The bulletin board for America's public schools. Parents, teachers, students, and staff. One community per school.

Cass County

Minnesota · Public K-12

Public K-12 schools in Cass County number 21, teaching approximately 4,570 Minnesota students against a population of 30,992. That works out to 7 elementary, 3 middle, and 9 high schools.

7-year change in Cass County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
4,570
+110 (+2%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
18
+1 (+6%) vs SY 2017-18
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
21
9 districts
Enrollment
4,570
NCES CCD
Median income
$68,874
Below Minnesota avg
Free/reduced lunch
60.7%
Above Minnesota avg
Elementary
7
2,003 students
Middle
3
745 students
High
9
1,667 students
Combined / other
2
155 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
PILLAGER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
1,324 students · 9 districts in Cass County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Cass 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
White
81%
Hispanic
2%
Black
0%
Asian
1%
Two or more
8%
Native American
9%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
60%
Hispanic
2%
Black
0%
Asian
0%
Two or more
4%
Native American
33%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
26.0%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
8.6%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
6.6%
civilian labor
Median age
50
20.0% under 18

Test scores in Cass County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 12 schools ranked. Minnesota state average: 49.9%.

See all 12 schools in Cass County ranked by score →

All schools (21)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
PILLAGER ELEMENTARYPillagerElementaryPK-04521·
PINE RIVER-BACKUS ELEMENTARYPine RiverElementaryPK-06478·
CASS LAKE-BENA ELEMENTARYCass LakeElementaryPK-04450·
Pillager Middle SchoolPillagerMiddle05-08433·
PINE RIVER-BACKUS HIGH SCHOOLPine RiverHigh07-12371·
Pillager Senior High SchoolPillagerHigh09-12370·
W.H.A. ElementaryWalkerElementaryPK-06369·
Walker-Hackensack-Akeley Sec.WalkerHigh07-12317·
Cass Lake-Bena Middle SchoolCass LakeMiddle05-08312·
CASS LAKE-BENA SECONDARYCass LakeHigh09-12263·
Northland ElementaryRemerElementaryPK-05185·
NORTHLAND SECONDARYRemerHigh06-12149·
Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig SchoolBenaCombinedKG-12142·
CASS LAKE-BENA AREA LRNG. CNTR.Cass LakeHigh07-1294·
Pine River-Backus ALPPine RiverHigh09-1257·
Central Lakes Adventure SchoolPillagerHigh07-1236·
Up North Learning CenterWalkerCombinedKG-1213·
LITTLE SANDRemerHigh07-1210·
Pine River-Backus Midlevel ALPPine RiverMiddle07-080·
F.E.D. Pillager Credit RecoveryPillagerElementaryM-M··
Freshwater Pillager ALCPillagerElementaryM-M··

Cities in Cass County

Pillager6 schoolsCass Lake4 schoolsPine River4 schoolsRemer3 schoolsWalker3 schoolsBena1 school

About Cass County

In Minnesota, Cass County is a rural-scale county of about 30,992 residents. 21 public schools across the county serves about 4,570 students between them.

In context, census numbers show the median household earns about $68,874 a year, about 26% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 9%. That income level is 11% noticeably below the Minnesota median.

Looking at the level breakdown, Cass County is built around 7 elementary schools (2,003 students), 3 middle schools (745), 9 high schools (1,667), and 2 combined or other schools.

PILLAGER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 1,324 students across Cass County.

Trend over the past 7 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 4,570 students, stayed largely flat from the 4,460 reported in SY 2017-18. Cass County now counts 18 public schools, up from 17 in SY 2017-18.

On this page, the community for Cass County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.

Frequently asked questions

How many public schools are in Cass County?
Cass County, Minnesota has 21 public K-12 schools serving approximately 4,570 students.
How many high schools are in Cass County?
Cass County, Minnesota has 9 public high schools, serving approximately 1,667 students.
How many middle schools are in Cass County?
Cass County, Minnesota has 3 public middle schools, serving approximately 745 students.
How many elementary schools are in Cass County?
Cass County, Minnesota has 7 public elementary schools, serving approximately 2,003 students.
What is the largest school district in Cass County?
PILLAGER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT is the largest school district in Cass County, serving approximately 1,324 students. The county contains 9 school districts overall.
How many people live in Cass County?
Cass County has roughly 30,992 residents according to the latest Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What is the median household income in Cass County?
Median household income in Cass County is $68,874, below the Minnesota average of $77,501. About 8.6% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Cass County?
Approximately 26.0% of adults 25 and older in Cass County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Cass County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 60.7% of students in Cass County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is higher than the Minnesota county average of 41.1%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Cass County schools?
Across Cass County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 14.0 to 1.

Cass County school rankings

Largest schoolsAll rankings →
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data