Total enrollment
6,201
-309 (-5%) vs SY 2017-18
Carlton County
Minnesota · Public K-12
Carlton County reports 25 public K-12 schools and roughly 6,201 students enrolled, per NCES, with a mix of 11 elementary, 1 middle, and 10 high.
7-year change in Carlton County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
24
+2 (+9%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
78%
was 83%
% Hispanic
2%
was 1%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
0%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
25
10 districts
Enrollment
6,201
NCES CCD
Median income
$80,573
Above Minnesota avg
Free/reduced lunch
35.0%
Below Minnesota avg
Elementary
11
2,765 students
Middle
1
752 students
High
10
2,478 students
Combined / other
3
206 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
CLOQUET PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
2,529 students · 10 districts in Carlton County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Carlton 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+
26.5%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
7.7%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.8%
civilian labor
Median age
41
21.5% under 18
Test scores in Carlton County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 16 schools ranked. Minnesota state average: 49.9%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- LINCOLN SECONDARY· 66.4%
- WINTERQUIST ELEMENTARY· 66.4%
- CHURCHILL ELEMENTARY· 61.9%
- CROMWELL-WRIGHT ELEMENTARY· 61.2%
- WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY· 56.7%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- SOUTH TERRACE ELEMENTARY· 32.1%
- CARLTON SECONDARY· 34.3%
- MOOSE LAKE SECONDARY· 41.7%
- WRENSHALL ELEMENTARY· 45.4%
- WRENSHALL SECONDARY· 46.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLOQUET SENIOR | Cloquet | High | 09-12 | 761 | · |
| CLOQUET MIDDLE | Cloquet | Middle | 05-08 | 752 | · |
| WINTERQUIST ELEMENTARY | Esko | Elementary | PK-06 | 684 | · |
| LINCOLN SECONDARY | Esko | High | 07-12 | 603 | · |
| WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY | Cloquet | Elementary | PK-04 | 495 | · |
| CHURCHILL ELEMENTARY | Cloquet | Elementary | PK-04 | 351 | · |
| BARNUM ELEMENTARY | Barnum | Elementary | PK-06 | 348 | · |
| BARNUM SECONDARY | Barnum | High | 07-12 | 312 | · |
| MOOSE LAKE ELEMENTARY | Moose Lake | Elementary | PK-06 | 285 | · |
| MOOSE LAKE SECONDARY | Moose Lake | High | 07-12 | 276 | · |
| WRENSHALL ELEMENTARY | Wrenshall | Elementary | PK-06 | 187 | · |
| CROMWELL-WRIGHT ELEMENTARY | Cromwell | Elementary | PK-06 | 163 | · |
| SOUTH TERRACE ELEMENTARY | Carlton | Elementary | PK-05 | 163 | · |
| Fond du Lac Ojibwe School | Cloquet | Combined | KG-12 | 161 | · |
| WRENSHALL SECONDARY | Wrenshall | High | 07-12 | 160 | · |
| CARLTON SECONDARY | Carlton | High | 06-12 | 145 | · |
| CROMWELL-WRIGHT SECONDARY | Cromwell | High | 07-12 | 137 | · |
| CLOQUET EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION | Cloquet | Elementary | PK-PK | 83 | · |
| CLOQUET AREA ALT. ED. PROGRAMS | Cloquet | High | 06-12 | 74 | · |
| NLA-Carlton | Carlton | Combined | 03-12 | 31 | · |
| Northern Lights Academy | Cloquet | Combined | KG-12 | 14 | · |
| CAAEP EXTENDED DAY PROGRAM | Cloquet | High | 09-12 | 7 | · |
| SHARED TIME | Cloquet | Elementary | PK-06 | 6 | · |
| MCF-MOOSE LAKE/WILLOW RIVER | Moose Lake | High | 09-12 | 3 | · |
| Northern Lights Academy Cooperative | Cloquet | Elementary | KG-03 | 0 | · |
Cities in Carlton County
About Carlton County
Carlton County is a sparse Minnesota county of about 36,518 residents, home to 25 public schools and roughly 6,201 students.
Looking at the wider area, census numbers show median household income runs near $80,573, 27% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the federal-poverty share is near 8%.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Carlton County is made up of 11 elementary schools (2,765 students), 1 middle school (752), 10 high schools (2,478), and 3 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Carlton County is CLOQUET PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, which alone enrolls about 2,529 students.
Five-year track record. Total public-school enrollment in Carlton County has fell 5% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 6,510 students to 6,201. Over that span, Carlton County added 2 schools, going from 22 to 24. Demographically, the White share of enrollment fell from 83% to 78%.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Carlton County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
Carlton County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data