Total enrollment
249
+22 (+10%) vs SY 2017-18
Liberty County
Montana · Public K-12
Liberty County's school count of 7 reflects a public K-12 system serving about 249 students inside Montana, around 13% of the county population. That works out to 4 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools.
7-year change in Liberty County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
6
0 (0%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
94%
was 93%
% Hispanic
1%
was 1%
% Black
2%
was 1%
% Asian
1%
was 0%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
1,952
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
7
3 districts
Enrollment
249
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$57,857
Below Montana avg
Free/reduced lunch
57.7%
Above Montana avg
Elementary
4
165 students
Middle
1
30 students
High
1
54 students
Combined / other
1
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Chester-Joplin-Inverness El
182 students · 3 districts in Liberty County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Liberty 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+
27.8%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
18.4%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
0.6%
civilian labor
Median age
40
27.2% under 18
Test scores in Liberty County
Latest 2020-21 ELA proficiency, 2 schools ranked. Montana state average: 47.2%.
Top 2 schools (ELA)
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester-Joplin-Inverness Schl | Chester | Elementary | PK-06 | 124 | · |
| Chester-Joplin-Inverness HS | Chester | High | 09-12 | 54 | · |
| Chester-Joplin-Inverness 7-8 | Chester | Middle | 07-08 | 30 | · |
| Hi-Line Colony School | Chester | Elementary | PK-08 | 23 | · |
| Liberty Elementary School | Galata | Elementary | PK-08 | 13 | · |
| Sage Creek Elementary | Chester | Elementary | PK-08 | 5 | · |
| Riverview Elementary | Galata | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Liberty County
About Liberty County
Liberty County is a small Montana county of about 1,952 residents, home to 7 public schools and roughly 249 students.
Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show median household income runs near $57,857, 28% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 18%. That income level is 12% below the Montana median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Liberty County covers 4 elementary schools (165 students), 1 middle school (30), 1 high school (54), and 1 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Liberty County is Chester-Joplin-Inverness El, which alone enrolls about 182 students.
Trend over the past 7 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 249 students, grew 10% from the 227 reported in SY 2017-18.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Liberty County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data