Total enrollment
3,183
+22 (+1%) vs SY 2020-21
Lawrence County
South Dakota · Public K-12
Lawrence County's public-school footprint spans 14 K-12 schools with combined enrollment of about 3,183, the largest district being Spearfish School District 40-2. By level, that breaks down as 5 elementary, 4 middle, and 5 high schools.
4-year change in Lawrence County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
12
-2 (-14%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Lawrence County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In South Dakota | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 52.0% | #8 of 22 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 3,183 | #11 of 31 | #1,784 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 12 | #19 of 31 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.9:1 | #14 of 31 | #871 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 21.6% | #28 of 31 | #2,491 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 26.7% | #17 of 30 | #1,912 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.
Lawrence County school rankings
Residents
27,233
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
14
4 districts
Enrollment
3,183
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$73,384
Above South Dakota avg
Free/reduced lunch
21.6%
Below South Dakota avg
Elementary
5
1,424 students
Middle
4
686 students
High
5
1,073 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Spearfish School District 40-2
2,398 students · 4 districts in Lawrence County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Lawrence 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+
32.9%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
7.8%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
1.7%
civilian labor
Median age
45
16.3% under 18
Test scores in Lawrence County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 7 schools ranked. South Dakota state average: 50.4%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Whitewood Elementary - 04· 70.6%
- Creekside Elementary - 07· 57.9%
- Mountain View Elementary - 08· 57.9%
- West Elementary - 03· 57.9%
- Spearfish Middle School - 05· 55.9%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spearfish High School - 01 | Spearfish | High | 09-12 | 787 | · |
| Creekside Elementary - 07 | Spearfish | Elementary | 03-05 | 553 | · |
| Spearfish Middle School - 05 | Spearfish | Middle | 06-08 | 545 | · |
| West Elementary - 03 | Spearfish | Elementary | 01-02 | 322 | · |
| Lead-Deadwood Elementary - 03 | Deadwood | Elementary | KG-05 | 243 | · |
| Lead-Deadwood High School - 01 | Lead | High | 09-12 | 211 | · |
| Mountain View Elementary - 08 | Spearfish | Elementary | KG-KG | 168 | · |
| Lead-Deadwood Middle School - 02 | Lead | Middle | 06-08 | 139 | · |
| Whitewood Elementary - 04 | Whitewood | Elementary | PK-05 | 138 | · |
| Lead-Deadwood Career & Technical Education - 10 | Nemo | High | 09-12 | 54 | · |
| Spearfish Academy at Canyon Hills High School - 10 | Spearfish | High | 09-12 | 21 | · |
| Spearfish Academy at Canyon Hills Elementary - 09 | Spearfish | Middle | 04-08 | 2 | · |
| Black Hills Academy at Canyon Hills - 08 | Spearfish | Middle | 04-08 | 0 | · |
| Black Hills Academy at Canyon Hills High School - 07 | Spearfish | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
Cities in Lawrence County
About Lawrence County
Lawrence County is a low-population county of about 27,233 residents in South Dakota. Its public-school system enrolls approximately 3,183 students across 14 schools.
Looking at the wider area, census numbers show the median household earns about $73,384 a year, 33% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 8%. That income level is 5% noticeably above the South Dakota median.
For a sense of the school types, Lawrence County covers 5 elementary schools (1,424 students), 4 middle schools (686), and 5 high schools (1,073).
The largest single district in Lawrence County is Spearfish School District 40-2, which alone enrolls about 2,398 students.
Trend over the past 4 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 3,183 students, stayed largely flat from the 3,161 reported in SY 2020-21. Lawrence County now counts 12 public schools, down from 14 in SY 2020-21.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Lawrence County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. 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