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Pembina County

North Dakota · Public K-12

Pembina County, North Dakota hosts 11 public K-12 schools and around 978 students, averaging roughly 89 per campus. Cavalier 6 runs the largest share. By level, that breaks down as 6 elementary and 5 high schools.

7-year change in Pembina County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
978
-114 (-10%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
11
0 (0%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
87%
was 84%
% Hispanic
8%
was 10%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
0%
was 0%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
6,727
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
11
4 districts
Enrollment
978
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$68,393
Below North Dakota avg
Free/reduced lunch
26.9%
Below North Dakota avg
Elementary
6
636 students
Middle
0
schools
High
5
342 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
CAVALIER 6
385 students · 4 districts in Pembina County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Pembina 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
White
90%
Hispanic
4%
Black
1%
Asian
1%
Two or more
7%
Native American
2%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
87%
Hispanic
8%
Black
1%
Asian
0%
Two or more
3%
Native American
1%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
24.6%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
7.2%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.4%
civilian labor
Median age
46
21.1% under 18

Test scores in Pembina County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 8 schools ranked. North Dakota state average: 38.7%.

See all 8 schools in Pembina County ranked by score →

All schools (11)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
CAVALIER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLCavalierElementaryPK-05195·
CAVALIER HIGH SCHOOLCavalierHigh06-12180·
NORTH BORDER-WALHALLA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLWalhallaElementaryPK-08128·
DRAYTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLDraytonElementaryPK-08120·
NORTH BORDER-PEMBINA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPembinaElementaryPK-08109·
VALLEY-EDINBURG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL-CRYSTALCrystalElementary03-0679·
DRAYTON HIGH SCHOOLDraytonHigh09-1262·
NORTH BORDER-WALHALLA HIGH SCHOOLWalhallaHigh09-1259·
NORTH BORDER-PEMBINA HIGH SCHOOLPembinaHigh09-1236·
RED RIVER VALLEY ELEMENTARY VIRTUAL ACADEMYCavalierElementaryKG-065·
RED RIVER VALLEY HIGH VIRTUAL ACADEMYCavalierHigh07-125·

Cities in Pembina County

Cavalier4 schoolsDrayton2 schoolsPembina2 schoolsWalhalla2 schoolsCrystal1 school

About Pembina County

Pembina County is a low-population county of about 6,727 residents in North Dakota. Its public-school system enrolls approximately 978 students across 11 schools.

Looking at the wider area, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $68,393, about 25% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 7%. That income level is 7% below the North Dakota median.

On the school-mix side, Pembina County spans 6 elementary schools (636 students), and 5 high schools (342).

CAVALIER 6 dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 385 students on its own.

Over the past 7-year window. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment shrank 10%: 1,092 students in SY 2017-18 versus 978 in SY 2024-25. Demographically, the White share of enrollment expanded from 84% to 87%.

In the discussion threads here, the community for Pembina County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.

Frequently asked questions

How many K-12 schools serve Pembina County?
There are 11 public K-12 schools in Pembina County, North Dakota, with a combined enrollment of about 978.
How many high schools are in Pembina County?
Pembina County, North Dakota has 5 public high schools, serving approximately 342 students.
How many elementary schools are in Pembina County?
Pembina County, North Dakota has 6 public elementary schools, serving approximately 636 students.
What is the largest school district in Pembina County?
CAVALIER 6 is the largest school district in Pembina County, serving approximately 385 students. The county contains 4 school districts overall.
What is the population of Pembina County?
Pembina County, North Dakota has a population of approximately 6,727, with a median age of 46. About 21.1% of residents are under 18.
What is the median household income in Pembina County?
Median household income in Pembina County is $68,393, below the North Dakota average of $73,179. About 7.2% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Pembina County?
Approximately 24.6% of adults 25 and older in Pembina County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Pembina County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 26.9% of students in Pembina County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is lower than the North Dakota county average of 33.7%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Pembina County schools?
Across Pembina County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 9.1 to 1.
What is the racial makeup of Pembina County?
Pembina County residents are approximately 90% White, 4% Hispanic, 1% Black, 1% Asian, 7% two or more races according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.

Pembina County school rankings

Largest schoolsAll rankings →
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data