Total enrollment
1,182
-30 (-2%) vs SY 2020-21
Dawson County
Montana · Public K-12
Dawson County's public-school directory totals 10 schools, with student enrollment near 1,182. Glendive Elem is the largest district. Median household income runs around $71,334. By grade band, the county runs 6 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high schools.
4-year change in Dawson County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
10
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Dawson County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Montana | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,182 | #26 of 29 | #2,646 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 10 | #28 of 29 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.6:1 | #12 of 29 | #749 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 44.5% | #20 of 29 | #1,896 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 21.8% | #22 of 29 | #2,070 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.
Dawson County school rankings
Residents
8,827
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
10
7 districts
Enrollment
1,182
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$71,334
Above Montana avg
Free/reduced lunch
44.5%
Below Montana avg
Elementary
6
587 students
Middle
2
255 students
High
2
340 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Glendive Elem
753 students · 7 districts in Dawson County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Dawson 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+
21.8%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
3.3%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
2.7%
civilian labor
Median age
43
21.4% under 18
Test scores in Dawson County
Latest 2020-21 ELA proficiency, 3 schools ranked. Montana state average: 47.2%.
Top 3 schools (ELA)
- Dawson High School· 47.0%
- Lincoln School· 38.0%
- Washington Middle School· 32.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawson High School | Glendive | High | 09-12 | 318 | · |
| Lincoln School | Glendive | Elementary | 03-05 | 260 | · |
| Jefferson School | Glendive | Elementary | PK-02 | 247 | · |
| Washington Middle School | Glendive | Middle | 06-08 | 246 | · |
| Richey School | Richey | Elementary | PK-06 | 47 | · |
| Richey High School | Richey | High | 09-12 | 22 | · |
| Deer Creek School | Glendive | Elementary | PK-08 | 18 | · |
| Richey 7-8 | Richey | Middle | 07-08 | 9 | · |
| Bloomfield School | Bloomfield | Elementary | PK-08 | 8 | · |
| Lindsay School | Lindsay | Elementary | PK-08 | 7 | · |
Cities in Dawson County
About Dawson County
Dawson County is a rural-scale Montana county of about 8,827 residents, home to 10 public schools and roughly 1,182 students.
Zooming out, census numbers show the median household earns about $71,334 a year, about 22% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 3%. That income level is 9% meaningfully above the Montana median.
For a sense of the school types, Dawson County is built around 6 elementary schools (587 students), 2 middle schools (255), and 2 high schools (340).
Glendive Elem is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 753 students across Dawson County.
Five-year track record. Combined enrollment now sits at 1,182 students, held roughly steady from the 1,212 reported in SY 2020-21.
On this page, the community for Dawson County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data