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Stillwater County

Montana · Public K-12

Stillwater County's public schools, 18 in all, serve approximately 1,336 K-12 students inside Montana, with Columbus Elem the largest district by enrollment. That works out to 7 elementary, 5 middle, and 5 high schools.

7-year change in Stillwater County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
1,336
-53 (-4%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
17
-1 (-6%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
90%
was 91%
% Hispanic
5%
was 4%
% Black
0%
was 0%
% Asian
1%
was 0%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
9,182
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
18
13 districts
Enrollment
1,336
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$84,732
Above Montana avg
Free/reduced lunch
31.5%
Below Montana avg
Elementary
7
617 students
Middle
5
283 students
High
5
436 students
Combined / other
1
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Columbus Elem
456 students · 13 districts in Stillwater County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Stillwater 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
White
93%
Hispanic
4%
Black
0%
Asian
0%
Two or more
6%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
90%
Hispanic
4%
Black
0%
Asian
1%
Two or more
3%
Native American
2%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
32.3%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
5.6%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.1%
civilian labor
Median age
47
21.0% under 18

Test scores in Stillwater County

Latest 2020-21 ELA proficiency, 7 schools ranked. Montana state average: 47.2%.

Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
  1. Absarokee 6-8· 24.5%
  2. Absarokee School· 34.5%
  3. Park City 7-8· 34.5%
  4. Park City School· 42.0%
  5. Columbus Middle School· 52.0%

See all 7 schools in Stillwater County ranked by score →

All schools (18)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
Columbus Elem SchoolColumbusElementaryPK-05278·
Columbus High SchoolColumbusHigh09-12227·
Park City SchoolPark CityElementaryPK-06179·
Columbus Middle SchoolColumbusMiddle06-08178·
Park City High SchoolPark CityHigh09-12112·
Absarokee SchoolAbsarokeeElementaryPK-0579·
Absarokee High SchoolAbsarokeeHigh09-1274·
Absarokee 6-8AbsarokeeMiddle06-0841·
Park City 7-8Park CityMiddle07-0839·
Rapelje SchoolRapeljeElementaryPK-0634·
Reed Point ElementaryReed PointElementaryPK-0628·
Fishtail SchoolFishtailElementaryPK-0815·
Rapelje 7-8RapeljeMiddle07-0814·
Rapelje High SchoolRapeljeHigh09-1212·
Reed Point 7-8Reed PointMiddle07-0811·
Reed Point High SchoolReed PointHigh09-1211·
Nye SchoolNyeElementaryPK-064·
Molt SchoolMoltCombinedM-M··

Cities in Stillwater County

Absarokee3 schoolsColumbus3 schoolsPark City3 schoolsRapelje3 schoolsReed Point3 schoolsFishtail1 schoolMolt1 schoolNye1 school

About Stillwater County

Stillwater County is a sparse county of about 9,182 residents in Montana. Its public-school system educates approximately 1,336 students across 18 schools.

Stepping back, census numbers show median household income runs near $84,732, 32% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the federal-poverty share is near 6%. That income level is 29% higher than the Montana median.

Looking at the level breakdown, Stillwater County spans 7 elementary schools (617 students), 5 middle schools (283), 5 high schools (436), and 1 combined or other schools.

Columbus Elem is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 456 students across Stillwater County.

Looking at the last 7 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 1,336 students, shrank 4% from the 1,389 reported in SY 2017-18. Stillwater County now counts 17 public schools, down from 18 in SY 2017-18.

In the discussion threads here, the community for Stillwater County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.

Frequently asked questions

How many public schools are in Stillwater County?
Stillwater County, Montana has 18 public K-12 schools serving approximately 1,336 students.
How many high schools are in Stillwater County?
Stillwater County, Montana has 5 public high schools, serving approximately 436 students.
How many middle schools are in Stillwater County?
Stillwater County, Montana has 5 public middle schools, serving approximately 283 students.
How many elementary schools are in Stillwater County?
Stillwater County, Montana has 7 public elementary schools, serving approximately 617 students.
What is the largest school district in Stillwater County?
Columbus Elem is the largest school district in Stillwater County, serving approximately 456 students. The county contains 13 school districts overall.
What is the population of Stillwater County?
Stillwater County, Montana has a population of approximately 9,182, with a median age of 47. About 21.0% of residents are under 18.
What is the median household income in Stillwater County?
Median household income in Stillwater County is $84,732, above the Montana average of $65,455. About 5.6% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Stillwater County?
Approximately 32.3% of adults 25 and older in Stillwater County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Stillwater County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 31.5% of students in Stillwater County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is lower than the Montana county average of 57.4%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Stillwater County schools?
Across Stillwater County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 13.3 to 1.

Stillwater County school rankings

Largest schoolsAll rankings →
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data