Total enrollment
48,123
+520 (+1%) vs SY 2020-21
Lancaster County
Nebraska · Public K-12
Lancaster County's public schools, 97 in all, serve approximately 48,123 K-12 students inside Nebraska, with Lincoln Public Schools the largest district by enrollment. The level mix is 55 elementary, 17 middle, and 25 high schools.
4-year change in Lancaster County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
82
+5 (+6%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Lancaster County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Nebraska | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 48,123 | #2 of 47 | #224 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 82 | #2 of 47 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 14.3:1 | #40 of 47 | #1,505 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 31.6% | #34 of 47 | #2,365 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 57.5% | #3 of 44 | #708 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.
Lancaster County school rankings
Residents
326,696
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
97
11 districts
Enrollment
48,123
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$74,793
Above Nebraska avg
Free/reduced lunch
31.6%
Below Nebraska avg
Elementary
55
22,100 students
Middle
17
10,484 students
High
25
15,539 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
LINCOLN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
42,301 students · 11 districts in Lancaster County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Lancaster 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+
41.9%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.2%
civilian labor
Median age
34
22.4% under 18
Test scores in Lancaster County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 61 schools ranked. Nebraska state average: 57.6%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- SHERIDAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 80.2%
- KLOEFKORN ELEMENTARY· 77.5%
- MOORE MIDDLE SCHOOL· 75.5%
- ADAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 75.4%
- MALCOLM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 74.2%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- CULLER MIDDLE SCHOOL· 30.7%
- HUNTINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 31.8%
- MCPHEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 31.8%
- CLINTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 35.0%
- WEST LINCOLN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 36.1%
Cities in Lancaster County
About Lancaster County
In Nebraska, Lancaster County is a sprawling county of about 326,696 residents. 97 public schools across the county serves about 48,123 students between them.
Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show median household income runs near $74,793, roughly 42% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the federal-poverty share is near 7%. That income level is 8% higher than the Nebraska median.
In terms of grade levels, Lancaster County is built around 55 elementary schools (22,100 students), 17 middle schools (10,484), and 25 high schools (15,539).
LINCOLN PUBLIC SCHOOLS dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 42,301 students on its own.
Over the past 4-year window. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment remained close to its prior level: 47,603 students in SY 2020-21 versus 48,123 in SY 2024-25. The school count climbed from 77 to 82 across the same 4-year window.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Lancaster County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data