Total enrollment
701
+24 (+4%) vs SY 2017-18
Chouteau County
Montana · Public K-12
Chouteau County operates 15 public K-12 schools inside Montana, with combined enrollment of approximately 701 (about 47 students per school). By level, that breaks down as 7 elementary, 4 middle, and 4 high schools.
7-year change in Chouteau County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
14
-1 (-7%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
87%
was 89%
% Hispanic
5%
was 2%
% Black
0%
was 1%
% Asian
0%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
15
8 districts
Enrollment
701
NCES CCD
Median income
$58,218
Below Montana avg
Free/reduced lunch
52.0%
Below Montana avg
Elementary
7
384 students
Middle
4
102 students
High
4
215 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Fort Benton Elem
206 students · 8 districts in Chouteau County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Chouteau 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+
23.0%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
8.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.2%
civilian labor
Median age
43
22.3% under 18
Test scores in Chouteau County
Latest 2020-21 ELA proficiency, 5 schools ranked. Montana state average: 47.2%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Fort Benton 7-8· 74.5%
- Fort Benton School· 67.0%
- Big Sandy 7-8· 54.5%
- Highwood Middle School· 49.5%
- F E Miley School· 44.5%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Benton School | Fort Benton | Elementary | PK-06 | 162 | · |
| Fort Benton High School | Fort Benton | High | 09-12 | 112 | · |
| F E Miley School | Big Sandy | Elementary | PK-06 | 94 | · |
| Highwood School | Highwood | Elementary | PK-05 | 62 | · |
| Big Sandy High School | Big Sandy | High | 09-12 | 59 | · |
| Geraldine Elementary | Geraldine | Elementary | PK-06 | 47 | · |
| Fort Benton 7-8 | Fort Benton | Middle | 07-08 | 44 | · |
| Big Sandy 7-8 | Big Sandy | Middle | 07-08 | 28 | · |
| Highwood High School | Highwood | High | 09-12 | 25 | · |
| Geraldine High School | Geraldine | High | 09-12 | 19 | · |
| Highwood Middle School | Highwood | Middle | 06-08 | 19 | · |
| Knees School | Carter | Elementary | PK-08 | 13 | · |
| Geraldine Middle School | Geraldine | Middle | 07-08 | 11 | · |
| Benton Lake School | Floweree | Elementary | PK-08 | 6 | · |
| Carter School | Carter | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Chouteau County
About Chouteau County
Chouteau County is a compact Montana county of about 5,906 residents, home to 15 public schools and roughly 701 students.
Zooming out, census numbers show median household income runs near $58,218, 23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 9%. That income level is 11% lower than the Montana median.
For a sense of the school types, Chouteau County covers 7 elementary schools (384 students), 4 middle schools (102), and 4 high schools (215).
Fort Benton Elem is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 206 students across Chouteau County.
Trend over the past 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment rose 4%: 677 students in SY 2017-18 versus 701 in SY 2024-25. Chouteau County now counts 14 public schools, down from 15 in SY 2017-18.
On allk12, the community for Chouteau County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
Chouteau County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data