Total enrollment
3,880
-701 (-15%) vs SY 2017-18
Lincoln County
Wisconsin · Public K-12
Public K-12 schools in Lincoln County number 12 per the most recent NCES data, averaging about 323 students per campus. By level, that breaks down as 4 elementary, 2 middle, and 5 high schools.
7-year change in Lincoln County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
12
-1 (-8%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
87%
was 92%
% Hispanic
5%
was 2%
% Black
2%
was 3%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
12
3 districts
Enrollment
3,880
NCES CCD
Median income
$68,164
Below Wisconsin avg
Free/reduced lunch
39.8%
Below Wisconsin avg
Elementary
4
1,230 students
Middle
2
766 students
High
5
1,210 students
Combined / other
1
674 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Merrill Area School District
2,686 students · 3 districts in Lincoln County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Lincoln 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+
19.6%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
7.0%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.2%
civilian labor
Median age
49
17.8% under 18
Test scores in Lincoln County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 5 schools ranked. Wisconsin state average: 53.1%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Tomahawk Elementary· 51.8%
- Tomahawk Middle· 50.2%
- Washington Elementary· 50.0%
- Bridges Virtual Academy· 38.6%
- Prairie River Middle· 34.6%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrill High | Merrill | High | 09-12 | 756 | · |
| Bridges Virtual Academy | Merrill | Combined | PK-12 | 674 | · |
| Tomahawk Elementary | Tomahawk | Elementary | PK-05 | 512 | · |
| Prairie River Middle | Merrill | Middle | 05-08 | 507 | · |
| Tomahawk High | Tomahawk | High | 09-12 | 371 | · |
| Kate Goodrich Elementary | Merrill | Elementary | KG-02 | 337 | · |
| Tomahawk Middle | Tomahawk | Middle | 06-08 | 259 | · |
| Washington Elementary | Merrill | Elementary | 03-04 | 257 | · |
| Pine River School for Young Learners (PRSYL) | Merrill | Elementary | PK-PK | 124 | · |
| DOC: Lincoln Hills/Copper Lake School | Irma | High | 06-12 | 38 | · |
| Merrill Adult Diploma Academy | Merrill | High | 11-12 | 31 | · |
| Copper Lake School | Irma | High | 07-12 | 14 | · |
Cities in Lincoln County
About Lincoln County
Lincoln County is a rural-scale county of about 28,426 residents in Wisconsin. Its public-school system serves approximately 3,880 students across 12 schools.
Zooming out, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $68,164, about 20% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 7%. That income level is 7% below the Wisconsin median.
For a sense of the school types, Lincoln County is built around 4 elementary schools (1,230 students), 2 middle schools (766), 5 high schools (1,210), and 1 combined or other schools.
Merrill Area School District dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 2,686 students on its own.
Over the past 7-year window. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment declined 15%: 4,581 students in SY 2017-18 versus 3,880 in SY 2024-25. Over that span, Lincoln County shed 1 school, going from 13 to 12. Demographically, the White share of enrollment fell from 92% to 87%.
On allk12, the community for Lincoln County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
Lincoln County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data