What are the largest school districts in North Dakota?

Bismarck 1 (14,086 students), West Fargo 6 (13,175 students), Fargo 1 (11,443 students) have the most students in the latest NCES count.

How much does North Dakota spend per student?

Districts in North Dakota that report finance data spent an average of $16,610 per student on current operations, weighted by enrollment.

What does per-pupil spending include?

It is current spending for elementary and secondary education divided by fall enrollment, as published by the Census Bureau. It includes instruction, support services such as transportation and administration, and other day-to-day costs. It leaves out capital outlay for buildings and interest on debt.

Why do some districts have no spending or poverty figures?

Charter districts, education service agencies and other special agencies often do not report finance data separately, and Census SAIPE estimates child poverty only for geographic school districts. Values are also hidden for districts with fewer than 50 students, where a per-pupil figure can swing widely.

Checked Oct 22, 2026

North Dakota School Districts

Public school districts and education agencies

Districts and agencies: 220
Students: 119,656; Fall enrollment
Spending per student: $16,610; Average of reporting districts
Largest district: Bismarck 1; 14,086 students

Enrollment and school counts come from the NCES Common Core of Data. Spending comes from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of School System Finances, and child poverty from Census SAIPE model estimates. Per-pupil spending is current spending (salaries, benefits, supplies and services), not construction or debt, and is shown only for districts with at least 50 students.

Districts by enrollment

Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.

District	Students	Schools	Per student	Child poverty
Bismarck 1	14,086	29	$15,100	6.8%
West Fargo 6	13,175	26	$14,624	10.1%
Fargo 1	11,443	26	$18,846	11.9%
Grand Forks 1	7,811	18	$16,878	10.6%
Minot 1	7,668	21	$15,808	10.5%
Williston Basin 7	5,413	11	$14,990	10.0%
Mandan 1	4,451	12	$14,589	10.7%
Dickinson 1	4,177	12	$15,709	10.5%
McKenzie Co 1	2,349	7	$15,581	7.2%
Jamestown 1	2,032	7	$15,470	10.2%
Devils Lake 1	1,786	5	$15,334	15.4%
Belcourt 7	1,518	4	$29,052	27.0%
Wahpeton 37	1,221	4	$14,328	11.2%
Central Cass 17	1,026	3	$12,630	3.9%
Grafton 18	953	3	$12,077	15.5%
Valley City 2	943	4	$14,816	8.4%
New Town 1	931	3	$19,534	18.2%
Kindred 2	874	3	$12,272	3.7%
Stanley 2	783	2	$14,010	10.7%
Beulah 27	748	3	$13,632	7.5%
Northern Cass 97	724	3	$13,838	2.0%
United 7	709	2	$13,556	6.7%
Thompson 61	679	2	$10,539	2.1%
Bottineau 1	671	2	$14,802	10.0%
Killdeer 16	607	2	$17,558	10.2%
Carrington 49	601	2	$13,250	9.1%
Lisbon 19	601	3	$14,845	9.1%
Rugby 5	589	2	$15,799	12.4%
Hazen 3	582	3	$12,937	6.6%
South Prairie 70	566	2	$12,708	4.5%
Nedrose 4	562	2	$13,675	10.6%
Tioga 15	544	2	$17,689	5.0%
May-Port CG 14	517	3	$13,734	4.6%
Dunseith 1	514	2	$26,681	29.2%
Bowman Co 1	508	4	$15,953	12.0%
Hillsboro 9	494	3	$15,120	8.5%
Oakes 41	475	2	$12,585	11.5%
Park River Area 8	470	2	$12,372	11.0%
St John 3	458	2	$22,530	26.6%
Nesson 2	443	2	$15,942	4.4%
Langdon Area 23	440	2	$17,126	11.0%
Velva 1	439	2	$14,854	11.3%
South Heart 9	437	2	$14,432	5.0%
Surrey 41	436	2	$13,900	6.8%
Larimore 44	416	2	$14,150	8.1%
Lewis and Clark 161	410	6	$18,955	5.5%
Garrison 51	396	2	$15,852	6.5%
Kidder County 1	387	2	$15,580	14.6%
Cavalier 6	385	4	$13,662	7.2%
Divide County 1	382	2	$19,986	14.5%
Harvey 38	381	2	$17,038	15.9%
New Salem-Almont 49	377	2	$16,317	10.2%
Washburn 4	376	2	$15,027	6.3%
Tgu 60	353	6	$19,369	13.9%
New Rockford-Sheyenne 2	349	2	$13,402	15.4%
Northwood 129	337	2	$15,519	5.9%
Richardton-Taylor 34	337	3	$16,544	12.6%
North Border 100	332	4	$19,855	11.2%
Eight Mile 6	319	2	$17,659	6.5%
Richland 44	310	2	$14,526	4.5%
Alexander 2	309	2	$16,213	11.3%
Ellendale 40	305	5	$15,191	17.7%
Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood 1	304	2	$16,832	9.4%
Enderlin Area 24	302	3	$16,139	14.1%
Minto 20	296	2	$13,090	5.4%
Lamoure 8	295	3	$17,747	11.7%
Hettinger 13	294	2	$16,824	13.3%
Kenmare 28	291	2	$18,025	5.8%
Dakota Prairie 1	288	2	$20,837	16.2%
Griggs County Central 18	288	2	$14,759	11.9%
North Star 10	284	2	$14,077	9.4%
Wilton 1	283	2	$14,447	6.4%
New England 9	280	4	$15,583	13.7%
Parshall 3	280	2	$20,511	8.9%
Beach 3	266	4	$19,801	9.9%
Flasher 39	266	2	$14,695	12.7%
Center-Stanton 1	265	2	$15,885	13.4%
Edgeley 3	255	3	$16,115	12.1%
Belfield 13	253	2	$16,915	11.9%
Minnewaukan 5	253	2	$35,617	40.0%
Glenburn 26	249	2	$18,917	10.3%
Maple Valley 4	248	3	$16,230	9.8%
Wishek 19	247	2	$16,675	13.5%
Napoleon 2	246	2	$16,403	14.8%
Linton 36	245	2	$18,756	15.5%
Wyndmere 42	245	2	$15,557	4.9%
Hankinson 8	244	2	$16,193	8.9%
Mt Pleasant 4	244	2	$20,226	21.5%
Mapleton 7	239	1	$16,311	3.6%
Barnes County North 7	235	2	$15,888	12.9%
Mott-Regent 1	225	2	$17,152	16.3%
Powers Lake 27	221	2	$18,022	5.6%
Valley-Edinburg 118	221	3	$18,038	9.6%
Milnor 2	214	4	$20,907	8.7%
Solen 3	214	2	$24,393	44.5%
Central Valley 3	210	2	$15,559	5.9%
Medina 3	206	2	$17,653	14.3%
Lakota 66	205	2	$17,663	8.0%
Mandaree 36	203	2	$36,197	24.9%
Warwick 29	199	3	$28,214	35.5%
Fessenden-Bowdon 25	196	2	$16,533	7.7%
Midway 128	195	2	$18,348	7.3%
North Sargent 3	195	2	$18,824	10.2%
Manvel 125	192	1	$13,459	6.1%
Underwood 8	189	2	$18,259	16.1%
Sargent Central 6	188	2	$22,328	10.8%
Drayton 19	182	2	$22,994	3.3%
Turtle Lake-Mercer 72	182	2	$17,125	13.2%
Yellowstone 14	181	2	$18,290	10.3%
Midkota 7	177	2	$20,215	9.1%
Lidgerwood 28	176	2	$17,650	14.1%
Ft Totten 30	175	2	$25,724	38.6%
White Shield 85	174	2	$17,234	18.9%
Elgin-New Leipzig 49	168	2	$19,637	33.9%
Grenora 99	166	2	$24,411	8.6%
Hope-Page 85	162	2	$23,228	5.3%
Pingree-Buchanan 10	160	2	$17,831	9.3%
Westhope 17	160	2	$21,031	9.8%
Hatton Eielson 7	157	2	$19,952	7.8%
Hebron 13	153	2	$18,643	8.1%
Litchville-Marion 46	149	2	$23,475	7.4%
Hazelton-Moffit-Braddock 6	144	2	$21,097	14.8%
Max 50	135	2	$21,042	14.9%
Scranton 33	135	2	$19,671	9.4%
Glen Ullin 48	134	2	$21,743	7.7%
Maddock 9	134	2	$20,326	16.8%
Rolette 29	129	2	$21,225	19.1%
Leeds 6	126	2	$19,504	21.9%
Kulm 7	123	2	$22,346	16.1%
Ashley 9	121	2	$19,956	27.7%
McClusky-Goodrich 29	114	2	$22,025	25.4%
Strasburg 15	107	2	$22,652	12.2%
Montpelier 14	105	2	$18,500	11.3%
Billings Co 1	101	2	$27,819	8.1%
Emerado 127	101	1	$17,037	10.3%
Finley-Sharon 19	101	2	$28,259	6.6%
Gackle-Streeter 56	100	2	$24,455	20.5%
Fairmount 18	99	2	$22,167	12.0%
Burke Central 36	95	2	$27,112	10.6%
Sawyer 16	94	2	$30,329	1.6%
Munich 19	93	2	$26,903	15.1%
Bowbells 14	92	2	$23,856	11.6%
Newburg-United 54	81	2	$28,648	9.5%
Apple Creek 39	78	1	$13,077	0.4%
Drake 57	75	1	$25,753	17.2%
Selfridge 8	75	2	$61,345	43.1%
Anamoose 14	73	1	$25,014	16.4%
Roosevelt 18	62	1	$25,193	20.0%
Wing 28	62	2	$27,254	6.5%
Ft Yates 4	56	2	$79,548	31.9%
Twin Buttes 37	55	1	$37,600	23.5%
Starkweather 44	54	2	Not reported	16.0%
Oberon 16	52	1	$39,625	15.2%
Fordville-Lankin 5	50	2	$25,964	3.3%
Menoken 33	50	1	$15,327	8.2%
Lone Tree 6	36	1	Not reported	6.4%
Kensal 19	28	2	Not reported	2.9%
Sweet Briar 17	28	1	Not reported	11.8%
Zeeland 4	27	2	Not reported	16.2%
Little Heart 4	25	1	Not reported	11.5%
Sterling 35	21	1	Not reported	14.4%
Marmot Schools	20	1	Not reported	Not reported
Naughton 25	16	1	Not reported	0.0%
ND School for the Deaf	16	1	Not reported	Not reported
Ft Ransom 6	12	1	Not reported	2.1%
Manning 45	12	1	Not reported	3.7%
Horse Creek 32	11	1	Not reported	0.0%
Marmarth 12	3	1	Not reported	36.4%

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Frequently asked questions

What are the largest school districts in North Dakota?: Bismarck 1 (14,086 students), West Fargo 6 (13,175 students), Fargo 1 (11,443 students) have the most students in the latest NCES count.
How much does North Dakota spend per student?: Districts in North Dakota that report finance data spent an average of $16,610 per student on current operations, weighted by enrollment.
What does per-pupil spending include?: It is current spending for elementary and secondary education divided by fall enrollment, as published by the Census Bureau. It includes instruction, support services such as transportation and administration, and other day-to-day costs. It leaves out capital outlay for buildings and interest on debt.
Why do some districts have no spending or poverty figures?: Charter districts, education service agencies and other special agencies often do not report finance data separately, and Census SAIPE estimates child poverty only for geographic school districts. Values are also hidden for districts with fewer than 50 students, where a per-pupil figure can swing widely.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data; U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances and SAIPE · Last updated 10/22/2026