Total enrollment
9,786
+204 (+2%) vs SY 2017-18
Lewis and Clark County
Montana · Public K-12
Lewis and Clark County operates 36 public K-12 schools inside Montana, with combined enrollment of approximately 9,786 (about 272 students per school). By grade band, the county runs 21 elementary, 7 middle, and 8 high schools.
7-year change in Lewis and Clark County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
35
+8 (+30%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
84%
was 87%
% Hispanic
7%
was 4%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
73,464
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
36
9 districts
Enrollment
9,786
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$78,237
Above Montana avg
Free/reduced lunch
37.9%
Below Montana avg
Elementary
21
4,509 students
Middle
7
2,205 students
High
8
3,072 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Helena Elem
5,100 students · 9 districts in Lewis and Clark County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Lewis and Clark 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+
43.0%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
3.4%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.2%
civilian labor
Median age
42
21.2% under 18
Test scores in Lewis and Clark County
Latest 2020-21 ELA proficiency, 19 schools ranked. Montana state average: 47.2%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Jefferson School· 82.0%
- Augusta Elementary School· 64.5%
- Broadwater School· 57.0%
- C R Anderson Middle Schl· 56.0%
- Helena High School· 56.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Bryant School· 27.0%
- East Valley Middle School· 40.0%
- Central School· 42.0%
- Kessler Elementary School· 42.0%
- Helena Middle School· 45.0%
See all 19 schools in Lewis and Clark County ranked by score →
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital High School | Helena | High | 09-12 | 1,293 | · |
| Helena High School | Helena | High | 09-12 | 979 | · |
| C R Anderson Middle Schl | Helena | Middle | 06-08 | 962 | · |
| Helena Middle School | Helena | Middle | 06-08 | 701 | · |
| East Helena High School | East Helena | High | 09-12 | 563 | · |
| Four Georgians School | Helena | Elementary | PK-05 | 482 | · |
| Jim Darcy School | Helena | Elementary | PK-05 | 473 | · |
| East Valley Middle School | East Helena | Middle | 06-08 | 471 | · |
| Radley Elementary School | East Helena | Elementary | 03-05 | 428 | · |
| Rossiter School | Helena | Elementary | PK-05 | 369 | · |
| Bryant School | Helena | Elementary | PK-05 | 288 | · |
| Warren School | Helena | Elementary | PK-05 | 276 | · |
| Prickly Pear Elem | East Helena | Elementary | 01-02 | 269 | · |
| Jefferson School | Helena | Elementary | PK-05 | 245 | · |
| Central School | Helena | Elementary | PK-05 | 242 | · |
| Kessler Elementary School | Helena | Elementary | PK-05 | 235 | · |
| Smith School | Helena | Elementary | PK-05 | 217 | · |
| Broadwater School | Helena | Elementary | PK-05 | 207 | · |
| Helena Montessori Charter Schl | Helena | Elementary | KG-05 | 198 | · |
| Hawthorne School | Helena | Elementary | PK-05 | 183 | · |
| Eastgate School | East Helena | Elementary | PK-KG | 161 | · |
| Lincoln Elementary School | Lincoln | Elementary | PK-06 | 88 | · |
| Augusta Elementary School | Augusta | Elementary | PK-08 | 85 | · |
| 227 Academy- HS | East Helena | High | 09-12 | 59 | · |
| Helena P.A.L. | Helena | High | 09-12 | 58 | · |
| Lincoln High School | Lincoln | High | 09-12 | 44 | · |
| Mount Ascension Learning Ac HS | Helena | High | 09-12 | 43 | · |
| Trinity School | Canyon Creek | Elementary | PK-08 | 43 | · |
| Augusta High School | Augusta | High | 09-12 | 33 | · |
| Mount Ascension Learning Ac MS | Helena | Middle | 06-08 | 22 | · |
| 227 Academy- middle school | East Helena | Middle | 06-08 | 21 | · |
| Lincoln 7-8 | Lincoln | Middle | 07-08 | 15 | · |
| Auchard Creek School | Wolf Creek | Elementary | PK-08 | 13 | · |
| Augusta 7-8 | Augusta | Middle | 07-08 | 13 | · |
| Wolf Creek School | Wolf Creek | Elementary | PK-06 | 7 | · |
| Mount Ascension Learning Ac EL | Helena | Elementary | KG-05 | 0 | · |
Cities in Lewis and Clark County
About Lewis and Clark County
Across the average-sized Montana county of Lewis and Clark County of about 73,464 residents, the public-school footprint covers 36 schools and about 9,786 students.
For perspective, census numbers show median household income runs near $78,237, about 43% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 3%. That income level is 20% above the Montana median.
On the school-mix side, Lewis and Clark County consists of 21 elementary schools (4,509 students), 7 middle schools (2,205), and 8 high schools (3,072).
Helena Elem dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 5,100 students on its own.
Looking at the last 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment held roughly steady: 9,582 students in SY 2017-18 versus 9,786 in SY 2024-25. Lewis and Clark County now counts 35 public schools, up from 27 in SY 2017-18. On the demographic side, Hispanic enrollment moved from 4% to 7% over the same window.
On this page, the community for Lewis and Clark County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
Lewis and Clark County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data