- Soule Elementary School· 17.1%
- Central Elem· 18.5%
- Comanche Middle School· 21.8%
- Linn Elementary· 22.9%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge City High School | Dodge City | High | 09-12 | 2,178 | · |
| Dodge City Middle School | Dodge City | Middle | 06-08 | 808 | · |
| Comanche Middle School | Dodge City | Middle | 06-08 | 783 | · |
| Miller Elem | Dodge City | Elementary | PK-05 | 780 | · |
| Ross Elementary School | Dodge City | Elementary | KG-05 | 502 | · |
| Central Elem | Dodge City | Elementary | KG-05 | 381 | · |
| Northwest Elem | Dodge City | Elementary | KG-05 | 380 | · |
| Soule Elementary School | Dodge City | Elementary | KG-05 | 375 | · |
| Sunnyside Elem | Dodge City | Elementary | PK-05 | 365 | · |
| Linn Elementary | Dodge City | Elementary | KG-05 | 361 | · |
| Beeson Elementary | Dodge City | Elementary | KG-05 | 355 | · |
| Spearville Elem | Spearville | Elementary | PK-05 | 196 | · |
| Spearville Jr/Sr High | Spearville | High | 06-12 | 177 | · |
| Bucklin Elem | Bucklin | Elementary | PK-08 | 138 | · |
| Bucklin High | Bucklin | High | 09-12 | 57 | · |
Cities in Ford County
About Ford County
Ford County is a rural-scale county of about 34,074 residents in Kansas. Its public-school system educates approximately 7,836 students across 15 schools.
Stepping back, census numbers show median household income runs near $70,781, roughly 21% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate is around 12%. That income level is 7% higher than the Kansas median.
In terms of grade levels, Ford County covers 10 elementary schools (3,833 students), 2 middle schools (1,591), and 3 high schools (2,412).
Dodge City dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 7,268 students on its own.
Over the past 7-year window. Combined enrollment now sits at 7,836 students, remained close to its prior level from the 7,756 reported in SY 2017-18. The school count fell from 16 to 15 across the same 7-year window. Demographically, the White share of enrollment contracted from 22% to 18%.
On this page, the community for Ford County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
Ford County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data