Total enrollment
4,089
-865 (-17%) vs SY 2020-21
Houston County
Minnesota · Public K-12
Houston County's public-school directory totals 20 schools, with student enrollment near 4,089. Houston Public School District is the largest district. Median household income runs around $79,825. The level mix is 6 elementary, 3 middle, and 8 high schools.
4-year change in Houston County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
18
+3 (+20%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Houston County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Minnesota | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 48.6% | #16 of 80 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 4,089 | #39 of 80 | #1,514 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 18 | #35 of 80 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 13.1:1 | #19 of 80 | #950 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 37.8% | #50 of 80 | #2,182 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 33.8% | #48 of 80 | #1,685 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Houston County school rankings
Residents
18,653
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
20
7 districts
Enrollment
4,089
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$79,825
Above Minnesota avg
Free/reduced lunch
37.8%
Below Minnesota avg
Elementary
6
1,534 students
Middle
3
782 students
High
8
1,758 students
Combined / other
3
15 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
1,934 students · 7 districts in Houston County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Houston 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+
30.1%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
3.1%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
1.6%
civilian labor
Median age
45
21.4% under 18
Test scores in Houston County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 14 schools ranked. Minnesota state average: 49.9%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- CALEDONIA ELEMENTARY· 71.2%
- CALEDONIA SENIOR HIGH· 66.7%
- SPRING GROVE ELEMENTARY· 62.8%
- HOUSTON ELEMENTARY· 62.6%
- CALEDONIA MIDDLE· 61.6%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Virtual Academy High | Houston | High | 09-12 | 706 | · |
| Minnesota Virtual Academy Elementar | Houston | Elementary | KG-05 | 392 | · |
| La Crescent-Hokah Elementary | La Crescent | Elementary | PK-04 | 359 | · |
| Minnesota Virtual Academy Middle | Houston | Middle | 06-08 | 333 | · |
| La Crescent Senior High | La Crescent | High | 09-12 | 328 | · |
| La Crescent-Hokah Middle School | La Crescent | Middle | 05-08 | 311 | · |
| CALEDONIA ELEMENTARY | Caledonia | Elementary | PK-05 | 295 | · |
| CALEDONIA SENIOR HIGH | Caledonia | High | 09-12 | 259 | · |
| HOUSTON ELEMENTARY | Houston | Elementary | PK-06 | 247 | · |
| HOUSTON SECONDARY | Houston | High | 07-12 | 234 | · |
| SPRING GROVE ELEMENTARY | Spring Grove | Elementary | PK-06 | 186 | · |
| SPRING GROVE SECONDARY | Spring Grove | High | 07-12 | 163 | · |
| CALEDONIA MIDDLE | Caledonia | Middle | 06-08 | 138 | · |
| La Crescent Montessori & STEM Acad | La Crescent | Elementary | KG-06 | 55 | · |
| La Crescent Sec Montessori/STEM | La Crescent | High | 07-12 | 46 | · |
| SUMMIT LEARNING PROGRAM | Houston | High | 09-12 | 22 | · |
| HVED Spectrum Program | Hokah | Combined | PK-12 | 14 | · |
| Houston County JDC School | Caledonia | Combined | 04-12 | 1 | · |
| LaCrescent Gr 9-12 | La Crescent | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
| Out of State Care and Treatment | La Crescent | Combined | KG-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Houston County
About Houston County
Across the rural-scale Minnesota county of Houston County of about 18,653 residents, the public-school footprint covers 20 schools and about 4,089 students.
Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show the median household earns about $79,825 a year, 30% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 3%.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Houston County covers 6 elementary schools (1,534 students), 3 middle schools (782), 8 high schools (1,758), and 3 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Houston County is HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, which alone enrolls about 1,934 students.
Over the past 4-year window. Combined enrollment now sits at 4,089 students, decreased 17% from the 4,954 reported in SY 2020-21. Houston County now counts 18 public schools, up from 15 in SY 2020-21.
On this page, the community for Houston County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data