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

No. Use the Swift 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 Swift 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 Swift County?

Start with the 8 listed public schools and 3 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Swift County Schools & Education

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

Swift County, Minnesota

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

School Score

65/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

93.1%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

93.1%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 86.6%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,524

National avg $13,239

State avg $8,463

School Score

65/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 55/100

State Score Position

#21

of 87 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Swift County

Measured School Summary

Swift County performs at an average level with a school score of 65/100 and a solid graduation rate of 93.1%.

Funding Context

At $7,524 per pupil, Swift County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 18% above the Minnesota average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 6.5 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 11% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Swift 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

8 public schools and 3 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

65/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #21 of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data.

Completion

93.1%

6.5 pts above the state average

Funding context

$7,524

$939 below the state average

School coverage

3 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

Swift County has 8 public schools across 3 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 Swift 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.

Mixed school landscape

Swift County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.

State position

#21

of 87 Minnesota counties with school score data. The county score is 10 points above 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.

KERKHOVEN-MURDOCK-SUNBURG

Elementary and high visible

824 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

BENSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary and high visible

808 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 3Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

Lac qui Parle Valley Schools

Elementary school only in this slice

206 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 0Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

BENSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT is the largest listed district slice, with 4 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 Swift County?

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

Where do students transition after the visible grade band, and is that next school inside the same district path?

If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?

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

Education Overview

About Schools in Swift 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.

Swift County’s Specialized School Infrastructure

Swift County features a tailored educational system with 8 public schools serving 1,838 students. The county’s 3 districts manage 3 elementary schools and 5 high schools, with no dedicated middle schools. This structure often leads to earlier transitions into secondary education programs.

Leading Districts in the Swift Region

Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg is the largest district by enrollment, serving 824 students, closely followed by the Benson Public School District. There are no charter schools in Swift County, so families rely on these established local districts. Each district offers a mix of traditional and alternative high school options.

Small-Town Feel with Rural Roots

Swift County schools are split between 5 rural locales and 3 town settings, providing a classic Midwestern academic atmosphere. Murdock Elementary is the largest school in the county with 437 students. With an average school size of only 263, students enjoy a tightly-knit community where everyone knows their name.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Swift County

Reported Enrollment

1,838

8 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary3

Middle0

High5

Other0

3 School Districts in Swift County

KERKHOVEN-MURDOCK-SUNBURG

2 schools

824 students

BENSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

4 schools

808 students

Lac qui Parle Valley Schools

4 schools

805 students

8 Public Schools in Swift County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.

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

Search schools

Level

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Showing 8 of 8 matching schools

Public schools in Swift County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
MURDOCK ELEMENTARY	Record	KERKHOVEN-MURDOCK-SUNBURG	MURDOCK, 56271Rural: Remote	PK–6	Primary	437
NORTHSIDE ELEMENTARY	Record	BENSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	BENSON, 56215Town: Remote	PK–5	Primary	406
KERKHOVEN SECONDARY	Record	KERKHOVEN-MURDOCK-SUNBURG	KERKHOVEN, 56252Rural: Remote	7–12	High	387
BENSON SECONDARY	Record	BENSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	BENSON, 56215Town: Remote	6–12	High	353
APPLETON ELEMENTARY	Record	Lac qui Parle Valley Schools	APPLETON, 56208Rural: Remote	PK–4	Primary	206
BENSON AREA LEARNING CENTER	Record	BENSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	BENSON, 56215Town: Remote	7–12	Alternative	25
HEARTLAND GIRLS RANCH	Record	BENSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	BENSON, 56215Rural: Fringe	7–12	Alternative	24
KMS Learning Center	Record	Region 6 and 8-SW/WC Service Coop	KERKHOVEN, 56252Rural: Remote	7–12	Alternative	0

MURDOCK ELEMENTARY

KERKHOVEN-MURDOCK-SUNBURG

MURDOCK, 56271 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary437 students

NORTHSIDE ELEMENTARY

BENSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

BENSON, 56215 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–5Primary406 students

KERKHOVEN SECONDARY

KERKHOVEN-MURDOCK-SUNBURG

KERKHOVEN, 56252 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High387 students

BENSON SECONDARY

BENSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

BENSON, 56215 / Town: Remote

Record6–12High353 students

APPLETON ELEMENTARY

Lac qui Parle Valley Schools

APPLETON, 56208 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–4Primary206 students

BENSON AREA LEARNING CENTER

BENSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

BENSON, 56215 / Town: Remote

Record7–12Alternative25 students

HEARTLAND GIRLS RANCH

BENSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

BENSON, 56215 / Rural: Fringe

Record7–12Alternative24 students

KMS Learning Center

Region 6 and 8-SW/WC Service Coop

KERKHOVEN, 56252 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12Alternative0 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,524

State avg $8,463

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Swift 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 Swift County?

Swift County has a school score of 65/100, 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 Swift County?

The high school graduation rate in Swift County is 93.1%, which is above 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 Swift County spend per student?

Swift County spends $7,524 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 Swift County, Minnesota — FAQ

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

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

What is the school experience like in Swift County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Grant County

Minnesota

-0 pts

64/100

School score

Washington County

Minnesota

-1 pts

64/100

School score

Aitkin County

Minnesota

-1 pts

64/100

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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