Total enrollment
775
+25 (+3%) vs SY 2017-18
Cherry County
Nebraska · Public K-12
Public education in Cherry County reaches 775 students across 8 schools. Valentine Community Schools is the largest district at 623 students. By grade band, the county runs 4 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high schools.
7-year change in Cherry County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
8
-2 (-20%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
76%
was 79%
% Hispanic
7%
was 5%
% Black
0%
was 0%
% Asian
1%
was 0%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
8
2 districts
Enrollment
775
NCES CCD
Median income
$66,270
Below Nebraska avg
Free/reduced lunch
45.3%
Above Nebraska avg
Elementary
4
379 students
Middle
2
191 students
High
2
205 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
VALENTINE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
623 students · 2 districts in Cherry County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Cherry 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+
25.3%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
3.8%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
0.4%
civilian labor
Median age
41
23.4% under 18
Test scores in Cherry County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 4 schools ranked. Nebraska state average: 57.6%.
Top 4 schools (ELA)
- VALENTINE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 79.4%
- VALENTINE MIDDLE SCHOOL· 66.9%
- CODY-KILGORE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 59.4%
- CODY-KILGORE MIDDLE SCHOOL· 52.3%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VALENTINE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Valentine | Elementary | PK-04 | 285 | · |
| VALENTINE MIDDLE SCHOOL | Valentine | Middle | 05-08 | 159 | · |
| VALENTINE HIGH SCHOOL | Valentine | High | 09-12 | 158 | · |
| CODY-KILGORE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Kilgore | Elementary | PK-05 | 73 | · |
| CODY-KILGORE HIGH SCHOOL | Cody | High | 09-12 | 47 | · |
| CODY-KILGORE MIDDLE SCHOOL | Cody | Middle | 06-08 | 32 | · |
| SIMEON SCHOOL | Valentine | Elementary | PK-08 | 17 | · |
| CUTCOMB LAKE SCHOOL | Cody | Elementary | PK-08 | 4 | · |
Cities in Cherry County
About Cherry County
Cherry County is a small Nebraska county of about 5,498 residents, home to 8 public schools and roughly 775 students.
In context, census numbers show the median household earns about $66,270 a year, 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 4% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
For a sense of the school types, Cherry County spans 4 elementary schools (379 students), 2 middle schools (191), and 2 high schools (205).
The largest single district in Cherry County is VALENTINE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, which alone enrolls about 623 students.
Trend over the past 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment rose 3%: 750 students in SY 2017-18 versus 775 in SY 2024-25. Cherry County now counts 8 public schools, down from 10 in SY 2017-18.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Cherry 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
Cherry County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data