Total enrollment
1,284
+67 (+6%) vs SY 2020-21
Mahnomen County
Minnesota · Public K-12
Mahnomen County's public schools, 8 in all, serve approximately 1,284 K-12 students inside Minnesota, with Mahnomen Public School District the largest district by enrollment. By grade band, the county runs 2 elementary, 1 middle, and 5 high schools.
4-year change in Mahnomen County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
7
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Mahnomen County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Minnesota | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 21.9% | #80 of 80 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,284 | #74 of 80 | #2,586 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 7 | #67 of 80 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 11.8:1 | #4 of 80 | #481 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 72.2% | #1 of 80 | #690 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 39.9% | #34 of 80 | #1,482 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.
Mahnomen County school rankings
Residents
5,358
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
8
3 districts
Enrollment
1,284
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$59,441
Below Minnesota avg
Free/reduced lunch
72.2%
Above Minnesota avg
Elementary
2
453 students
Middle
1
162 students
High
5
669 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
MAHNOMEN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
674 students · 3 districts in Mahnomen County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Mahnomen 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+
16.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
14.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
9.8%
civilian labor
Median age
35
31.0% under 18
Test scores in Mahnomen County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 5 schools ranked. Minnesota state average: 49.9%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- WAUBUN SECONDARY· 35.8%
- WAUBUN ELEMENTARY· 32.3%
- NAYTAHWAUSH COMMUNITY SCHOOL· 26.0%
- MAHNOMEN SECONDARY· 24.8%
- MAHNOMEN ELEMENTARY· 23.5%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAHNOMEN ELEMENTARY | Mahnomen | Elementary | PK-06 | 319 | · |
| MAHNOMEN SECONDARY | Mahnomen | High | 07-12 | 312 | · |
| WAUBUN SECONDARY | Waubun | High | 07-12 | 283 | · |
| WAUBUN ELEMENTARY | Waubun | Middle | 04-06 | 162 | · |
| NAYTAHWAUSH COMMUNITY SCHOOL | Naytahwaush | Elementary | KG-06 | 134 | · |
| MAHNOMEN AREA LEARNING CENTER | Mahnomen | High | 06-12 | 43 | · |
| Waubun ALC | Waubun | High | 07-12 | 31 | · |
| WAUBUN AREA LEARNING PROGRAM | Waubun | High | 10-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Mahnomen County
About Mahnomen County
Mahnomen County is a small county of about 5,358 residents in Minnesota. Its public-school system enrolls approximately 1,284 students across 8 schools.
Stepping back, census numbers show the median household earns about $59,441 a year, about 16% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 15%. That income level is 23% meaningfully below the Minnesota median.
On the school-mix side, Mahnomen County spans 2 elementary schools (453 students), 1 middle school (162), and 5 high schools (669).
The largest single district in Mahnomen County is MAHNOMEN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, which alone enrolls about 674 students.
Five-year track record. Combined enrollment now sits at 1,284 students, increased 6% from the 1,217 reported in SY 2020-21.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Mahnomen County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data