The bulletin board for America's public schools. Parents, teachers, students, and staff. One community per school.

Dane County

Wisconsin · Public K-12

Dane County serves about 78,525 K-12 students across 169 public schools, an average of roughly 465 students per campus. By grade band, the county runs 95 elementary, 36 middle, and 34 high schools.

7-year change in Dane County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
78,422
+1,097 (+1%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
163
+4 (+3%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
60%
was 65%
% Hispanic
16%
was 13%
% Black
10%
was 9%
% Asian
6%
was 6%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
572,674
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
169
21 districts
Enrollment
78,525
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$89,975
Above Wisconsin avg
Free/reduced lunch
31.6%
Below Wisconsin avg
Elementary
95
35,556 students
Middle
36
17,272 students
High
34
25,456 students
Combined / other
4
241 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Madison Metropolitan School District
25,155 students · 21 districts in Dane County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Dane 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
White
77%
Hispanic
8%
Black
5%
Asian
6%
Two or more
9%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
59%
Hispanic
16%
Black
10%
Asian
6%
Two or more
8%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
55.3%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
4.9%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
2.4%
civilian labor
Median age
36
19.7% under 18

Test scores in Dane County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 112 schools ranked. Wisconsin state average: 53.1%.

See all 112 schools in Dane County ranked by score →

All schools (169)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
Yahara ElementaryDeforestElementaryKG-03329·
One City Elementary SchoolMononaElementaryPK-05328·
Randall Elementary SchoolMadisonElementary03-05320·
Elm Lawn ElementaryMiddletonElementaryPK-04313·
Nuestro MundoMononaElementaryPK-05311·
Sunset Ridge ElementaryMiddletonElementaryPK-04309·
Franklin ElementaryMadisonElementaryPK-02308·
Cottage Grove ElementaryCottage GroveElementary01-02307·
Northside ElementaryMiddletonElementaryPK-04307·
Kegonsa ElementaryStoughtonElementaryKG-05304·
Black Hawk MiddleMadisonMiddle06-08300·
Early Learning ProgramDeforestElementaryPK-PK297·
Emerson ElementaryMadisonElementaryPK-05297·
Sun Prairie Four KidsSun PrairieElementaryPK-PK297·
Crestwood ElementaryMadisonElementaryPK-05293·
Lake View ElementaryMadisonElementaryKG-05292·
Verona Area K4VeronaElementaryPK-PK292·
Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District 4KMiddletonElementaryPK-PK286·
Mendota ElementaryMadisonElementaryPK-05282·
Marshall HighMarshallHigh09-12281·
Belleville HighBellevilleHigh09-12275·
Mount Horeb Primary CenterMount HorebElementary01-02269·
Spring Harbor MiddleMadisonMiddle06-08269·
Orchard Ridge ElementaryMadisonElementaryPK-05265·
Taylor Prairie ElementaryCottage GroveElementaryPK-KG264·
Marshall Early Learning CenterMarshallElementaryPK-02251·
Waunakee Community 4K SchoolWaunakeeElementaryPK-PK249·
Marshall ElementaryMarshallElementaryPK-06246·
James Wright MiddleMadisonMiddle06-08245·
Park ElementaryCross PlainsElementaryPK-04245·
Wisconsin Heights HighMazomanieHigh09-12238·
Gompers ElementaryMadisonElementaryPK-05217·
Oregon 4KOregonElementaryPK-PK213·
Isthmus Montessori Academy PublicMadisonCombinedPK-12210·
Deerfield HighDeerfieldHigh09-12207·
Nikolay MiddleCambridgeMiddle06-08203·
Insight School of Wisconsin HighMcfarlandHigh09-12202·
Lapham ElementaryMadisonElementaryPK-02182·
Lindbergh ElementaryMadisonElementaryPK-05180·
SASD 4KStoughtonElementaryPK-PK174·
Marquette ElementaryMadisonElementary03-05169·
Mount Horeb Early Learning CenterMount HorebElementaryPK-KG160·
Wisconsin Heights MiddleMazomanieMiddle06-08153·
4K McFarlandMcfarlandElementaryPK-PK138·
Innovative HighMadisonHigh09-12138·
Capital HighMadisonHigh09-12129·
Marshall MiddleMarshallMiddle07-08128·
New Century SchoolVeronaElementaryKG-05122·
Deerfield MiddleDeerfieldMiddle07-08114·
Mount Horeb Area Community 4KMount HorebElementaryPK-PK113·
Verona Area International SchoolVeronaElementaryKG-05113·
Belleville MiddleBellevilleMiddle07-08111·
Clark Street Community SchoolMiddletonHigh09-12108·
Shabazz-City HighMadisonHigh09-12106·
One City Preparatory AcademyMononaMiddle06-0899·
Monona Grove Liberal ArtsMononaHigh06-1293·
Badger Rock MiddleMadisonMiddle06-0892·
Prairie Phoenix AcademySun PrairieHigh09-1288·
Milestone Democratic SchoolMadisonHigh06-1284·
Koshkonong Trails SchoolCambridgeHigh07-1228·
Early ChildhoodVeronaElementaryPK-PK19·
Mendota Mental Health InstitutionMadisonCombinedKG-1218·
Metro SchoolMadisonCombined04-1212·
Grow AcademyFitchburgHigh06-125·
Central Wisconsin CenterMadisonCombinedKG-121·
DOC: Oakhill Correctional InstitutionOregonHigh12-120·
DOC: Thompson Correctional CenterDeerfieldHigh07-120·
Innovative and Alternative MiddleMadisonMiddle06-080·
Oregon Correctional CenterFitchburgHigh07-120·

Cities in Dane County

Madison56 schoolsSun Prairie16 schoolsVerona12 schoolsMcfarland9 schoolsMiddleton9 schoolsOregon7 schoolsWaunakee7 schoolsMonona6 schoolsMount Horeb6 schoolsStoughton6 schoolsDeforest5 schoolsFitchburg5 schoolsCottage Grove4 schoolsDeerfield4 schoolsMarshall4 schoolsBelleville3 schoolsCambridge3 schoolsMazomanie3 schoolsCross Plains2 schoolsDe Forest1 schoolWindsor1 school

About Dane County

Dane County is a large Wisconsin county of about 572,674 residents, home to 169 public schools and roughly 78,525 students.

In context, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $89,975, about 55% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 5%. That income level is 22% above the Wisconsin median.

In terms of grade levels, Dane County spans 95 elementary schools (35,556 students), 36 middle schools (17,272), 34 high schools (25,456), and 4 combined or other schools.

Madison Metropolitan School District dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 25,155 students on its own.

Over the past 7-year window. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment held roughly steady: 77,325 students in SY 2017-18 versus 78,422 in SY 2024-25. Dane County now counts 163 public schools, up from 159 in SY 2017-18. The White share of public-school enrollment fell from 65% to 60%.

In the discussion threads here, the community for Dane 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

How many public schools are in Dane County?
Dane County, Wisconsin has 169 public K-12 schools serving approximately 78,525 students.
How many high schools are in Dane County?
Dane County, Wisconsin has 34 public high schools, serving approximately 25,456 students.
How many middle schools are in Dane County?
Dane County, Wisconsin has 36 public middle schools, serving approximately 17,272 students.
How many elementary schools are in Dane County?
Dane County, Wisconsin has 95 public elementary schools, serving approximately 35,556 students.
What is the largest school district in Dane County?
Madison Metropolitan School District is the largest school district in Dane County, serving approximately 25,155 students. The county contains 21 school districts overall.
What is the population of Dane County?
Dane County, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 572,674, with a median age of 36. About 19.7% of residents are under 18.
What is the median household income in Dane County?
Median household income in Dane County is $89,975, above the Wisconsin average of $73,469. About 4.9% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Dane County?
Approximately 55.3% of adults 25 and older in Dane County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Dane County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 31.6% of students in Dane County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is lower than the Wisconsin county average of 41.4%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Dane County schools?
Across Dane County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 13.8 to 1.

Dane County school rankings

Largest schoolsAll rankings →
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data