Total enrollment
3,843
-656 (-15%) vs SY 2017-18
Waldo County
Maine · Public K-12
Waldo County's public-school directory totals 27 campuses, 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.
7-year change in Waldo County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
25
+1 (+4%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
92%
was 94%
% Hispanic
2%
was 2%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
27
11 districts
Enrollment
3,843
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 7-year window. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment shrank 15%: 4,499 students in SY 2017-18 versus 3,843 in SY 2024-25. The school count climbed from 24 to 25 across the same 7-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
Waldo County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data