Total enrollment
9,399
-406 (-4%) vs SY 2017-18
Crow Wing County
Minnesota · Public K-12
Crow Wing County in Minnesota is home to 24 public K-12 schools, serving roughly 9,399 students between them, broken out as 14 elementary, 3 middle, and 6 high. Brainerd Public School District is the largest district by enrollment.
7-year change in Crow Wing County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
22
+2 (+10%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
89%
was 93%
% Hispanic
3%
was 1%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
24
6 districts
Enrollment
9,399
NCES CCD
Median income
$72,589
Below Minnesota avg
Free/reduced lunch
39.8%
Below Minnesota avg
Elementary
14
3,737 students
Middle
3
2,221 students
High
6
3,336 students
Combined / other
1
105 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
BRAINERD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
6,079 students · 6 districts in Crow Wing County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Crow Wing 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+
29.3%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.4%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.5%
civilian labor
Median age
46
20.5% under 18
Test scores in Crow Wing County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 16 schools ranked. Minnesota state average: 49.9%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- LOWELL ELEMENTARY· 63.4%
- PEQUOT LAKES MIDDLE· 61.6%
- EAGLE VIEW ELEMENTARY· 60.3%
- PEQUOT LAKES SENIOR HIGH· 58.9%
- NISSWA ELEMENTARY· 55.3%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Crosslake Community 6-12 Online· 28.6%
- GARFIELD ELEMENTARY· 33.6%
- HARRISON ELEMENTARY· 35.6%
- Discovery Woods· 41.7%
- RIVERSIDE ELEMENTARY· 43.1%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRAINERD SENIOR HIGH | Brainerd | High | 09-12 | 1,805 | · |
| FORESTVIEW MIDDLE | Baxter | Middle | 05-08 | 1,626 | · |
| PEQUOT LAKES SENIOR HIGH | Pequot Lakes | High | 09-12 | 599 | · |
| PEQUOT LAKES MIDDLE | Pequot Lakes | Middle | 05-08 | 581 | · |
| EAGLE VIEW ELEMENTARY | Breezy Point | Elementary | PK-04 | 557 | · |
| Cuyuna Range Elementary | Crosby | Elementary | PK-06 | 533 | · |
| BAXTER ELEMENTARY | Baxter | Elementary | PK-04 | 506 | · |
| Crosby-Ironton Secondary | Crosby | High | 07-12 | 455 | · |
| RIVERSIDE ELEMENTARY | Brainerd | Elementary | PK-04 | 407 | · |
| LOWELL ELEMENTARY | Brainerd | Elementary | KG-04 | 355 | · |
| Crosslake Community 6-12 Online | Crosslake | High | 06-12 | 311 | · |
| GARFIELD ELEMENTARY | Brainerd | Elementary | PK-04 | 250 | · |
| NISSWA ELEMENTARY | Nisswa | Elementary | PK-04 | 249 | · |
| HARRISON ELEMENTARY | Brainerd | Elementary | PK-04 | 230 | · |
| WELC - VPK | Baxter | Elementary | PK-PK | 215 | · |
| ISD 181 LEARNING CENTER | Brainerd | High | 08-12 | 166 | · |
| BRAINERD EARLY CHILDHOOD SP. ED. | Baxter | Elementary | PK-PK | 151 | · |
| Crosslake Community Seat Based | Crosslake | Elementary | KG-08 | 150 | · |
| LINCOLN EDUCATION CENTER | Brainerd | Combined | 03-12 | 105 | · |
| Discovery Woods | Brainerd | Elementary | PK-06 | 101 | · |
| Crosslake Community K-5 Online | Crosslake | Elementary | KG-05 | 33 | · |
| MIDDLE LEVEL ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM | Brainerd | Middle | 05-08 | 14 | · |
| Brainerd Online School | Brainerd | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
| F.E.D. Pequot Lakes Credit Recovery | Pequot Lakes | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Crow Wing County
About Crow Wing County
Across the mid-sized Minnesota county of Crow Wing County of about 67,686 residents, the public-school footprint covers 24 schools and about 9,399 students.
For perspective, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $72,589, roughly 29% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 6% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 6% lower than the Minnesota median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Crow Wing County comprises 14 elementary schools (3,737 students), 3 middle schools (2,221), 6 high schools (3,336), and 1 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Crow Wing County is BRAINERD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, which alone enrolls about 6,079 students.
Looking at the last 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment fell 4%: 9,805 students in SY 2017-18 versus 9,399 in SY 2024-25. Over that span, Crow Wing County opened 2 schools, going from 20 to 22. On the demographic side, White enrollment moved from 93% to 89% over the same window.
On this page, the community for Crow Wing County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
Crow Wing County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data