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Wayne County

Mississippi · Public K-12

8 public K-12 schools, roughly 2,977 students, one county, 19,718 residents. That is Wayne County, Mississippi on the numbers. The level mix is 5 elementary and 3 high schools.

4-year change in Wayne County

SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
2,977
+50 (+2%) vs SY 2020-21
School count
6
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages

How Wayne County ranks

Among counties
MeasureThis countyIn MississippiIn the US
State test proficiency
ranked highest first
48.4%#51 of 73N/A
Enrollment
ranked largest first
2,977#43 of 73#1,851 of 2,745
Number of schools
ranked most first
6#54 of 73N/A
Students per teacher
ranked fewest first
14.5:1#56 of 73#1,594 of 2,655
Free or reduced-price lunch share
ranked highest first
99.4%#15 of 73#72 of 2,526
Diversity index
ranked most diverse first
55.4%#26 of 70#821 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.

Wayne County school rankings

Largest schoolsAll rankings →
Residents
19,718
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
8
1 districts
Enrollment
2,977
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$37,619
Below Mississippi avg
Free/reduced lunch
99.4%
Above Mississippi avg
Elementary
5
2,202 students
Middle
0
schools
High
3
775 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Wayne County School District
2,977 students · 1 district in Wayne County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Wayne 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
57%
Hispanic
2%
Black
38%
Asian
1%
Two or more
5%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
38%
Hispanic
4%
Black
55%
Asian
0%
Two or more
3%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
16.0%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
15.8%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
7.0%
civilian labor
Median age
39
24.9% under 18

Test scores in Wayne County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 6 schools ranked. Mississippi state average: 46.0%.

See all 6 schools in Wayne County ranked by score →

All schools (8)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
Wayne County High SchoolWaynesboroHigh09-12775·
Waynesboro Riverview SchoolWaynesboroElementaryPK-08491·
Wayne Central SchoolWaynesboroElementaryPK-08459·
Buckatunna SchoolBuckatunnaElementaryPK-08418·
Clara SchoolWaynesboroElementaryPK-08418·
Beat Four SchoolWaynesboroElementaryPK-08416·
Wayne County Alternative SchoolWaynesboroHigh05-120·
Wayne County Career and TechnicalWaynesboroHigh09-120·

Cities in Wayne County

Waynesboro7 schoolsBuckatunna1 school

About Wayne County

Wayne County is a small county of about 19,718 residents in Mississippi. Its public-school system instructs approximately 2,977 students across 8 schools.

Stepping back, census numbers show median household income runs near $37,619, 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 16%. That income level is 25% noticeably below the Mississippi median.

On the school-mix side, Wayne County is made up of 5 elementary schools (2,202 students), and 3 high schools (775).

The largest single district in Wayne County is Wayne County School District, which alone enrolls about 2,977 students.

Over the past 4-year window. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment stayed largely flat: 2,927 students in SY 2020-21 versus 2,977 in SY 2024-25.

Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Wayne County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.

Frequently asked questions

How many public schools are in Wayne County?
Wayne County, Mississippi has 8 public K-12 schools serving approximately 2,977 students.
How many high schools are in Wayne County?
Wayne County, Mississippi has 3 public high schools, serving approximately 775 students.
How many elementary schools are in Wayne County?
Wayne County, Mississippi has 5 public elementary schools, serving approximately 2,202 students.
What is the largest school district in Wayne County?
Wayne County School District is the largest school district in Wayne County, serving approximately 2,977 students. The county contains 1 school district overall.
How many people live in Wayne County?
Wayne County has roughly 19,718 residents according to the latest Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What is the median household income in Wayne County?
Median household income in Wayne County is $37,619, below the Mississippi average of $49,977. About 15.8% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Wayne County?
Approximately 16.0% of adults 25 and older in Wayne County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Wayne County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 99.4% of students in Wayne County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is higher than the Mississippi county average of 82.7%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Wayne County schools?
Across Wayne County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 14.6 to 1.
What is the racial makeup of Wayne County?
Wayne County residents are approximately 57% White, 2% Hispanic, 38% Black, 1% Asian, 5% two or more races according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data