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Polk County

Minnesota · Public K-12

On the public-school side, Polk County (Minnesota) totals 20 K-12 campuses and roughly 5,075 students. Median household income is around $73,107. That works out to 10 elementary, 1 middle, and 8 high schools.

7-year change in Polk County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
5,075
-164 (-3%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
19
-1 (-5%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
75%
was 78%
% Hispanic
13%
was 11%
% Black
4%
was 5%
% Asian
0%
was 0%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
20
8 districts
Enrollment
5,075
NCES CCD
Median income
$73,107
Below Minnesota avg
Free/reduced lunch
43.3%
Above Minnesota avg
Elementary
10
2,501 students
Middle
1
463 students
High
8
2,111 students
Combined / other
1
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
East Grand Forks Public Schools
2,005 students · 8 districts in Polk County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Polk 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
White
86%
Hispanic
7%
Black
2%
Asian
1%
Two or more
9%
Native American
1%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
75%
Hispanic
12%
Black
4%
Asian
0%
Two or more
5%
Native American
4%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
28.0%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.3%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.6%
civilian labor
Median age
40
24.5% under 18

Test scores in Polk County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 15 schools ranked. Minnesota state average: 49.9%.

See all 15 schools in Polk County ranked by score →

All schools (20)

NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
EAST GRAND FORKS SENIOR HIGHEast Grand ForksHigh09-12608·
Crookston SecondaryCrookstonHigh06-12592·
NEW HEIGHTS ELEMENTARYEast Grand ForksElementaryPK-02499·
Highland ElementaryCrookstonElementaryKG-05474·
CENTRAL MIDDLEEast Grand ForksMiddle06-08463·
SOUTH POINT ELEMENTARYEast Grand ForksElementary03-05435·
MAGELSSEN ELEMENTARYFosstonElementaryPK-06340·
FOSSTON SECONDARYFosstonHigh07-12256·
FERTILE-BELTRAMI ELEMENTARYFertileElementaryPK-06249·
WIN-E-MAC ELEMENTARYErskineElementaryPK-06247·
FERTILE-BELTRAMI SECONDARYFertileHigh07-12246·
WIN-E-MAC SECONDARYErskineHigh07-12211·
Fisher ElementaryFisherElementaryPK-06123·
Fisher SecondaryFisherHigh07-1299·
CLIMAX SECONDARYClimaxHigh06-1294·
CLIMAX ELEMENTARYClimaxElementaryPK-0565·
Washington ElementaryCrookstonElementaryPK-KG42·
Crookston Pre-K ProgramCrookstonElementaryPK-PK27·
Northern Lights AcademyCrookstonHigh06-125·
New Paths Alternative Learning PrgmCrookstonCombinedM-M··

Cities in Polk County

Crookston6 schoolsEast Grand Forks4 schoolsClimax2 schoolsErskine2 schoolsFertile2 schoolsFisher2 schoolsFosston2 schools

About Polk County

Across the rural-scale Minnesota county of Polk County of about 30,705 residents, the public-school footprint covers 20 schools and about 5,075 students.

Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $73,107, about 28% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 6%. That income level is 6% below the Minnesota median.

On the level-by-level breakdown, Polk County consists of 10 elementary schools (2,501 students), 1 middle school (463), 8 high schools (2,111), and 1 combined or other schools.

The largest single district in Polk County is East Grand Forks Public Schools, which alone enrolls about 2,005 students.

Trend over the past 7 years. Total public-school enrollment in Polk County has fell 3% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 5,239 students to 5,075. The school count fell from 20 to 19 across the same 7-year window. The White share of public-school enrollment fell from 78% to 75%.

On allk12, the community for Polk County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.

Frequently asked questions

How many public schools are in Polk County?
Polk County, Minnesota has 20 public K-12 schools serving approximately 5,075 students.
How many high schools are in Polk County?
Polk County, Minnesota has 8 public high schools, serving approximately 2,111 students.
How many middle schools are in Polk County?
Polk County, Minnesota has 1 public middle school, serving approximately 463 students.
How many elementary schools are in Polk County?
Polk County, Minnesota has 10 public elementary schools, serving approximately 2,501 students.
What is the largest school district in Polk County?
East Grand Forks Public Schools is the largest school district in Polk County, serving approximately 2,005 students. The county contains 8 school districts overall.
How many people live in Polk County?
Polk County has roughly 30,705 residents according to the latest Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What is the median household income in Polk County?
Median household income in Polk County is $73,107, below the Minnesota average of $77,501. About 6.3% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Polk County?
Approximately 28.0% of adults 25 and older in Polk County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Polk County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 43.3% of students in Polk County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is higher than the Minnesota county average of 41.1%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Polk County schools?
Across Polk County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 15.5 to 1.

Polk County school rankings

Largest schoolsAll rankings →
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data