Total enrollment
5,228
+224 (+4%) vs SY 2020-21
Adams County
Nebraska · Public K-12
In Adams County, Nebraska, the public-school system rolls up to 18 schools and roughly 5,228 K-12 students, with county median household income around $68,365. By level, that breaks down as 10 elementary, 2 middle, and 6 high schools.
4-year change in Adams County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
15
+2 (+15%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Adams County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Nebraska | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 56.5% | #23 of 26 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 5,228 | #11 of 47 | #1,291 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 15 | #13 of 47 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 13.3:1 | #30 of 47 | #1,018 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 42.3% | #17 of 47 | #1,992 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 42.7% | #18 of 44 | #1,388 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Adams County school rankings
Residents
31,052
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
18
6 districts
Enrollment
5,228
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$68,365
Below Nebraska avg
Free/reduced lunch
42.4%
Above Nebraska avg
Elementary
10
2,784 students
Middle
2
757 students
High
6
1,687 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
HASTINGS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
3,789 students · 6 districts in Adams County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Adams 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+
29.6%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
8.5%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
2.4%
civilian labor
Median age
39
24.2% under 18
Test scores in Adams County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 9 schools ranked. Nebraska state average: 57.6%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- ADAMS CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 68.4%
- KENESAW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 68.3%
- ADAMS CENTRAL JR-SR HIGH SCH· 61.2%
- HAWTHORNE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 52.3%
- RAYMOND A WATSON ELEM SCHOOL· 50.6%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- HASTINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL· 44.7%
- ALCOTT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 48.1%
- LONGFELLOW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 49.6%
- LINCOLN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 50.3%
- RAYMOND A WATSON ELEM SCHOOL· 50.6%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HASTINGS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | Hastings | High | 09-12 | 991 | · |
| HASTINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL | Hastings | Middle | 06-08 | 757 | · |
| ADAMS CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Hastings | Elementary | PK-06 | 506 | · |
| MORTON EARLY LEARNING CENTER | Hastings | Elementary | PK-PK | 501 | · |
| ADAMS CENTRAL JR-SR HIGH SCH | Hastings | High | 07-12 | 452 | · |
| HAWTHORNE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Hastings | Elementary | PK-05 | 343 | · |
| RAYMOND A WATSON ELEM SCHOOL | Hastings | Elementary | PK-05 | 336 | · |
| LONGFELLOW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Hastings | Elementary | PK-05 | 305 | · |
| LINCOLN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Hastings | Elementary | PK-05 | 289 | · |
| ALCOTT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Hastings | Elementary | PK-05 | 267 | · |
| KENESAW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Kenesaw | Elementary | PK-06 | 139 | · |
| KENESAW SECONDARY SCHOOL | Kenesaw | High | 07-12 | 128 | · |
| ADAMS CENTRAL EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER | Juniata | Elementary | PK-PK | 98 | · |
| SILVER LAKE HIGH SCHOOL | Roseland | High | 07-12 | 94 | · |
| WEST HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL | Hastings | High | 08-12 | 22 | · |
| 18+ PROGRAM | Hastings | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
| ESU #9 PRESCHOOL HOME BASE PRG | Hastings | Elementary | PK-PK | 0 | · |
| WEST HASTINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL | Hastings | Middle | 08-08 | 0 | · |
Cities in Adams County
About Adams County
Adams County is a rural-scale Nebraska county of about 31,052 residents, home to 18 public schools and roughly 5,228 students.
Zooming out, census numbers show median household income runs near $68,365, about 30% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 9%.
On the school-mix side, Adams County spans 10 elementary schools (2,784 students), 2 middle schools (757), and 6 high schools (1,687).
HASTINGS PUBLIC SCHOOLS is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 3,789 students across Adams County.
Five-year track record. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment increased 4%: 5,004 students in SY 2020-21 versus 5,228 in SY 2024-25. The school count climbed from 13 to 15 across the same 4-year window.
On this page, the community for Adams County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data