Total enrollment
486
-25 (-5%) vs SY 2017-18
Sheridan County
Montana · Public K-12
Sheridan County runs 9 public K-12 schools inside Montana, with the county population around 3,669. The mix is 3 elementary, 3 middle, and 3 high.
7-year change in Sheridan County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
9
0 (0%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
86%
was 89%
% Hispanic
4%
was 3%
% Black
0%
was 1%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
9
3 districts
Enrollment
486
NCES CCD
Median income
$70,147
Above Montana avg
Free/reduced lunch
40.7%
Below Montana avg
Elementary
3
259 students
Middle
3
86 students
High
3
141 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Plentywood K-12 Schools
341 students · 3 districts in Sheridan County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Sheridan 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+
26.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
5.5%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
2.1%
civilian labor
Median age
43
21.9% under 18
Test scores in Sheridan County
Latest 2020-21 ELA proficiency, 3 schools ranked. Montana state average: 47.2%.
Top 3 schools (ELA)
- Plentywood School· 57.0%
- Plentywood 7-8· 44.5%
- Plentywood High School· 34.5%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plentywood School | Plentywood | Elementary | PK-06 | 179 | · |
| Plentywood High School | Plentywood | High | 09-12 | 101 | · |
| Plentywood 7-8 | Plentywood | Middle | 07-08 | 61 | · |
| Medicine Lake School | Medicine Lake | Elementary | PK-06 | 47 | · |
| Westby School | Westby | Elementary | PK-06 | 33 | · |
| Medicine Lake High School | Medicine Lake | High | 09-12 | 25 | · |
| Medicine Lake 7-8 | Medicine Lake | Middle | 07-08 | 16 | · |
| Westby High School | Westby | High | 09-12 | 15 | · |
| Westby 7-8 | Westby | Middle | 07-08 | 9 | · |
Cities in Sheridan County
About Sheridan County
Sheridan County is a compact county of about 3,669 residents in Montana. Its public-school system teaches approximately 486 students across 9 schools.
Zooming out, census numbers show median household income runs near $70,147, about 26% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 6% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 7% higher than the Montana median.
For a sense of the school types, Sheridan County comprises 3 elementary schools (259 students), 3 middle schools (86), and 3 high schools (141).
Plentywood K-12 Schools dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 341 students on its own.
Five-year track record. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment fell 5%: 511 students in SY 2017-18 versus 486 in SY 2024-25. The White share of public-school enrollment shrank from 89% to 86%.
On allk12, the community for Sheridan 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
Sheridan County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data