Total enrollment
11,825
-60 (-1%) vs SY 2020-21
Buchanan County
Missouri · Public K-12
Buchanan County, Missouri comes in at 36 public K-12 schools on the latest counts, totaling roughly 11,825 students, with a county median household income near $62,158. The level mix is 17 elementary, 5 middle, and 9 high schools.
4-year change in Buchanan County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
29
+1 (+4%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Buchanan County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Missouri | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 36.3% | #63 of 100 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 11,825 | #14 of 101 | #719 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 29 | #14 of 101 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 13.2:1 | #76 of 101 | #979 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 68.6% | #20 of 101 | #789 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 53.3% | #11 of 99 | #939 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.
Buchanan County school rankings
Residents
83,568
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
36
7 districts
Enrollment
11,825
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$62,158
Above Missouri avg
Free/reduced lunch
68.6%
Above Missouri avg
Elementary
17
6,221 students
Middle
5
1,950 students
High
9
3,611 students
Combined / other
5
43 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
ST. JOSEPH
10,430 students · 7 districts in Buchanan County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Buchanan 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+
23.9%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
10.3%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.2%
civilian labor
Median age
39
22.3% under 18
Test scores in Buchanan County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 23 schools ranked. Missouri state average: 44.9%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- ELLISON ELEM.· 59.1%
- OAK GROVE ELEM· 58.4%
- FIELD ELEM.· 57.7%
- MID-BUCHANAN ELEM.· 53.5%
- CENTRAL HIGH· 52.4%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- ROBIDOUX MIDDLE· 20.7%
- LINDBERGH ELEM.· 25.5%
- RUSHVILLE ELEM.· 26.3%
- HOSEA ELEM.· 29.1%
- PARKWAY ELEM.· 29.2%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CENTRAL HIGH | St Joseph | High | 09-12 | 1,733 | · |
| BENTON HIGH | St Joseph | High | 09-12 | 682 | · |
| LAFAYETTE HIGH | St Joseph | High | 09-12 | 644 | · |
| CARDEN PARK ELEM | St. Joseph | Elementary | KG-06 | 638 | · |
| OAK GROVE ELEM | St. Joseph | Elementary | PK-06 | 502 | · |
| BODE MIDDLE | St Joseph | Middle | 07-08 | 488 | · |
| TRUMAN MIDDLE | St Joseph | Middle | 07-08 | 486 | · |
| MID-BUCHANAN ELEM. | Faucett | Elementary | PK-06 | 476 | · |
| PARKWAY ELEM. | St Joseph | Elementary | KG-06 | 438 | · |
| LINDBERGH ELEM. | St Joseph | Elementary | KG-05 | 431 | · |
| HOSEA ELEM. | St Joseph | Elementary | KG-05 | 422 | · |
| MID-BUCHANAN SR. HIGH | Faucett | High | 07-12 | 415 | · |
| ROBIDOUX MIDDLE | St Joseph | Middle | 06-08 | 405 | · |
| SPRING GARDEN MIDDLE | St Joseph | Middle | 06-08 | 404 | · |
| SKAITH ELEM. | St Joseph | Elementary | PK-06 | 398 | · |
| COLEMAN ELEM. | St Joseph | Elementary | KG-06 | 388 | · |
| EDISON ELEM. | St Joseph | Elementary | PK-06 | 362 | · |
| HYDE ELEM. | St Joseph | Elementary | KG-05 | 352 | · |
| ELLISON ELEM. | St Joseph | Elementary | KG-06 | 343 | · |
| FIELD ELEM. | St Joseph | Elementary | KG-06 | 336 | · |
| PERSHING ELEM. | St Joseph | Elementary | KG-06 | 285 | · |
| PICKETT ELEM. | St Joseph | Elementary | PK-06 | 250 | · |
| Mark Twain Early Learning Cntr | St. Joseph | Elementary | PK-PK | 232 | · |
| Lake Early Learning Center | St. Joseph | Elementary | PK-PK | 211 | · |
| EAST BUCHANAN MIDDLE | Easton | Middle | 06-08 | 167 | · |
| RUSHVILLE ELEM. | Rushville | Elementary | PK-06 | 157 | · |
| DEKALB JR.-SR. HIGH | Dekalb | High | 07-12 | 120 | · |
| HELEN M DAVIS SCHOOL | St Joseph | Combined | KG-12 | 43 | · |
| RIVERBEND TREATMENT CTR. | St Joseph | High | 06-12 | 17 | · |
| ALT. RESOURCE CTR. | St Joseph | Combined | KG-12 | 0 | · |
| BUCHANAN CO. ACADEMY | St Joseph | Combined | KG-12 | 0 | · |
| HILLYARD TECHNICAL CTR. | St Joseph | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
| WESTERN RECEPT/DIAG CORR CENTR | St Joseph | High | 07-12 | 0 | · |
| WESTERN REGION TREATMENT CENTR | St Joseph | High | 07-12 | 0 | · |
| MARK TWAIN ELEM. | St Joseph | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| VIRTUAL ACADEMY | St Joseph | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Buchanan County
About Buchanan County
Buchanan County is an average-sized county of about 83,568 residents in Missouri. Its public-school system serves approximately 11,825 students across 36 schools.
For perspective, census numbers show median household income runs near $62,158, about 24% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
On the school-mix side, Buchanan County is built around 17 elementary schools (6,221 students), 5 middle schools (1,950), 9 high schools (3,611), and 5 combined or other schools.
ST. JOSEPH dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 10,430 students on its own.
Looking at the last 4 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 11,825 students, stayed largely flat from the 11,885 reported in SY 2020-21. The school count climbed from 28 to 29 across the same 4-year window.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Buchanan County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data