Total enrollment
2,456
-218 (-8%) vs SY 2020-21
Karnes County
Texas · Public K-12
Karnes County's public schools, 15 in all, serve approximately 2,456 K-12 students inside Texas, with Karnes City ISD the largest district by enrollment. By level, that breaks down as 5 elementary, 2 middle, and 5 high schools.
4-year change in Karnes County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
12
+1 (+9%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Karnes County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Texas | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 42.7% | #130 of 192 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 2,456 | #144 of 196 | #2,030 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 12 | #109 of 196 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.1:1 | #48 of 196 | #563 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 62.1% | #96 of 196 | #1,016 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 41.9% | #147 of 192 | #1,410 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.
Karnes County school rankings
Residents
14,968
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
15
5 districts
Enrollment
2,456
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$60,214
Below Texas avg
Free/reduced lunch
62.1%
Above Texas avg
Elementary
5
1,246 students
Middle
2
383 students
High
5
827 students
Combined / other
3
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
KARNES CITY ISD
1,017 students · 5 districts in Karnes County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Karnes 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+
14.3%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
13.6%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
2.9%
civilian labor
Median age
38
19.4% under 18
Test scores in Karnes County
Latest 2025-26 ELA proficiency, 10 schools ranked. Texas state average: 55.6%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- FALLS CITY H S· 85.0%
- FALLS CITY EL· 83.0%
- KARNES CITY H S· 55.0%
- KENEDY H S· 52.0%
- KENEDY EL· 49.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- RUNGE EL· 23.0%
- KARNES CITY EL· 41.0%
- KARNES CITY J H· 43.0%
- KENEDY MIDDLE· 43.0%
- KENEDY EL· 49.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KENEDY EL | Kenedy | Elementary | PK-05 | 384 | · |
| KARNES CITY EL | Karnes City | Elementary | 02-05 | 296 | · |
| KARNES CITY H S | Karnes City | High | 09-12 | 281 | · |
| FALLS CITY EL | Falls City | Elementary | PK-06 | 258 | · |
| KARNES CITY J H | Karnes City | Middle | 06-08 | 234 | · |
| KENEDY H S | Kenedy | High | 09-12 | 219 | · |
| KARNES CITY PRI | Karnes City | Elementary | PK-01 | 206 | · |
| FALLS CITY H S | Falls City | High | 07-12 | 184 | · |
| KENEDY MIDDLE | Kenedy | Middle | 06-08 | 149 | · |
| RUNGE EL | Runge | Elementary | PK-06 | 102 | · |
| CONNALLY | Kenedy | High | 09-12 | 83 | · |
| RUNGE H S | Runge | High | 07-12 | 60 | · |
| ESCHOOL PREP ACADEMY | Karnes City | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| K ACADEMY | Kenedy | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| LONE STAR VIRTUAL ACADEMY | Karnes City | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Karnes County
About Karnes County
Karnes County is a sparse county of about 14,968 residents in Texas. Its public-school system enrolls approximately 2,456 students across 15 schools.
Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $60,214, about 14% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate is around 14%. That income level is 9% lower than the Texas median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Karnes County spans 5 elementary schools (1,246 students), 2 middle schools (383), 5 high schools (827), and 3 combined or other schools.
KARNES CITY ISD dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 1,017 students on its own.
Over the past 4-year window. Combined enrollment now sits at 2,456 students, decreased 8% from the 2,674 reported in SY 2020-21. Over that span, Karnes County added 1 school, going from 11 to 12.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Karnes County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data