Total enrollment
940
-51 (-5%) vs SY 2017-18
McHenry County
North Dakota · Public K-12
For a North Dakota county, McHenry County operates a compact public-school system: 10 schools and 940 students, broken out as 5 elementary and 5 high.
7-year change in McHenry County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
8
0 (0%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
92%
was 95%
% Hispanic
4%
was 3%
% Black
0%
was 0%
% Asian
0%
was 0%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
10
4 districts
Enrollment
940
NCES CCD
Median income
$80,733
Above North Dakota avg
Free/reduced lunch
29.1%
Below North Dakota avg
Elementary
5
529 students
Middle
0
schools
High
5
411 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
VELVA 1
439 students · 4 districts in McHenry County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of McHenry 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+
20.3%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.0%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.1%
civilian labor
Median age
43
24.2% under 18
Test scores in McHenry County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 5 schools ranked. North Dakota state average: 38.7%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- VELVA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 48.0%
- VELVA HIGH SCHOOL· 48.0%
- TGU-GRANVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 38.0%
- TGU-TOWNER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 38.0%
- ANAMOOSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL· 30.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VELVA HIGH SCHOOL | Velva | High | 07-12 | 222 | · |
| VELVA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Velva | Elementary | PK-06 | 217 | · |
| TGU-TOWNER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Towner | Elementary | PK-08 | 154 | · |
| TGU-GRANVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Granville | Elementary | PK-08 | 85 | · |
| DRAKE HIGH SCHOOL | Drake | High | 07-12 | 75 | · |
| TGU-TOWNER HIGH SCHOOL | Towner | High | 09-12 | 75 | · |
| ANAMOOSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Anamoose | Elementary | KG-06 | 73 | · |
| TGU-GRANVILLE HIGH SCHOOL | Granville | High | 09-12 | 39 | · |
| TGU VIRTUAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Towner | Elementary | KG-08 | 0 | · |
| TGU VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL | Towner | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in McHenry County
About McHenry County
McHenry County is a low-population North Dakota county of about 5,207 residents, home to 10 public schools and roughly 940 students.
Stepping back, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $80,733, about 20% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 6% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 10% noticeably above the North Dakota median.
Looking at the level breakdown, McHenry County spans 5 elementary schools (529 students), and 5 high schools (411).
VELVA 1 dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 439 students on its own.
Trend over the past 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment contracted 5%: 991 students in SY 2017-18 versus 940 in SY 2024-25.
In the discussion threads here, the community for McHenry County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
McHenry County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data