Total enrollment
3,068
+48 (+2%) vs SY 2020-21
Gage County
Nebraska · Public K-12
Public-school enrollment in Gage County clocks in around 3,866 students across 14 schools (8 elementary, 1 middle, and 5 high).
4-year change in Gage County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
9
-2 (-18%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Gage County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Nebraska | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 3,866 | #15 of 47 | #1,574 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 12 | #18 of 47 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 13.8:1 | #34 of 47 | #1,241 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 47.6% | #9 of 47 | #1,739 of 2,526 |
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.
Gage County school rankings
Residents
21,629
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
14
5 districts
Enrollment
3,866
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$67,247
Below Nebraska avg
Free/reduced lunch
47.6%
Above Nebraska avg
Elementary
8
2,285 students
Middle
1
466 students
High
5
1,115 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
BEATRICE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
2,900 students · 5 districts in Gage County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Gage 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+
23.1%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
8.5%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
1.5%
civilian labor
Median age
43
22.6% under 18
Test scores in Gage County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 6 schools ranked. Nebraska state average: 57.6%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- FREEMAN HIGH SCHOOL· 72.8%
- FREEMAN ELEMENTARY-ADAMS· 66.2%
- SOUTHERN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 51.0%
- STODDARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 50.8%
- BEATRICE MIDDLE SCHOOL· 49.9%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- PADDOCK LANE SCHOOL· 44.8%
- BEATRICE MIDDLE SCHOOL· 49.9%
- STODDARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 50.8%
- SOUTHERN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 51.0%
- FREEMAN ELEMENTARY-ADAMS· 66.2%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEATRICE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Beatrice | Elementary | PK-05 | 798 | · |
| BEATRICE HIGH SCHOOL | Beatrice | High | 09-12 | 627 | · |
| BEATRICE MIDDLE SCHOOL | Beatrice | Middle | 06-08 | 466 | · |
| PADDOCK LANE SCHOOL | Beatrice | Elementary | PK-05 | 398 | · |
| FREEMAN ELEMENTARY-ADAMS | Adams | Elementary | PK-06 | 280 | · |
| FREEMAN HIGH SCHOOL | Adams | High | 07-12 | 220 | · |
| BEATRICE COMMUNITY PRESCHOOL | Beatrice | Elementary | PK-PK | 211 | · |
| STODDARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Beatrice | Elementary | 03-05 | 207 | · |
| SOUTHERN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Blue Springs | Elementary | PK-06 | 198 | · |
| LINCOLN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Beatrice | Elementary | PK-02 | 193 | · |
| SOUTHERN JR-SR HIGH SCHOOL | Wymore | High | 07-12 | 163 | · |
| DILLER-ODELL SECONDARY SCHOOL | Odell | High | 07-12 | 105 | · |
| 3-YEAR-OLD PRESCHOOL | Blue Spring | Elementary | PK-PK | 0 | · |
| EDUCATIONAL SERVICE UNIT 5 | Beatrice | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Gage County
About Gage County
Gage County is a compact Nebraska county of about 21,629 residents, home to 14 public schools and roughly 3,866 students.
In context, census numbers show the median household earns about $67,247 a year, about 23% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 9%.
For a sense of the school types, Gage County comprises 8 elementary schools (2,285 students), 1 middle school (466), and 5 high schools (1,115).
The largest single district in Gage County is BEATRICE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, which alone enrolls about 2,900 students.
Looking at the last 4 years. Total public-school enrollment in Gage County has stayed largely flat since SY 2020-21, moving from about 3,020 students to 3,068. The school count fell from 11 to 9 across the same 4-year window.
On this page, the community for Gage County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data