Hill City High School - 01

Hill City High School - 01, a close-knit high school in Hill City, South Dakota, part of Hill City School District 51-2, serves 158 students, covering grades 9 through 12. Compared to the state average of about 225 students per school, that is 30% leaner than typical.

Hill City School District 51-2 comprises 3 schools with combined enrollment of 520 students; Hill City High School - 01 is among them.

On demographics, Hill City High School - 01 shows that 72% of the student body identifies as White. Other groups include 18% Hispanic, 6% multiracial, 3% Native American.

On the resource side, Staff filings list 12 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 13.0:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 20.6:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. An estimated 19% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. That share is below Pennington County's rate of about 41%.

Around the school, ACS estimates for Pennington County put median household earnings sit near $74,517, roughly 35% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Pennington County runs 41 public schools (combined enrollment of about 16,186 students), of which Hill City High School - 01 is one.

Hill City Middle School - 04 is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.1 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 2 other public schools.

Geographically, the school is in a countryside area.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count rose 13%: 140 students in 2018 compared to 158 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 79% to 72% across the same window. Class-load math has grew: from 11.2:1 in 2018 to 13.0:1 in 2025.

On this page, posts here usually surface around pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.