Total enrollment
4,413
-272 (-6%) vs SY 2017-18
Codington County
South Dakota · Public K-12
Codington County, South Dakota hosts 18 public K-12 schools and around 4,561 students, averaging roughly 253 per campus. Watertown School District 14-4 runs the largest share. By level, that breaks down as 8 elementary, 5 middle, and 4 high schools.
7-year change in Codington County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
16
-1 (-6%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
83%
was 89%
% Hispanic
7%
was 3%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
18
4 districts
Enrollment
4,561
NCES CCD
Median income
$72,727
Above South Dakota avg
Free/reduced lunch
36.0%
Below South Dakota avg
Elementary
8
1,805 students
Middle
5
1,292 students
High
4
1,464 students
Combined / other
1
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Watertown School District 14-4
3,734 students · 4 districts in Codington County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Codington 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+
21.4%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
4.8%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
1.9%
civilian labor
Median age
40
23.0% under 18
Test scores in Codington County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 11 schools ranked. South Dakota state average: 50.4%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Watertown Middle School - 02· 63.6%
- Watertown Intermediate School - 13· 58.7%
- Jefferson Elementary - 09· 47.9%
- Florence Elementary - 02· 47.4%
- Lincoln Elementary - 05· 44.5%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Henry Middle School - 03· 23.8%
- Florence Middle School - 03· 29.6%
- Waverly-South Shore Elementary - 02· 30.7%
- Mellette Elementary - 07· 36.0%
- Henry Elementary - 02· 36.4%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watertown High School - 01 | Watertown | High | 09-12 | 1,222 | · |
| Watertown Middle School - 02 | Watertown | Middle | 07-08 | 575 | · |
| Watertown Intermediate School - 13 | Watertown | Middle | 05-06 | 532 | · |
| Lincoln Elementary - 05 | Watertown | Elementary | 01-04 | 361 | · |
| Jefferson Elementary - 09 | Watertown | Elementary | 01-04 | 333 | · |
| McKinley Early Childhood Center - 06 | Watertown | Elementary | PK-KG | 296 | · |
| Mellette Elementary - 07 | Watertown | Elementary | 01-04 | 267 | · |
| Florence Elementary - 02 | Florence | Elementary | PK-05 | 179 | · |
| Roosevelt Elementary - 08 | Watertown | Elementary | PK-04 | 148 | · |
| Waverly-South Shore Elementary - 02 | Waverly | Elementary | PK-05 | 128 | · |
| Florence High School - 01 | Florence | High | 09-12 | 102 | · |
| Henry Elementary - 02 | Henry | Elementary | PK-05 | 93 | · |
| Waverly-South Shore High School - 01 | Waverly | High | 09-12 | 86 | · |
| Florence Middle School - 03 | Florence | Middle | 06-08 | 71 | · |
| Waverly-South Shore Middle School - 03 | Waverly | Middle | 06-08 | 69 | · |
| Henry High School - 01 | Henry | High | 09-12 | 54 | · |
| Henry Middle School - 03 | Henry | Middle | 06-08 | 45 | · |
| Garfield Education Center - 14 | Watertown | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Codington County
About Codington County
Across the sparse South Dakota county of Codington County of about 28,767 residents, the public-school footprint covers 18 schools and about 4,561 students.
In context, census numbers show median household income runs near $72,727, 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 5%.
For a sense of the school types, Codington County spans 8 elementary schools (1,805 students), 5 middle schools (1,292), 4 high schools (1,464), and 1 combined or other schools.
Watertown School District 14-4 is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 3,734 students across Codington County.
Trend over the past 7 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 4,413 students, decreased 6% from the 4,685 reported in SY 2017-18. Codington County now counts 16 public schools, down from 17 in SY 2017-18. The White share of public-school enrollment declined from 89% to 83%.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Codington County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
Codington County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data