Total enrollment
5,122
-501 (-9%) vs SY 2017-18
Lyon County
Kansas · Public K-12
For a Kansas county, Lyon County operates a compact public-school system: 14 schools and 5,122 students, broken out as 9 elementary, 1 middle, and 4 high.
7-year change in Lyon County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
14
-1 (-7%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
51%
was 56%
% Hispanic
42%
was 32%
% Black
1%
was 2%
% Asian
1%
was 2%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
14
3 districts
Enrollment
5,122
NCES CCD
Median income
$59,912
Below Kansas avg
Free/reduced lunch
59.1%
Above Kansas avg
Elementary
9
2,403 students
Middle
1
843 students
High
4
1,876 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Emporia
4,261 students · 3 districts in Lyon County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Lyon 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+
26.3%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
7.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
2.0%
civilian labor
Median age
33
22.2% under 18
Test scores in Lyon County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 13 schools ranked. Kansas state average: 44.5%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Olpe Elementary· 57.4%
- Walnut Elem· 51.5%
- NLC Elementary School· 50.4%
- Timmerman Elementary· 49.2%
- Olpe Jr./Sr. High School· 45.4%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Logan Ave Elem· 27.2%
- Hartford Jr./Sr. High School· 28.1%
- Emporia Middle School· 31.9%
- W A White Elem· 34.3%
- Emporia High· 37.3%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emporia High | Emporia | High | 09-12 | 1,494 | · |
| Emporia Middle School | Emporia | Middle | 06-08 | 843 | · |
| Village Elem | Emporia | Elementary | PK-05 | 401 | · |
| Riverside Elementary | Emporia | Elementary | PK-05 | 385 | · |
| Timmerman Elementary | Emporia | Elementary | PK-05 | 370 | · |
| Walnut Elem | Emporia | Elementary | PK-05 | 312 | · |
| W A White Elem | Emporia | Elementary | PK-05 | 248 | · |
| NLC Elementary School | Americus | Elementary | PK-08 | 223 | · |
| Logan Ave Elem | Emporia | Elementary | PK-05 | 208 | · |
| Olpe Jr./Sr. High School | Olpe | High | 06-12 | 179 | · |
| Olpe Elementary | Olpe | Elementary | PK-05 | 149 | · |
| Neosho Rapids Elementary | Neosho Rapids | Elementary | PK-05 | 107 | · |
| Northern Heights | Allen | High | 09-12 | 102 | · |
| Hartford Jr./Sr. High School | Hartford | High | 06-12 | 101 | · |
Cities in Lyon County
About Lyon County
In Kansas, Lyon County is a sparse county of about 32,186 residents. 14 public schools across the county hosts about 5,122 students between them.
In context, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $59,912, about 26% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 9% meaningfully below the Kansas median.
In terms of grade levels, Lyon County consists of 9 elementary schools (2,403 students), 1 middle school (843), and 4 high schools (1,876).
Emporia dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 4,261 students on its own.
Five-year track record. Total public-school enrollment in Lyon County has fell 9% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 5,623 students to 5,122. Over that span, Lyon County closed 1 school, going from 15 to 14. On the demographic side, Hispanic enrollment moved from 32% to 42% over the same window.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Lyon County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
Lyon County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data