Total enrollment
4,447
-857 (-16%) vs SY 2017-18
Nicollet County
Minnesota · Public K-12
The 25 public K-12 schools in Nicollet County cover all standard grade bands (9 elementary, 2 middle, and 6 high), with combined enrollment around 4,447.
7-year change in Nicollet County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
18
-2 (-10%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
74%
was 77%
% Hispanic
13%
was 9%
% Black
7%
was 9%
% Asian
1%
was 2%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
25
6 districts
Enrollment
4,447
NCES CCD
Median income
$79,756
Above Minnesota avg
Free/reduced lunch
33.8%
Below Minnesota avg
Elementary
9
2,001 students
Middle
2
1,469 students
High
6
857 students
Combined / other
8
120 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
ST. PETER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
2,107 students · 6 districts in Nicollet County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Nicollet 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+
36.1%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
3.3%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
2.2%
civilian labor
Median age
38
21.5% under 18
Test scores in Nicollet County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 9 schools ranked. Minnesota state average: 49.9%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- BRIDGES COMMUNITY ELEMENTARY· 69.5%
- HOOVER ELEMENTARY· 60.2%
- North Elementary School· 57.9%
- NICOLLET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 57.5%
- St. Peter Middle School· 56.4%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- St. Peter High School· 52.4%
- Nicollet High School· 53.0%
- Dakota Meadows Middle School· 54.4%
- MONROE ELEMENTARY· 55.9%
- St. Peter Middle School· 56.4%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota Meadows Middle School | North Mankato | Middle | 06-08 | 852 | · |
| St. Peter High School | Saint Peter | High | 09-12 | 692 | · |
| St. Peter Middle School | Saint Peter | Middle | 05-08 | 617 | · |
| HOOVER ELEMENTARY | North Mankato | Elementary | KG-05 | 461 | · |
| North Elementary School | Saint Peter | Elementary | 02-04 | 429 | · |
| MONROE ELEMENTARY | North Mankato | Elementary | KG-05 | 367 | · |
| South Elementary School | Saint Peter | Elementary | KG-01 | 269 | · |
| BRIDGES COMMUNITY ELEMENTARY | North Mankato | Elementary | KG-05 | 251 | · |
| NICOLLET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Nicollet | Elementary | PK-06 | 156 | · |
| Nicollet High School | Nicollet | High | 07-12 | 151 | · |
| ST. PETER ECSE | Saint Peter | Elementary | PK-PK | 61 | · |
| FUTURES PROGRAM | North Mankato | Combined | KG-12 | 33 | · |
| Minnesota Valley School | Saint Peter | Combined | KG-12 | 27 | · |
| Oshawa Learning Academy | Saint Peter | Combined | 04-12 | 25 | · |
| Futures Sun | North Mankato | Combined | 01-12 | 21 | · |
| Minnesota River School | Saint Peter | Combined | KG-12 | 14 | · |
| ROCK BEND HS ALC | Saint Peter | High | 09-12 | 14 | · |
| Nicollet Early Childhood Special Ed | Nicollet | Elementary | PK-PK | 7 | · |
| HOFFMAN LEARNING CENTER | Saint Peter | High | 05-12 | 0 | · |
| MN SECURITY HOSPITAL YAAP | Saint Peter | High | 07-12 | 0 | · |
| MN VALLEY ED. DIST. EARLY CHILDHOOD | Saint Peter | Elementary | PK-PK | 0 | · |
| ST. PETER ALC | Saint Peter | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
| Socrates Online | North Mankato | Combined | 01-12 | 0 | · |
| LAFAYETTE PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL | Lafayette | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| Minnesota Prairie School | Saint Peter | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Nicollet County
About Nicollet County
Across the thinly populated Minnesota county of Nicollet County of about 34,411 residents, the public-school footprint covers 25 schools and about 4,447 students.
Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $79,756, 36% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 3% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
Looking at the level breakdown, Nicollet County spans 9 elementary schools (2,001 students), 2 middle schools (1,469), 6 high schools (857), and 8 combined or other schools.
ST. PETER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 2,107 students across Nicollet County.
Five-year track record. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment declined 16%: 5,304 students in SY 2017-18 versus 4,447 in SY 2024-25. The school count fell from 20 to 18 across the same 7-year window. Demographically, the Hispanic share of enrollment rose from 9% to 13%.
On this page, the community for Nicollet County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
Nicollet County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data