Total enrollment
1,951
-59 (-3%) vs SY 2020-21
Runnels County
Texas · Public K-12
Inside Runnels County, Texas, public K-12 schools number 12 and serve about 1,951 students out of a population of 9,874. By grade band, the county runs 4 elementary, 3 middle, and 4 high schools.
4-year change in Runnels County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
11
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Runnels County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Texas | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 47.4% | #85 of 192 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,951 | #160 of 196 | #2,240 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 11 | #122 of 196 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 10.7:1 | #15 of 196 | #236 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 61.2% | #105 of 196 | #1,062 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 53.5% | #96 of 192 | #931 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.
Runnels County school rankings
Residents
9,874
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
12
4 districts
Enrollment
1,951
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$62,632
Below Texas avg
Free/reduced lunch
61.2%
Above Texas avg
Elementary
4
980 students
Middle
3
241 students
High
4
589 students
Combined / other
1
141 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
BALLINGER ISD
772 students · 4 districts in Runnels County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Runnels 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+
19.1%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
8.6%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.9%
civilian labor
Median age
42
23.5% under 18
Test scores in Runnels County
Latest 2025-26 ELA proficiency, 8 schools ranked. Texas state average: 55.6%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- MILES EL· 82.0%
- MILES H S· 72.0%
- OLFEN SCHOOL· 58.0%
- WINTERS H S· 58.0%
- BALLINGER H S· 54.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- WINTERS J H· 40.0%
- BALLINGER EL· 49.0%
- WINTERS EL· 53.0%
- BALLINGER H S· 54.0%
- OLFEN SCHOOL· 58.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BALLINGER EL | Ballinger | Elementary | PK-05 | 377 | · |
| WINTERS EL | Winters | Elementary | PK-06 | 334 | · |
| MILES EL | Miles | Elementary | PK-06 | 269 | · |
| BALLINGER H S | Ballinger | High | 09-12 | 231 | · |
| MILES H S | Miles | High | 07-12 | 217 | · |
| BALLINGER J H | Ballinger | Middle | 06-08 | 164 | · |
| OLFEN SCHOOL | Rowena | Combined | PK-12 | 141 | · |
| WINTERS H S | Winters | High | 09-12 | 140 | · |
| WINTERS J H | Winters | Middle | 07-08 | 74 | · |
| WALL SPECIAL PROGRAMS | Rowena | Middle | 06-08 | 3 | · |
| FAIRVIEW SPECIAL PROGRAMS | Rowena | High | 09-09 | 1 | · |
| VERIBEST SPECIAL PROGRAMS | Rowena | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Runnels County
About Runnels County
Runnels County is a compact Texas county of about 9,874 residents, home to 12 public schools and roughly 1,951 students.
Zooming out, census numbers show the median household earns about $62,632 a year, about 19% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 9% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 6% below the Texas median.
On the school-mix side, Runnels County is built around 4 elementary schools (980 students), 3 middle schools (241), 4 high schools (589), and 1 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Runnels County is BALLINGER ISD, which alone enrolls about 772 students.
Over the past 4-year window. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment declined 3%: 2,010 students in SY 2020-21 versus 1,951 in SY 2024-25.
On this page, the community for Runnels County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data