Total enrollment
2,009
-117 (-6%) vs SY 2017-18
Lake County
South Dakota · Public K-12
21 public K-12 schools, roughly 2,009 students, one county, 10,972 residents. That is Lake County, South Dakota on the numbers. The level mix is 6 elementary, 3 middle, and 5 high schools.
7-year change in Lake County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
14
-3 (-18%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
87%
was 91%
% Hispanic
8%
was 5%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
10,972
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
21
5 districts
Enrollment
2,009
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$76,808
Above South Dakota avg
Free/reduced lunch
22.8%
Below South Dakota avg
Elementary
6
873 students
Middle
3
378 students
High
5
758 students
Combined / other
7
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Madison Central School District 39-2
1,169 students · 5 districts in Lake County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Lake 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+
34.6%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
4.6%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.0%
civilian labor
Median age
44
19.6% under 18
Test scores in Lake County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 6 schools ranked. South Dakota state average: 50.4%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Chester Middle School - 03· 64.2%
- Madison Middle School - 02· 59.3%
- Madison Elementary - 07· 56.6%
- Chester Elementary -02· 54.8%
- Oldham-Ramona-Rutland Elementary· 43.5%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Oldham-Ramona-Rutland Jr. High· 42.5%
- Oldham-Ramona-Rutland Elementary· 43.5%
- Chester Elementary -02· 54.8%
- Madison Elementary - 07· 56.6%
- Madison Middle School - 02· 59.3%
Cities in Lake County
About Lake County
Across the small South Dakota county of Lake County of about 10,972 residents, the public-school footprint covers 21 schools and about 2,009 students.
Stepping back, census numbers show the median household earns about $76,808 a year, about 35% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate is around 5%. That income level is 10% higher than the South Dakota median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Lake County spans 6 elementary schools (873 students), 3 middle schools (378), 5 high schools (758), and 7 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Lake County is Madison Central School District 39-2, which alone enrolls about 1,169 students.
Five-year track record. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment shrank 6%: 2,126 students in SY 2017-18 versus 2,009 in SY 2024-25. Over that span, Lake County closed 3 schools, going from 17 to 14. On the demographic side, White enrollment moved from 91% to 87% over the same window.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Lake 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
Lake County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data