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Ward County

North Dakota · Public K-12

Ward County, North Dakota's 40 public schools span elementary through high school (22 elementary, 5 middle, and 12 high). Total enrollment is roughly 11,732 students.

7-year change in Ward County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
10,522
+337 (+3%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
36
+3 (+9%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
75%
was 80%
% Hispanic
9%
was 6%
% Black
5%
was 5%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
68,973
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
40
8 districts
Enrollment
11,732
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$78,238
Above North Dakota avg
Free/reduced lunch
31.1%
Below North Dakota avg
Elementary
22
5,550 students
Middle
5
1,729 students
High
12
3,405 students
Combined / other
1
1,048 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
MINOT 1
8,878 students · 8 districts in Ward County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Ward 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
81%
Hispanic
7%
Black
5%
Asian
2%
Two or more
8%
Native American
2%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
75%
Hispanic
9%
Black
5%
Asian
1%
Two or more
6%
Native American
4%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
29.6%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
5.6%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.6%
civilian labor
Median age
34
24.1% under 18

Test scores in Ward County

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

See all 25 schools in Ward County ranked by score →

All schools (40)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
MINOT HIGH SCHOOLMinotHigh09-121,086·
CENTRAL CAMPUS SCHOOLMinotCombined09-101,048·
MINOT NORTH HIGH SCHOOLMinotHigh09-121,021·
ERIK RAMSTAD MIDDLE SCHOOLMinotMiddle06-08584·
JIM HILL MIDDLE SCHOOLMinotMiddle06-08505·
JOHN HOEVEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMinotElementaryPK-05504·
CENTRAL MIDDLE SCHOOLMinotMiddle06-08482·
EDISON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMinotElementaryPK-05461·
LONGFELLOW ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMinotElementaryPK-05435·
LEWIS AND CLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMinotElementaryPK-05418·
BURLINGTON-DES LACS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLBurlingtonElementaryPK-06415·
SOUTH PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMinotElementaryPK-08411·
PERKETT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMinotElementaryPK-05394·
WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMinotElementaryPK-05336·
SUNNYSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMinotElementaryKG-05307·
DES LACS-BURLINGTON HIGH SCHOOLDes LacsHigh07-12294·
NEDROSE HIGH SCHOOLMinotHigh06-12292·
NEDROSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMinotElementaryPK-05270·
BEL AIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMinotElementaryPK-05265·
NORTH PLAINS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMinot AfbElementaryKG-05234·
DAKOTA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMinot AfbElementaryPK-05233·
SURREY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLSurreyElementaryPK-06230·
SURREY HIGH SCHOOLSurreyHigh07-12206·
ROOSEVELT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMinotElementaryPK-05175·
KENMARE HIGH SCHOOLKenmareHigh06-12162·
MEMORIAL MIDDLE SCHOOLMinot AfbMiddle06-08157·
SOUTH PRAIRIE HIGH SCHOOLMinotHigh09-12155·
KENMARE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLKenmareElementaryPK-05129·
BERTHOLD HIGH SCHOOLBertholdHigh07-1298·
BERTHOLD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLBertholdElementaryPK-0696·
BELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMinotElementaryKG-0590·
SAWYER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLSawyerElementaryPK-0874·
MCKINLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMinotElementaryKG-0572·
SOURIS RIVER CAMPUS ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOLMinotHigh09-1250·
SAWYER HIGH SCHOOLSawyerHigh09-1220·
MINOT PUBLIC SCHOOLS 9-12 VIRTUAL ACADEMYMinotHigh09-1219·
LEWIS AND CLARK VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOLBertholdHigh07-122·
MINOT PUBLIC SCHOOLS 6-8 VIRTUAL ACADEMYMinotMiddle06-081·
MINOT PUBLIC SCHOOLS K-5 VIRTUAL ACADEMYMinotElementaryKG-051·
LEWIS AND CLARK VIRTUAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLBertholdElementaryKG-060·

Cities in Ward County

Minot25 schoolsBerthold4 schoolsMinot Afb3 schoolsKenmare2 schoolsSawyer2 schoolsSurrey2 schoolsBurlington1 schoolDes Lacs1 school

About Ward County

In North Dakota, Ward County is a moderately sized county of about 68,973 residents. 40 public schools across the county enrolls about 11,732 students between them.

In context, census numbers show the median household earns about $78,238 a year, about 30% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 6% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 7% above the North Dakota median.

For a sense of the school types, Ward County spans 22 elementary schools (5,550 students), 5 middle schools (1,729), 12 high schools (3,405), and 1 combined or other schools.

The largest single district in Ward County is MINOT 1, which alone enrolls about 8,878 students.

Looking at the last 7 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 10,522 students, grew 3% from the 10,185 reported in SY 2017-18. Ward County now counts 36 public schools, up from 33 in SY 2017-18. Demographically, the White share of enrollment fell from 80% to 75%.

Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Ward County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.

Frequently asked questions

How many public schools are in Ward County?
Ward County, North Dakota has 40 public K-12 schools serving approximately 11,732 students.
How many high schools are in Ward County?
Ward County, North Dakota has 12 public high schools, serving approximately 3,405 students.
How many middle schools are in Ward County?
Ward County, North Dakota has 5 public middle schools, serving approximately 1,729 students.
How many elementary schools are in Ward County?
Ward County, North Dakota has 22 public elementary schools, serving approximately 5,550 students.
What is the largest school district in Ward County?
MINOT 1 is the largest school district in Ward County, serving approximately 8,878 students. The county contains 8 school districts overall.
What is the population of Ward County?
Ward County, North Dakota has a population of approximately 68,973, with a median age of 34. About 24.1% of residents are under 18.
What is the median household income in Ward County?
Median household income in Ward County is $78,238, above the North Dakota average of $73,179. About 5.6% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Ward County?
Approximately 29.6% of adults 25 and older in Ward County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Ward County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 31.1% of students in Ward 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 Ward County schools?
Across Ward County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 15.3 to 1.

Ward County school rankings

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