Total enrollment
5,067
-677 (-12%) vs SY 2017-18
Hillsdale County
Michigan · Public K-12
Hillsdale County, Michigan comes in at 23 public K-12 schools on the latest counts, totaling roughly 5,067 students, with a county median household income near $64,242. That works out to 8 elementary, 2 middle, and 9 high schools.
7-year change in Hillsdale County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
22
-3 (-12%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
93%
was 94%
% Hispanic
3%
was 3%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
0%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
23
11 districts
Enrollment
5,067
NCES CCD
Median income
$64,242
Below Michigan avg
Free/reduced lunch
58.0%
Above Michigan avg
Elementary
8
1,855 students
Middle
2
663 students
High
9
1,591 students
Combined / other
4
958 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Hillsdale Community Schools
1,259 students · 11 districts in Hillsdale County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Hillsdale 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+
21.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
9.6%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.4%
civilian labor
Median age
43
21.5% under 18
Test scores in Hillsdale County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 5 schools ranked. Michigan state average: 47.7%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Davis Middle School· 38.4%
- Reynolds Elementary School· 37.0%
- Williams Elementary School· 36.6%
- Jonesville Middle School· 35.9%
- Gier Elementary School· 20.6%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williams Elementary School | Jonesville | Elementary | KG-05 | 512 | · |
| Gier Elementary School | Hillsdale | Elementary | KG-04 | 434 | · |
| CamdenFrontier K12 School | Camden | Combined | KG-12 | 432 | · |
| Reynolds Elementary School | Reading | Elementary | KG-06 | 404 | · |
| Hillsdale High School | Hillsdale | High | 09-12 | 370 | · |
| Davis Middle School | Hillsdale | Middle | 05-08 | 366 | · |
| Jonesville High School | Jonesville | High | 09-12 | 309 | · |
| Jonesville Middle School | Jonesville | Middle | 06-08 | 297 | · |
| Reading High School | Reading | High | 07-12 | 286 | · |
| Will Carleton Charter School Academy | Hillsdale | Combined | KG-12 | 276 | · |
| Waldron Area Schools | Waldron | Combined | KG-12 | 205 | · |
| Pittsford Area High School | Pittsford | High | 06-12 | 203 | · |
| North AdamsJerome MiddleHigh School | North Adams | High | 06-12 | 163 | · |
| Pittsford Area Elem School | Pittsford | Elementary | KG-05 | 163 | · |
| Litchfield High School | Litchfield | High | 06-12 | 143 | · |
| North AdamsJerome Elem School | North Adams | Elementary | PK-05 | 138 | · |
| Litchfield Elementary School | Litchfield | Elementary | KG-05 | 110 | · |
| Jonesville Pathways | Jonesville | High | 06-12 | 62 | · |
| Hillsdale Preparatory School | Hillsdale | Elementary | KG-08 | 60 | · |
| Horizon Alternative School | Hillsdale | High | 09-12 | 55 | · |
| Greenfield School | Hillsdale | Combined | PK-12 | 45 | · |
| Bailey Early Childhood Center | Hillsdale | Elementary | PK-KG | 34 | · |
| Hillsdale Area Career Center | Hillsdale | High | 11-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Hillsdale County
About Hillsdale County
Hillsdale County is a small county of about 45,654 residents in Michigan. Its public-school system instructs approximately 5,067 students across 23 schools.
Looking at the wider area, census numbers show median household income runs near $64,242, 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
In terms of grade levels, Hillsdale County is made up of 8 elementary schools (1,855 students), 2 middle schools (663), 9 high schools (1,591), and 4 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Hillsdale County is Hillsdale Community Schools, which alone enrolls about 1,259 students.
Over the past 7-year window. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment decreased 12%: 5,744 students in SY 2017-18 versus 5,067 in SY 2024-25. Over that span, Hillsdale County lost 3 schools, going from 25 to 22.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Hillsdale County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
Hillsdale County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data