Total enrollment
1,323
-11 (-1%) vs SY 2020-21
Blaine County
Montana · Public K-12
Blaine County's public schools, 17 in all, serve approximately 1,323 K-12 students inside Montana, with Harlem Elem the largest district by enrollment. By level, that breaks down as 9 elementary, 4 middle, and 4 high schools.
4-year change in Blaine County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
17
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Blaine County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Montana | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,323 | #22 of 29 | #2,569 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 17 | #13 of 29 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 11.8:1 | #10 of 29 | #473 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 84.3% | #8 of 29 | #435 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 50.4% | #4 of 29 | #1,078 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.
Blaine County school rankings
Residents
6,949
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
17
11 districts
Enrollment
1,323
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$64,813
Below Montana avg
Free/reduced lunch
84.3%
Above Montana avg
Elementary
9
722 students
Middle
4
205 students
High
4
396 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Harlem Elem
454 students · 11 districts in Blaine County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Blaine 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
12.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
13.6%
civilian labor
Median age
36
29.0% under 18
Test scores in Blaine County
Latest 2020-21 ELA proficiency, 5 schools ranked. Montana state average: 47.2%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Chinook 7-8· 34.5%
- Harlem Elementary School· 27.0%
- Meadowlark School· 27.0%
- Harlem 7-8· 17.0%
- Lodge Pole School· 12.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harlem Elementary School | Harlem | Elementary | PK-06 | 350 | · |
| Harlem High School | Harlem | High | 09-12 | 175 | · |
| Lodge Pole School | Hays | Elementary | PK-06 | 144 | · |
| Meadowlark School | Chinook | Elementary | PK-06 | 144 | · |
| Chinook High School | Chinook | High | 09-12 | 115 | · |
| Harlem 7-8 | Harlem | Middle | 07-08 | 104 | · |
| Hays-Lodge Pole High Sch | Hays | High | 09-12 | 84 | · |
| Chinook 7-8 | Chinook | Middle | 07-08 | 63 | · |
| Turner School | Turner | Elementary | PK-06 | 29 | · |
| Hays-Lodge Pole 7-8 | Hays | Middle | 07-08 | 27 | · |
| Zurich School | Zurich | Elementary | PK-08 | 23 | · |
| Turner High School | Turner | High | 09-12 | 22 | · |
| Cleveland School | Chinook | Elementary | PK-08 | 11 | · |
| Turner 7-8 | Turner | Middle | 07-08 | 11 | · |
| Bear Paw School | Chinook | Elementary | PK-08 | 10 | · |
| Hartland Elementary School | Havre | Elementary | PK-08 | 8 | · |
| North Harlem Elementary | Harlem | Elementary | PK-08 | 3 | · |
Cities in Blaine County
About Blaine County
In Montana, Blaine County is a sparse county of about 6,949 residents. 17 public schools across the county teaches about 1,323 students between them.
Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show median household income runs near $64,813, about 24% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 13%.
In terms of grade levels, Blaine County comprises 9 elementary schools (722 students), 4 middle schools (205), and 4 high schools (396).
Harlem Elem dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 454 students on its own.
Trend over the past 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment remained close to its prior level: 1,334 students in SY 2020-21 versus 1,323 in SY 2024-25.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Blaine 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