Total enrollment
4,302
-99 (-2%) vs SY 2017-18
Lake County
Montana · Public K-12
Lake County's 21 public schools sit inside Montana and collectively enroll about 4,302 K-12 students across 10 elementary, 5 middle, and 6 high.
7-year change in Lake County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
21
+1 (+5%) vs SY 2017-18
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
32,561
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
21
13 districts
Enrollment
4,302
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$63,360
Below Montana avg
Free/reduced lunch
83.3%
Above Montana avg
Elementary
10
1,795 students
Middle
5
1,142 students
High
6
1,365 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Polson Elem
1,075 students · 13 districts in Lake County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Lake 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+
31.5%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
12.1%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.7%
civilian labor
Median age
44
22.0% under 18
Test scores in Lake County
Latest 2020-21 ELA proficiency, 14 schools ranked. Montana state average: 47.2%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Charlo 6-8· 64.5%
- Charlo Elementary· 64.5%
- Polson Middle School· 38.0%
- Linderman School· 37.0%
- Polson High School· 37.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- St Ignatius Elementary School· 17.0%
- Arlee 7-8· 22.0%
- Pablo Elementary· 22.0%
- Dayton School· 24.5%
- Arlee Elementary· 27.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polson High School | Polson | High | 09-12 | 517 | · |
| Polson Middle School | Polson | Middle | 05-08 | 477 | · |
| Ronan Middle School | Ronan | Middle | 05-08 | 432 | · |
| K William Harvey Elem | Ronan | Elementary | PK-04 | 378 | · |
| Ronan High School | Ronan | High | 09-12 | 376 | · |
| Linderman School | Polson | Elementary | 02-04 | 355 | · |
| Cherry Valley School | Polson | Elementary | PK-01 | 243 | · |
| Pablo Elementary | Pablo | Elementary | PK-04 | 229 | · |
| St Ignatius Elementary School | St Ignatius | Elementary | PK-05 | 210 | · |
| Arlee Elementary | Arlee | Elementary | PK-06 | 206 | · |
| Two Eagle River School | Pablo | High | 08-12 | 136 | · |
| Arlee High School | Arlee | High | 09-12 | 135 | · |
| St Ignatius Middle School | St Ignatius | Middle | 06-08 | 128 | · |
| St Ignatius High School | St Ignatius | High | 09-12 | 121 | · |
| Charlo Elementary | Charlo | Elementary | PK-05 | 89 | · |
| Charlo High School | Charlo | High | 09-12 | 80 | · |
| Arlee 7-8 | Arlee | Middle | 07-08 | 57 | · |
| Charlo 6-8 | Charlo | Middle | 06-08 | 48 | · |
| Dayton School | Dayton | Elementary | PK-06 | 46 | · |
| Valley View School | Polson | Elementary | PK-06 | 35 | · |
| Salmon Prairie School | Swan Lake | Elementary | PK-08 | 4 | · |
Cities in Lake County
About Lake County
Lake County is a small Montana county of about 32,561 residents, home to 21 public schools and roughly 4,302 students.
Stepping back, census numbers show median household income runs near $63,360, 32% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 12%.
On the school-mix side, Lake County covers 10 elementary schools (1,795 students), 5 middle schools (1,142), and 6 high schools (1,365).
The largest single district in Lake County is Polson Elem, which alone enrolls about 1,075 students.
Over the past 7-year window. Combined enrollment now sits at 4,302 students, held roughly steady from the 4,401 reported in SY 2017-18. The school count climbed from 20 to 21 across the same 7-year window.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Lake County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
Lake County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data