Total enrollment
7,946
+131 (+2%) vs SY 2020-21
Taney County
Missouri · Public K-12
Taney County's public-school directory totals 21 schools, with student enrollment near 7,946. Branson R-Iv is the largest district. Median household income runs around $56,497. By level, that breaks down as 10 elementary, 6 middle, and 4 high schools.
4-year change in Taney County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
21
+1 (+5%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Taney County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Missouri | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 44.5% | #22 of 100 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 7,946 | #22 of 101 | #958 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 21 | #26 of 101 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 13.1:1 | #75 of 101 | #969 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 62.8% | #25 of 101 | #989 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 39.5% | #25 of 99 | #1,496 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.
Taney County school rankings
Residents
56,529
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
21
7 districts
Enrollment
7,946
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$56,497
Below Missouri avg
Free/reduced lunch
62.8%
Above Missouri avg
Elementary
10
2,984 students
Middle
6
2,449 students
High
4
2,438 students
Combined / other
1
75 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
BRANSON R-IV
4,653 students · 7 districts in Taney County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Taney 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+
25.0%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
10.8%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.9%
civilian labor
Median age
43
20.9% under 18
Test scores in Taney County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 13 schools ranked. Missouri state average: 44.9%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- BUCHANAN INTERMEDIATE· 56.5%
- FORSYTH MIDDLE· 53.6%
- TANEYVILLE ELEM.· 53.0%
- CEDAR RIDGE ELEMENTARY· 52.1%
- BUCHANAN ELEMENTARY· 51.9%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- HOLLISTER MIDDLE· 37.2%
- HOLLISTER ELEM.· 39.4%
- FORSYTH ELEM.· 41.7%
- KIRBYVILLE ELEM.· 43.5%
- BRANSON HIGH· 47.7%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRANSON HIGH | Branson | High | 09-12 | 1,469 | · |
| BRANSON JR. HIGH | Branson | Middle | 07-08 | 694 | · |
| BUCHANAN ELEMENTARY | Branson | Elementary | KG-03 | 578 | · |
| CEDAR RIDGE ELEMENTARY | Branson | Elementary | 01-03 | 517 | · |
| CEDAR RIDGE INTERMEDIATE | Branson | Middle | 04-06 | 515 | · |
| HOLLISTER HIGH | Hollister | High | 09-12 | 475 | · |
| FORSYTH ELEM. | Forsyth | Elementary | PK-04 | 470 | · |
| BUCHANAN INTERMEDIATE | Branson | Middle | 04-06 | 465 | · |
| CEDAR RIDGE PRIMARY | Branson | Elementary | PK-KG | 415 | · |
| FORSYTH HIGH | Forsyth | High | 09-12 | 394 | · |
| HOLLISTER ELEM. | Hollister | Elementary | 02-05 | 367 | · |
| FORSYTH MIDDLE | Forsyth | Middle | 05-08 | 356 | · |
| HOLLISTER MIDDLE | Hollister | Middle | 06-08 | 314 | · |
| HOLLISTER EARLY CHILDHOOD CTR | Hollister | Elementary | PK-01 | 213 | · |
| TANEYVILLE ELEM. | Taneyville | Elementary | KG-08 | 147 | · |
| KIRBYVILLE ELEM. | Kirbyville | Elementary | KG-03 | 110 | · |
| BRADLEYVILLE ELEM. | Bradleyville | Elementary | PK-06 | 105 | · |
| KIRBYVILLE MIDDLE | Kirbyville | Middle | 04-08 | 105 | · |
| BRADLEYVILLE HIGH | Bradleyville | High | 07-12 | 100 | · |
| TRI LAKES SPECIAL SERV CO-OP | Branson | Combined | PK-12 | 75 | · |
| MARK TWAIN ELEM. | Rueter | Elementary | PK-08 | 62 | · |
Cities in Taney County
About Taney County
Taney County is a rural-scale Missouri county of about 56,529 residents, home to 21 public schools and roughly 7,946 students.
Stepping back, census numbers show median household income runs near $56,497, about 25% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 11%. That income level is 8% lower than the Missouri median.
In terms of grade levels, Taney County consists of 10 elementary schools (2,984 students), 6 middle schools (2,449), 4 high schools (2,438), and 1 combined or other schools.
BRANSON R-IV is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 4,653 students across Taney County.
Looking at the last 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment stayed largely flat: 7,815 students in SY 2020-21 versus 7,946 in SY 2024-25. Over that span, Taney County opened 1 school, going from 20 to 21.
On this page, the community for Taney County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data