Total enrollment
5,284
+718 (+16%) vs SY 2017-18
Nobles County
Minnesota · Public K-12
Nobles County's school count of 21 reflects a public K-12 system serving about 5,284 students inside Minnesota, around 24% of the county population. By grade band, the county runs 9 elementary, 3 middle, and 7 high schools.
7-year change in Nobles County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
17
+3 (+21%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
35%
was 41%
% Hispanic
52%
was 44%
% Black
4%
was 5%
% Asian
6%
was 8%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
21
5 districts
Enrollment
5,284
NCES CCD
Median income
$66,101
Below Minnesota avg
Free/reduced lunch
60.7%
Above Minnesota avg
Elementary
9
2,788 students
Middle
3
921 students
High
7
1,575 students
Combined / other
2
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
WORTHINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
4,064 students · 5 districts in Nobles County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Nobles 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+
17.9%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
9.0%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.2%
civilian labor
Median age
36
29.0% under 18
Test scores in Nobles County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 10 schools ranked. Minnesota state average: 49.9%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Virtual Instruction by Excellence E· 77.8%
- ELLSWORTH ELEMENTARY· 57.8%
- ADRIAN ELEMENTARY· 50.8%
- ADRIAN MIDDLE· 50.4%
- ADRIAN SECONDARY· 48.5%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- WORTHINGTON SENIOR HIGH· 26.8%
- Intermediate School· 32.1%
- WORTHINGTON MIDDLE· 33.1%
- Round Lake-Brewster Middle School· 33.6%
- Round Lake-Brewster Elementary· 43.8%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WORTHINGTON SENIOR HIGH | Worthington | High | 09-12 | 1,118 | · |
| Intermediate School | Worthington | Elementary | 03-05 | 705 | · |
| PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY | Worthington | Elementary | PK-02 | 690 | · |
| WORTHINGTON MIDDLE | Worthington | Middle | 06-08 | 664 | · |
| Virtual Instruction by Excellence E | Worthington | Elementary | KG-06 | 518 | · |
| Round Lake-Brewster Elementary | Brewster | Elementary | PK-05 | 377 | · |
| ADRIAN ELEMENTARY | Adrian | Elementary | PK-05 | 295 | · |
| ADRIAN SECONDARY | Adrian | High | 09-12 | 155 | · |
| ADRIAN MIDDLE | Adrian | Middle | 06-08 | 139 | · |
| Virtual Instruction by Excellence S | Worthington | High | 07-12 | 124 | · |
| Round Lake-Brewster Middle School | Brewster | Middle | 06-08 | 118 | · |
| Community Education | Worthington | Elementary | PK-PK | 87 | · |
| Learning Center | Worthington | High | 07-12 | 82 | · |
| ELLSWORTH ELEMENTARY | Ellsworth | Elementary | PK-06 | 76 | · |
| ELLSWORTH SECONDARY | Ellsworth | High | 07-12 | 60 | · |
| EARLY CHILDHOOD | Worthington | Elementary | PK-PK | 40 | · |
| Learning Center Night | Worthington | High | 07-12 | 36 | · |
| Adrian Credit Recovery | Adrian | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
| Out of State Care and Treatment | Adrian | Combined | KG-12 | 0 | · |
| Out-of-State Care and Treatment | Worthington | Combined | KG-12 | 0 | · |
| Project Search-Sanford Worthington | Worthington | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Nobles County
About Nobles County
Nobles County is a sparse county of about 22,041 residents in Minnesota. Its public-school system educates approximately 5,284 students across 21 schools.
Zooming out, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $66,101, roughly 18% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the federal-poverty share is near 9%. That income level is 15% below the Minnesota median.
On the school-mix side, Nobles County comprises 9 elementary schools (2,788 students), 3 middle schools (921), 7 high schools (1,575), and 2 combined or other schools.
WORTHINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 4,064 students across Nobles County.
Looking at the last 7 years. Total public-school enrollment in Nobles County has expanded 16% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 4,566 students to 5,284. The school count climbed from 14 to 17 across the same 7-year window. On the demographic side, Hispanic enrollment moved from 44% to 52% over the same window.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Nobles County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
Nobles County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data