Total enrollment
3,843
-194 (-5%) vs SY 2020-21
Waldo County
Maine · Public K-12
Waldo County's public-school directory totals 27 schools, with student enrollment near 3,843. Rsu 71 is the largest district. Median household income runs around $72,782. By grade band, the county runs 17 elementary, 4 middle, and 4 high schools.
4-year change in Waldo County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
25
-1 (-4%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Waldo County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Maine | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 3,843 | #13 of 16 | #1,586 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 25 | #11 of 16 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 10.2:1 | #5 of 16 | #164 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 57.3% | #5 of 16 | #1,234 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 14.6% | #11 of 16 | #2,360 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.
Waldo County school rankings
Residents
40,192
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
27
11 districts
Enrollment
3,843
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$72,782
Above Maine avg
Free/reduced lunch
57.3%
Above Maine avg
Elementary
17
1,918 students
Middle
4
873 students
High
4
988 students
Combined / other
2
64 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
RSU 71
1,396 students · 11 districts in Waldo County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Waldo 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+
34.4%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.5%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.7%
civilian labor
Median age
47
17.7% under 18
Test scores in Waldo County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 13 schools ranked. Maine state average: 64.1%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Palermo Consolidated School· 74.0%
- Ames Elementary School· 72.0%
- Samuel L Wagner Middle School· 69.5%
- Captain Albert W. Stevens School· 66.1%
- Kermit S Nickerson School· 65.5%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Mt View Elementary School· 46.3%
- Belfast Area High School· 52.5%
- Searsport District Middle School· 57.6%
- Troy A Howard Middle School· 58.4%
- Mt View Middle School· 60.3%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast Area High School | Belfast | High | 09-12 | 476 | · |
| Troy A Howard Middle School | Belfast | Middle | 06-08 | 330 | · |
| Mt View Elementary School | Thorndike | Elementary | PK-05 | 273 | · |
| Mt View High School | Thorndike | High | 09-12 | 271 | · |
| Leroy H Smith School | Winterport | Elementary | PK-04 | 260 | · |
| Captain Albert W. Stevens School | Belfast | Elementary | PK-05 | 232 | · |
| Mt View Middle School | Thorndike | Middle | 06-08 | 232 | · |
| Lincolnville Central School | Lincolnville | Elementary | PK-08 | 212 | · |
| Samuel L Wagner Middle School | Winterport | Middle | 05-08 | 203 | · |
| Searsport Elementary | Searsport | Elementary | PK-05 | 167 | · |
| Ames Elementary School | Searsmont | Elementary | 02-05 | 122 | · |
| Searsport District High School | Searsport | High | 09-12 | 121 | · |
| Ecology Learning Ctr | Unity | High | 09-12 | 120 | · |
| Palermo Consolidated School | Palermo | Elementary | KG-08 | 111 | · |
| Searsport District Middle School | Searsport | Middle | 06-08 | 108 | · |
| East Belfast School | Belfast | Elementary | PK-02 | 99 | · |
| Edna Drinkwater School | Northport | Elementary | KG-08 | 98 | · |
| Gladys Weymouth Elem School | Morrill | Elementary | PK-01 | 79 | · |
| Morse Memorial School | Brooks | Elementary | KG-05 | 70 | · |
| Islesboro Central School | Islesboro | Combined | KG-12 | 64 | · |
| Kermit S Nickerson School | Swanville | Elementary | 03-05 | 58 | · |
| Monroe Elementary School | Monroe | Elementary | PK-05 | 57 | · |
| Troy Central School | Troy | Elementary | KG-05 | 42 | · |
| Walker Memorial School | Liberty | Elementary | KG-05 | 25 | · |
| Unity Elementary School | Unity | Elementary | PK-PK | 13 | · |
| Maine Ocean School | Searsport | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| Waldo County Tech Ctr-Region 7 | Waldo | Elementary | N-N | · | · |
Cities in Waldo County
About Waldo County
Waldo County is a thinly populated Maine county of about 40,192 residents, home to 27 public schools and roughly 3,843 students.
In context, census numbers show the median household earns about $72,782 a year, 34% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
In terms of grade levels, Waldo County spans 17 elementary schools (1,918 students), 4 middle schools (873), 4 high schools (988), and 2 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Waldo County is RSU 71, which alone enrolls about 1,396 students.
Over the past 4-year window. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment shrank 5%: 4,037 students in SY 2020-21 versus 3,843 in SY 2024-25. The school count fell from 26 to 25 across the same 4-year window.
On allk12, the community for Waldo 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