Total enrollment
1,576
-125 (-7%) vs SY 2020-21
Dallas County
Missouri · Public K-12
Public-school families in Dallas County pick from 5 schools serving the county's roughly 1,576 K-12 students, with a mix of 2 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high.
4-year change in Dallas County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
3
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Dallas County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Missouri | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 32.2% | #87 of 100 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,576 | #82 of 101 | #2,439 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 3 | #101 of 101 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 13.6:1 | #87 of 101 | #1,154 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 60.2% | #32 of 101 | #1,111 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 17.8% | #55 of 99 | #2,238 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.
Residents
17,551
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
5
1 districts
Enrollment
1,576
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$53,464
Below Missouri avg
Free/reduced lunch
60.1%
Above Missouri avg
Elementary
2
599 students
Middle
1
466 students
High
2
511 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
DALLAS CO. R-I
1,576 students · 1 district in Dallas County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Dallas 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+
16.4%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
16.4%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.9%
civilian labor
Median age
42
23.6% under 18
Test scores in Dallas County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 2 schools ranked. Missouri state average: 44.9%.
Top 2 schools (ELA)
- BUFFALO MIDDLE· 31.8%
- MALLORY ELEM.· 29.5%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MALLORY ELEM. | Buffalo | Elementary | KG-04 | 599 | · |
| BUFFALO HIGH | Buffalo | High | 09-12 | 511 | · |
| BUFFALO MIDDLE | Buffalo | Middle | 05-08 | 466 | · |
| DALLAS COUNTY TECHNICAL CENTER | Buffalo | High | 11-12 | 0 | · |
| Early Childhood Center | Buffalo | Elementary | PK-PK | · | · |
Cities in Dallas County
About Dallas County
Dallas County is a rural-scale Missouri county of about 17,551 residents, home to 5 public schools and roughly 1,576 students.
In context, census numbers show the median household earns about $53,464 a year, 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the federal-poverty share is near 16%. That income level is 13% meaningfully below the Missouri median.
Looking at the level breakdown, Dallas County covers 2 elementary schools (599 students), 1 middle school (466), and 2 high schools (511).
The largest single district in Dallas County is DALLAS CO. R-I, which alone enrolls about 1,576 students.
Five-year track record. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment fell 7%: 1,701 students in SY 2020-21 versus 1,576 in SY 2024-25.
On this page, the community for Dallas County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data