Total enrollment
3,337
-379 (-10%) vs SY 2017-18
Otsego County
Michigan · Public K-12
Otsego County sits inside Michigan and runs 8 public K-12 schools, enrolling about 3,337 students. Gaylord Community Schools alone accounts for 2,747 of those students. By grade band, the county runs 3 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high schools.
7-year change in Otsego County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
8
-1 (-11%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
91%
was 93%
% Hispanic
3%
was 2%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
8
3 districts
Enrollment
3,337
NCES CCD
Median income
$68,183
Above Michigan avg
Free/reduced lunch
54.7%
Above Michigan avg
Elementary
3
1,086 students
Middle
2
1,067 students
High
2
1,112 students
Combined / other
1
72 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Gaylord Community Schools
2,747 students · 3 districts in Otsego County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Otsego 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
5.1%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.0%
civilian labor
Median age
44
20.8% under 18
Test scores in Otsego County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 4 schools ranked. Michigan state average: 47.7%.
Top 4 schools (ELA)
- Gaylord Middle School· 55.5%
- Gaylord Intermediate School· 41.0%
- North Ohio Elementary School· 35.2%
- South Maple Elementary School· 33.6%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaylord High SchoolVoc Bldg | Gaylord | High | 09-12 | 907 | · |
| Gaylord Intermediate School | Gaylord | Middle | 04-06 | 632 | · |
| Gaylord Middle School | Gaylord | Middle | 07-08 | 435 | · |
| North Ohio Elementary School | Gaylord | Elementary | PK-03 | 388 | · |
| South Maple Elementary School | Gaylord | Elementary | PK-03 | 385 | · |
| JohannesburgLewiston ElementaryMiddle School | Johannesburg | Elementary | KG-08 | 313 | · |
| JohannesburgLewiston High School | Johannesburg | High | 09-12 | 205 | · |
| Vanderbilt Area School | Vanderbilt | Combined | KG-12 | 72 | · |
Cities in Otsego County
About Otsego County
In Michigan, Otsego County is a compact county of about 25,584 residents. 8 public schools across the county serves about 3,337 students between them.
Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $68,183, roughly 26% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate is around 5%.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Otsego County is made up of 3 elementary schools (1,086 students), 2 middle schools (1,067), 2 high schools (1,112), and 1 combined or other schools.
Gaylord Community Schools is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 2,747 students across Otsego County.
Five-year track record. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment contracted 10%: 3,716 students in SY 2017-18 versus 3,337 in SY 2024-25. The school count fell from 9 to 8 across the same 7-year window.
On this page, the community for Otsego County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
Otsego County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data