Total enrollment
843
+4 (+0%) vs SY 2017-18
Big Stone County
Minnesota · Public K-12
Combined enrollment across Big Stone County's 9 public schools is roughly 843 students, an average of about 94 per campus. Ortonville Public Schools runs the largest share. By grade band, the county runs 4 elementary and 4 high schools.
7-year change in Big Stone County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
8
+3 (+60%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
89%
was 93%
% Hispanic
6%
was 4%
% Black
0%
was 0%
% Asian
0%
was 0%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
9
3 districts
Enrollment
843
NCES CCD
Median income
$70,400
Below Minnesota avg
Free/reduced lunch
37.8%
Below Minnesota avg
Elementary
4
477 students
Middle
0
schools
High
4
366 students
Combined / other
1
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Ortonville Public Schools
510 students · 3 districts in Big Stone County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Big Stone 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+
25.7%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
8.6%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
1.8%
civilian labor
Median age
47
22.0% under 18
Test scores in Big Stone County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 4 schools ranked. Minnesota state average: 49.9%.
Top 4 schools (ELA)
- Knoll Elementary· 60.4%
- Pre-K - 5th Grade Building· 58.6%
- 6-12th Grade Building· 50.0%
- Ortonville Secondary· 50.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knoll Elementary | Ortonville | Elementary | PK-06 | 282 | · |
| Ortonville Secondary | Ortonville | High | 07-12 | 228 | · |
| Pre-K - 5th Grade Building | Clinton | Elementary | PK-05 | 152 | · |
| 6-12th Grade Building | Graceville | High | 06-12 | 133 | · |
| Lismore Colony Elementary | Clinton | Elementary | KG-08 | 24 | · |
| Big Stone Colony Elementary | Graceville | Elementary | KG-08 | 19 | · |
| Big Stone Colony High School | Clinton | High | 09-12 | 4 | · |
| Lismore Colony Senior High School | Clinton | High | 09-12 | 1 | · |
| Contract - 02 | Ortonville | Combined | KG-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Big Stone County
About Big Stone County
In Minnesota, Big Stone County is a low-population county of about 5,127 residents. 9 public schools across the county educates about 843 students between them.
Stepping back, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $70,400, roughly 26% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate is around 9%. That income level is 9% noticeably below the Minnesota median.
Looking at the level breakdown, Big Stone County covers 4 elementary schools (477 students), 4 high schools (366), and 1 combined or other schools.
Ortonville Public Schools is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 510 students across Big Stone County.
Over the past 7-year window. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment remained close to its prior level: 839 students in SY 2017-18 versus 843 in SY 2024-25. Big Stone County now counts 8 public schools, up from 5 in SY 2017-18. On the demographic side, White enrollment moved from 93% to 89% over the same window.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Big Stone County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
Big Stone County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data