Total enrollment
1,469
-180 (-11%) vs SY 2020-21
Butte County
South Dakota · Public K-12
In Butte County, South Dakota, the public-school system rolls up to 8 schools and roughly 1,504 K-12 students, with county median household income around $75,652. By grade band, the county runs 3 elementary, 2 middle, and 3 high schools.
4-year change in Butte County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
7
-1 (-12%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Butte County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In South Dakota | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 44.1% | #19 of 22 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,504 | #21 of 31 | #2,475 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 8 | #27 of 31 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.7:1 | #13 of 31 | #782 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 44.1% | #9 of 31 | #1,915 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 25.9% | #19 of 30 | #1,936 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.
Butte County school rankings
Residents
10,676
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
8
2 districts
Enrollment
1,504
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$75,652
Above South Dakota avg
Free/reduced lunch
44.1%
Above South Dakota avg
Elementary
3
560 students
Middle
2
462 students
High
3
482 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Belle Fourche School District 09-1
1,274 students · 2 districts in Butte County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Butte 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+
19.9%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.8%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
1.8%
civilian labor
Median age
40
24.8% under 18
Test scores in Butte County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 5 schools ranked. South Dakota state average: 50.4%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Newell Elementary - 02· 51.1%
- Newell Middle School - 04· 50.0%
- Belle Fourche Middle School - 07· 49.5%
- North Park Elementary - 08· 42.6%
- South Park Elementary - 03· 42.6%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belle Fourche Middle School - 07 | Belle Fourche | Middle | 05-08 | 414 | · |
| Belle Fourche High School - 01 | Belle Fourche | High | 09-12 | 389 | · |
| South Park Elementary - 03 | Belle Fourche | Elementary | 01-04 | 347 | · |
| Newell Elementary - 02 | Newell | Elementary | PK-05 | 124 | · |
| North Park Elementary - 08 | Belle Fourche | Elementary | KG-KG | 89 | · |
| Newell High School - 01 | Newell | High | 09-12 | 58 | · |
| Newell Middle School - 04 | Newell | Middle | 06-08 | 48 | · |
| Belle Fourche Education Connection - 09 | Belle Fourche | High | 09-12 | 35 | · |
Cities in Butte County
About Butte County
Butte County is a rural-scale South Dakota county of about 10,676 residents, home to 8 public schools and roughly 1,504 students.
In context, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $75,652, roughly 20% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the federal-poverty share is near 7%. That income level is 8% noticeably above the South Dakota median.
In terms of grade levels, Butte County is made up of 3 elementary schools (560 students), 2 middle schools (462), and 3 high schools (482).
Belle Fourche School District 09-1 is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 1,274 students across Butte County.
Over the past 4-year window. Combined enrollment now sits at 1,469 students, declined 11% from the 1,649 reported in SY 2020-21. Butte County now counts 7 public schools, down from 8 in SY 2020-21.
On allk12, the community for Butte 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
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data