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

No. Use the Custer 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 Custer 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 Custer County?

Start with the 15 listed public schools and 6 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Custer County Schools & Education

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

Custer County, Nebraska

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

School Score

56/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

86.9%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

86.9%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 86.9%

Per-Pupil Spending

$9,216

National avg $13,239

State avg $10,521

School Score

56/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 64/100

State Score Position

#62

of 93 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Custer County

Measured School Summary

Custer County performs at an average level with a school score of 56/100 and a solid graduation rate of 86.9%.

Funding Context

Custer County spends $9,216 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 13% below the Nebraska average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 0.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 12% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Custer 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

15 public schools and 6 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

56/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #62 of 93 Nebraska counties with school score data.

Completion

86.9%

matches the state average

Funding context

$9,216

$1,305 below the state average

School coverage

6 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

Custer County has 15 public schools across 6 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 Custer 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

Custer 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

#62

of 93 Nebraska counties with school score data. The county score is 8 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.

BROKEN BOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Elementary to high school visible

890 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 2

5 listed schools in this county slice.

ANSELMO-MERNA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Elementary and high visible

245 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

ANSLEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Elementary and high visible

200 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

ARNOLD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Elementary and high visible

192 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

BROKEN BOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS is the largest listed district slice, with 5 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 Custer County?

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

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

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 Custer County, Nebraska

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.

Expansive Education Network in Custer County

Custer County maintains 15 public schools across six districts, the highest number of districts in the region for its size. This network supports 1,881 students through a mix of six elementary schools, one middle school, six high schools, and two alternative schools. The high number of districts reflects the county's commitment to localized, community-based education.

Broken Bow Public Schools Leads the Way

Broken Bow Public Schools is the largest district, educating 890 students across five schools. Anselmo-Merna and Callaway Public Schools also play vital roles, serving 245 and 180 students respectively. Despite the high number of districts, there are zero charter schools, keeping the focus entirely on traditional public education.

Vast Rural Landscapes and Intimate Schools

With ten rural schools and five in town settings, the county offers an average school size of 125 students. North Park Elementary is the largest school with 350 students, while many other facilities are much smaller. This allows for a close-knit feel where students and teachers are well-acquainted across all grade levels.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Custer County

Reported Enrollment

1,881

15 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary6

Middle1

High6

Other2

6 School Districts in Custer County

BROKEN BOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS

5 schools

890 students

ANSELMO-MERNA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2 schools

245 students

ANSLEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2 schools

200 students

ARNOLD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2 schools

192 students

CALLAWAY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2 schools

180 students

SARGENT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2 schools

174 students

15 Public Schools in Custer 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 15 of 15 matching schools

Public schools in Custer County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
NORTH PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	BROKEN BOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS	BROKEN BOW, 68822Town: Remote	PK–5	Primary	350
BROKEN BOW HIGH SCHOOL	Record	BROKEN BOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS	BROKEN BOW, 68822Town: Remote	9–12	High	247
BROKEN BOW MIDDLE SCHOOL	Record	BROKEN BOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS	BROKEN BOW, 68822Town: Remote	6–8	Middle	175
ANSELMO-MERNA ELEMENTARY-MERNA	Record	ANSELMO-MERNA PUBLIC SCHOOLS	MERNA, 68856Rural: Distant	PK–6	Primary	149
ANSLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	ANSLEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS	ANSLEY, 68814Rural: Remote	PK–6	Primary	121
ARNOLD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	ARNOLD PUBLIC SCHOOLS	ARNOLD, 69120Rural: Remote	PK–6	Primary	121
CALLAWAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	CALLAWAY PUBLIC SCHOOLS	CALLAWAY, 68825Rural: Remote	PK–6	Primary	101
ANSELMO-MERNA HIGH SCHOOL	Record	ANSELMO-MERNA PUBLIC SCHOOLS	MERNA, 68856Rural: Distant	7–12	High	96
SARGENT HIGH SCHOOL	Record	SARGENT PUBLIC SCHOOLS	SARGENT, 68874Rural: Remote	7–12	High	93
SARGENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	SARGENT PUBLIC SCHOOLS	SARGENT, 68874Rural: Remote	PK–6	Primary	81
ANSLEY HIGH SCHOOL	Record	ANSLEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS	ANSLEY, 68814Rural: Remote	7–12	High	79
CALLAWAY HIGH SCHOOL	Record	CALLAWAY PUBLIC SCHOOLS	CALLAWAY, 68825Rural: Remote	7–12	High	79
NEW DISCOVERIES PRESCHOOL	Record	BROKEN BOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS	BROKEN BOW, 68822Town: Remote	PK	Other	78
ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL	Record	ARNOLD PUBLIC SCHOOLS	ARNOLD, 69120Rural: Remote	7–12	High	71
EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES	Record	BROKEN BOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS	BROKEN BOW, 68822Town: Remote	PK	Other	40

NORTH PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

BROKEN BOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS

BROKEN BOW, 68822 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–5Primary350 students

BROKEN BOW HIGH SCHOOL

BROKEN BOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS

BROKEN BOW, 68822 / Town: Remote

Record9–12High247 students

BROKEN BOW MIDDLE SCHOOL

BROKEN BOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS

BROKEN BOW, 68822 / Town: Remote

Record6–8Middle175 students

ANSELMO-MERNA ELEMENTARY-MERNA

ANSELMO-MERNA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

MERNA, 68856 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary149 students

ANSLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

ANSLEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ANSLEY, 68814 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary121 students

ARNOLD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

ARNOLD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ARNOLD, 69120 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary121 students

CALLAWAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

CALLAWAY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

CALLAWAY, 68825 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary101 students

ANSELMO-MERNA HIGH SCHOOL

ANSELMO-MERNA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

MERNA, 68856 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High96 students

SARGENT HIGH SCHOOL

SARGENT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

SARGENT, 68874 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High93 students

SARGENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

SARGENT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

SARGENT, 68874 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary81 students

ANSLEY HIGH SCHOOL

ANSLEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ANSLEY, 68814 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High79 students

CALLAWAY HIGH SCHOOL

CALLAWAY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

CALLAWAY, 68825 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High79 students

NEW DISCOVERIES PRESCHOOL

BROKEN BOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS

BROKEN BOW, 68822 / Town: Remote

RecordPKOther78 students

ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL

ARNOLD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ARNOLD, 69120 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High71 students

EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES

BROKEN BOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS

BROKEN BOW, 68822 / Town: Remote

RecordPKOther40 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$9,216

State avg $10,521

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Custer 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 Nebraska counties have the highest graduation rates?

Washington County (96.3%), Seward County (96.2%), and Keith County (95.4%) currently lead Nebraska 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 Nebraska?

Across Nebraska counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $10,521. The highest current county values are Wheeler County ($19,491), Sioux County ($18,861), and Loup County ($18,703). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Custer County?

Custer County has a school score of 56/100, 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 Custer County?

The high school graduation rate in Custer County is 86.9%, 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 Custer County spend per student?

Custer County spends $9,216 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 Custer County, Nebraska — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Custer County, Nebraska?

What are the major school districts in Custer County, Nebraska?

What is the school experience like in Custer County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Brown County

Nebraska

+0 pts

56/100

School score

Dakota County

Nebraska

+0 pts

56/100

School score

Cheyenne County

Nebraska

-1 pts

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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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