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

No. Use the Thurston 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 Thurston 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 Thurston County?

Start with the 11 listed public schools and 5 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Thurston County Schools & Education

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

Thurston County, Nebraska

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

75.9%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

75.9%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 86.9%

Per-Pupil Spending

$16,208

National avg $13,239

State avg $10,521

School Score

53/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 64/100

State Score Position

#67

of 93 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Thurston County

Measured School Summary

Thurston County has midrange measured school signals (score: 53/100) with a graduation rate of 75.9%, which warrants review in official state and district records.

Funding Context

With $16,208 per pupil, Thurston County has adequate funding that generally covers core educational needs and some supplemental services.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 18% below the Nebraska average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 11.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 54% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Thurston 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

11 public schools and 5 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 #67 of 93 Nebraska counties with school score data.

Completion

75.9%

11.0 pts below the state average

Funding context

$16,208

$5,687 above the state average

School coverage

5 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

Thurston County has 11 public schools across 5 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 Thurston 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

Thurston 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

#67

of 93 Nebraska counties with school score data. The county score is 11 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.

UMO N HO N NATION PUBLIC SCHS

Elementary to high school visible

631 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

WINNEBAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT 17

Elementary and high visible

629 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

PENDER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Elementary and high visible

443 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

WALTHILL PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Elementary and high visible

281 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

EMERSON-HUBBARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS is the largest listed district slice, with 3 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 Thurston County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Thurston 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 Thurston 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.

Robust Public Schooling in Thurston County

Thurston County supports a large student population of 2,116 through 11 public schools and five districts. The diverse infrastructure includes four elementary, two middle, and five high schools.

Umo N Ho N Nation and Pender Districts

Umo N Ho N Nation Public Schools is the largest district with 631 students, followed by Pender Public Schools with 443. The county relies on its five public districts and currently hosts zero charter schools.

Rural Schools with Mid-Size Enrollment

All 11 campuses are rural, but they maintain a healthy average enrollment of 192 students. Winnebago Elementary is the county's largest school with 429 students, while Pender High School serves 182.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Thurston County

Reported Enrollment

2,116

11 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary4

Middle2

High5

Other0

5 School Districts in Thurston County

UMO N HO N NATION PUBLIC SCHS

3 schools

631 students

WINNEBAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT 17

2 schools

629 students

PENDER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2 schools

443 students

WALTHILL PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2 schools

281 students

EMERSON-HUBBARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

3 schools

253 students

11 Public Schools in Thurston 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

Sort

Showing 11 of 11 matching schools

Public schools in Thurston County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
WINNEBAGO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	WINNEBAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT 17	WINNEBAGO, 68071Rural: Distant	PK–8	Primary	429
UMO N HO N NATION ELEM SCHOOL	Record	UMO N HO N NATION PUBLIC SCHS	MACY, 68039Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	368
PENDER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	PENDER PUBLIC SCHOOLS	PENDER, 68047Rural: Remote	PK–6	Primary	261
WINNEBAGO HIGH SCHOOL	Record	WINNEBAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT 17	WINNEBAGO, 68071Rural: Distant	9–12	High	200
PENDER HIGH SCHOOL	Record	PENDER PUBLIC SCHOOLS	PENDER, 68047Rural: Remote	7–12	High	182
WALTHILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	WALTHILL PUBLIC SCHOOLS	WALTHILL, 68067Rural: Distant	PK–6	Primary	158
UMO N HO N NATION HIGH SCHOOL	Record	UMO N HO N NATION PUBLIC SCHS	MACY, 68039Rural: Distant	9–12	High	150
WALTHILL HIGH SCHOOL	Record	WALTHILL PUBLIC SCHOOLS	WALTHILL, 68067Rural: Distant	7–12	High	123
UMO N HO N NATION MIDDLE SCH	Record	UMO N HO N NATION PUBLIC SCHS	MACY, 68039Rural: Distant	6–8	Middle	113
EMERSON-HUBBARD HIGH SCHOOL	Record	EMERSON-HUBBARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS	EMERSON, 68733Rural: Distant	9–12	High	66
EMERSON-HUBBARD MIDDLE SCHOOL	Record	EMERSON-HUBBARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS	EMERSON, 68733Rural: Distant	6–8	Middle	66

WINNEBAGO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

WINNEBAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT 17

WINNEBAGO, 68071 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–8Primary429 students

UMO N HO N NATION ELEM SCHOOL

UMO N HO N NATION PUBLIC SCHS

MACY, 68039 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary368 students

PENDER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

PENDER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

PENDER, 68047 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary261 students

WINNEBAGO HIGH SCHOOL

WINNEBAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT 17

WINNEBAGO, 68071 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High200 students

PENDER HIGH SCHOOL

PENDER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

PENDER, 68047 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High182 students

WALTHILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

WALTHILL PUBLIC SCHOOLS

WALTHILL, 68067 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary158 students

UMO N HO N NATION HIGH SCHOOL

UMO N HO N NATION PUBLIC SCHS

MACY, 68039 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High150 students

WALTHILL HIGH SCHOOL

WALTHILL PUBLIC SCHOOLS

WALTHILL, 68067 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High123 students

UMO N HO N NATION MIDDLE SCH

UMO N HO N NATION PUBLIC SCHS

MACY, 68039 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle113 students

EMERSON-HUBBARD HIGH SCHOOL

EMERSON-HUBBARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

EMERSON, 68733 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High66 students

EMERSON-HUBBARD MIDDLE SCHOOL

EMERSON-HUBBARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

EMERSON, 68733 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle66 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$16,208

State avg $10,521

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Thurston 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 Thurston County?

Thurston 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 Thurston County?

The high school graduation rate in Thurston County is 75.9%, 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 Thurston County spend per student?

Thurston County spends $16,208 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 Thurston County, Nebraska — FAQ

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

Thurston County supports a large student population of 2,116 through 11 public schools and five districts. The diverse infrastructure includes four elementary, two middle, and five high schools.

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

What is the school experience like in Thurston County?

All 11 campuses are rural, but they maintain a healthy average enrollment of 192 students. Winnebago Elementary is the county's largest school with 429 students, while Pender High School serves 182.

Counties with Similar School Profile

Gage County

Nebraska

-0 pts

53/100

School score

Hall County

Nebraska

-0 pts

53/100

School score

Dodge County

Nebraska

-0 pts

52/100

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.

Explore more data for Thurston County

Property Tax Cost of Living Crime Rate Income Health Disaster Risk Water Quality Weather County Score