Can I use Dakota County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Dakota County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Dakota County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Dakota County?

Start with the 150 listed public schools and 17 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Dakota County Schools & Education

Name: Dakota County, Minnesota Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Dakota County, Minnesota

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

School Score

53/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

86.1%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

86.1%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 86.6%

Per-Pupil Spending

$8,984

National avg $13,239

State avg $8,463

School Score

53/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 55/100

State Score Position

#41

of 87 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Dakota County

Measured School Summary

Dakota County performs at an average level with a school score of 53/100 and a solid graduation rate of 86.1%.

Funding Context

Dakota County spends $8,984 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 3% below the Minnesota average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 0.5 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 6% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Dakota County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

150 public schools and 17 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

53/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #41 of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data.

Completion

86.1%

0.5 pts below the state average

Funding context

$8,984

$521 above the state average

School coverage

150

17 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Dakota County has 150 public schools across 17 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Dakota County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Large multi-district county

Dakota County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.

State position

#41

of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data. The county score is 2 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN

Elementary to high school visible

29,221 students

Elementary 20Middle 8High 11Other 2

41 listed schools in this county slice.

Lakeville Area Schools

Elementary to high school visible

11,816 students

Elementary 9Middle 4High 5Other 1

19 listed schools in this county slice.

FARMINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary to high school visible

6,800 students

Elementary 5Middle 2High 2Other 0

9 listed schools in this county slice.

Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Schools

Elementary to high school visible

6,700 students

Elementary 7Middle 1High 6Other 3

17 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN is the largest listed district slice, with 41 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Dakota County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Dakota County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Dakota County, Minnesota

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

A Massive Infrastructure for Modern Learning

Dakota County hosts a sprawling network of 150 public schools serving 73,725 students across 17 districts. This robust system includes 62 elementary schools, 21 middle schools, and 48 high schools.

High Funding Levels Support Large Populations

The county spends $8,984 per pupil, which is well above the state average of $8,463. This investment supports an 86.1% graduation rate, nearly matching the state average while serving a much larger student body.

Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Leads the Way

The Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan district is the largest, educating 29,221 students across 41 schools. Charter schools represent about 5% of the county's total public school options with eight dedicated facilities.

A Primarily Suburban Educational Experience

With 102 schools located in suburban locales, campuses are generally large and average 523 students. Rosemount Senior High is the county’s largest school, serving 2,425 students in a high-energy environment.

School Overview

Total Schools

150

in Dakota County

Reported Enrollment

73,725

150 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

5% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary62

Middle21

High48

Other19

17 School Districts in Dakota County

ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN

Lakeville Area Schools

Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Schools

FARMINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan

HASTINGS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS SCHOOLS

South St. Paul Public School Dist

7 schools

3,048 students

RANDOLPH PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

2 schools

842 students

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT 917

15 schools

668 students

150 Public Schools in Dakota County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 18 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Search schools

Level

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Showing 20 of 150 matching schools

Public schools in Dakota County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
ROSEMOUNT SENIOR HIGH	Profile	ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN	ROSEMOUNT, 55068Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,425
EASTVIEW SENIOR HIGH	Profile	ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN	APPLE VALLEY, 55124Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,308
FARMINGTON HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	FARMINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	FARMINGTON, 55024Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	2,201
EAGAN SENIOR HIGH	Profile	ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN	EAGAN, 55123City: Small	9–12	High	2,171
Burnsville High School	Profile	Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Schools	BURNSVILLE, 55337Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,119
LAKEVILLE SOUTH HIGH	Profile	Lakeville Area Schools	LAKEVILLE, 55044Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,906
APPLE VALLEY SENIOR HIGH	Profile	ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN	APPLE VALLEY, 55124Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,893
LAKEVILLE NORTH HIGH	Profile	Lakeville Area Schools	LAKEVILLE, 55044Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,796
Two Rivers High School	Profile	West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan	MENDOTA HEIGHTS, 55118Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,479
BURNSVILLE AREA LEARNING CENTER	Profile	Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Schools	BURNSVILLE, 55337Suburb: Large	6–12	Alternative	1,390
HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HASTINGS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	HASTINGS, 55033Town: Fringe	9–12	High	1,353
HASTINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL	Profile	HASTINGS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	HASTINGS, 55033Town: Fringe	5–8	Middle	1,210
ROSEMOUNT MIDDLE	Profile	ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN	ROSEMOUNT, 55068Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	1,205
SCOTT HIGHLANDS MIDDLE	Profile	ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN	APPLE VALLEY, 55124Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	1,184
DAKOTA HILLS MIDDLE	Profile	ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN	EAGAN, 55123City: Small	6–8	Middle	1,158
Valley Middle School of STEM	Profile	ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN	APPLE VALLEY, 55124Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	1,076
SIMLEY SENIOR HIGH	Profile	INVER GROVE HEIGHTS SCHOOLS	INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, 55076Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,062
FALCON RIDGE MIDDLE	Profile	ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN	APPLE VALLEY, 55124Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	970
CENTURY MIDDLE SCHOOL	Record	Lakeville Area Schools	LAKEVILLE, 55044Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	931
South St. Paul High School	Record	South St. Paul Public School Dist	SOUTH SAINT PAUL, 55075Suburb: Large	9–12	High	923

ROSEMOUNT SENIOR HIGH

ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN

ROSEMOUNT, 55068 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,425 students

EASTVIEW SENIOR HIGH

ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN

APPLE VALLEY, 55124 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,308 students

FARMINGTON HIGH SCHOOL

FARMINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

FARMINGTON, 55024 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High2,201 students

EAGAN SENIOR HIGH

ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN

EAGAN, 55123 / City: Small

Profile9–12High2,171 students

Burnsville High School

Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Schools

BURNSVILLE, 55337 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,119 students

LAKEVILLE SOUTH HIGH

Lakeville Area Schools

LAKEVILLE, 55044 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,906 students

APPLE VALLEY SENIOR HIGH

ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN

APPLE VALLEY, 55124 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,893 students

LAKEVILLE NORTH HIGH

Lakeville Area Schools

LAKEVILLE, 55044 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,796 students

Two Rivers High School

West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan

MENDOTA HEIGHTS, 55118 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,479 students

BURNSVILLE AREA LEARNING CENTER

Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Schools

BURNSVILLE, 55337 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–12Alternative1,390 students

HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL

HASTINGS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

HASTINGS, 55033 / Town: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,353 students

HASTINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL

HASTINGS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

HASTINGS, 55033 / Town: Fringe

Profile5–8Middle1,210 students

ROSEMOUNT MIDDLE

ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN

ROSEMOUNT, 55068 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–8Middle1,205 students

SCOTT HIGHLANDS MIDDLE

ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN

APPLE VALLEY, 55124 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–8Middle1,184 students

DAKOTA HILLS MIDDLE

ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN

EAGAN, 55123 / City: Small

Profile6–8Middle1,158 students

Valley Middle School of STEM

ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN

APPLE VALLEY, 55124 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–8Middle1,076 students

SIMLEY SENIOR HIGH

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS SCHOOLS

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, 55076 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,062 students

FALCON RIDGE MIDDLE

ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN

APPLE VALLEY, 55124 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–8Middle970 students

CENTURY MIDDLE SCHOOL

Lakeville Area Schools

LAKEVILLE, 55044 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle931 students

South St. Paul High School

South St. Paul Public School Dist

SOUTH SAINT PAUL, 55075 / Suburb: Large

Record9–12High923 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$8,984

State avg $8,463

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Dakota County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Minnesota counties have the highest graduation rates?

Jackson County (95.7%), Cottonwood County (95.3%), and Cook County (95.0%) currently lead Minnesota among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in Minnesota?

Across Minnesota counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $8,463. The highest current county values are Cook County ($12,089), Kittson County ($10,301), and Beltrami County ($10,167). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Dakota County?

Dakota County has a school score of 53/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.

What is the graduation rate in Dakota County?

The high school graduation rate in Dakota County is 86.1%, which is below the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.

How much does Dakota County spend per student?

Dakota County spends $8,984 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Dakota County, Minnesota — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Dakota County, Minnesota?

Dakota County hosts a sprawling network of 150 public schools serving 73,725 students across 17 districts. This robust system includes 62 elementary schools, 21 middle schools, and 48 high schools.

How do schools in Dakota County perform academically?

What are the major school districts in Dakota County, Minnesota?

What is the school experience like in Dakota County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Dodge County

Minnesota

+0 pts

54/100

School score

Stevens County

Minnesota

-1 pts

53/100

School score

Mille Lacs County

Minnesota

+1 pts

55/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

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