State district guide
Wisconsin public school districts
Compare district systems across Wisconsin by enrollment scale, school count, county context, generated guide coverage, and the parent checks that matter before choosing where to live.
Direct answer for parents
What this district ranking can and cannot tell you
If you are searching for the best school districts in Wisconsin, start with the largest and most data-rich district systems below, then verify the specific school assigned to each address. SchoolsByCounty orders districts by reported enrollment and school count because those fields are consistent in NCES. It does not convert district size into a quality rating.
Start with scale
Milwaukee School District
67,500 reported students
Check county context
Vilas County
91/100 county score
Verify locally
Address fit
Attendance boundaries and transfers are not in NCES
District table
Largest public school districts in Wisconsin
The first 60 rows show the largest district systems by reported enrollment. Open district guides where available, or use the county profile when a detailed district page is not generated yet.
454 districts in state file
| Rank | District | County context | Students | Schools | Parent lens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milwaukee County 41/100 county score | 67,500 | 156 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 19 charter Open district guide | |
| 2 | Dane County 56/100 county score | 25,237 | 54 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 2 charter Open district guide | |
| 3 | Kenosha County 66/100 county score | 19,069 | 43 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 5 charter Open district guide | |
| 4 | Brown County 64/100 county score | 18,922 | 44 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 2 charter Open district guide | |
| 5 | Racine County 49/100 county score | 16,182 | 26 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 6 | Outagamie County 56/100 county score | 15,270 | 38 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 13 charter, 2 virtual Open district guide | |
| 7 | Waukesha County 72/100 county score | 11,855 | 27 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 6 charter, 2 virtual Open district guide | |
| 8 | Eau Claire County 47/100 county score | 10,871 | 24 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 3 charter Open district guide | |
| 9 | Rock County 60/100 county score | 9,537 | 23 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 4 charter, 1 virtual Open district guide | |
| 10 | Manitowoc County 58/100 county score | 9,477 | 25 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 8 charter Open district guide | |
| 11 | Winnebago County 70/100 county score | 9,149 | 22 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 charter Open district guide | |
| 12 | Dane County 56/100 county score | 8,302 | 16 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 13 | Marathon County 73/100 county score | 7,899 | 20 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 3 charter, 1 virtual Open district guide | |
| 14 | Waukesha County 72/100 county score | 7,781 | 10 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 15 | Dane County 56/100 county score | 7,263 | 12 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 charter Open district guide | |
| 16 | Milwaukee County 41/100 county score | 7,095 | 19 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 2 charter Open district guide | |
| 17 | Portage County 69/100 county score | 6,991 | 17 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 charter Open district guide | |
| 18 | Milwaukee County 41/100 county score | 6,935 | 17 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 2 charter, 1 virtual Open district guide | |
| 19 | Fond du Lac County 67/100 county score | 6,603 | 15 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 charter Open district guide | |
| 20 | Winnebago County 70/100 county score | 6,527 | 14 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 charter Open district guide | |
| 21 | Milwaukee County 41/100 county score | 6,510 | 11 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 22 | Marathon County 73/100 county score | 6,000 | 13 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 charter, 1 virtual Open district guide | |
| 23 | La Crosse County 77/100 county score | 5,992 | 20 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 5 charter, 1 virtual Open district guide | |
| 24 | Dane County 56/100 county score | 5,827 | 12 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 3 charter Open district guide | |
| 25 | Brown County 64/100 county score | 5,781 | 9 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 26 | Washington County 71/100 county score | 5,736 | 12 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 27 | Dane County 56/100 county score | 5,484 | 9 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 4 charter, 4 virtual Open district guide | |
| 28 | St. Croix County 66/100 county score | 5,377 | 10 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 charter Open district guide | |
| 29 | Rock County 60/100 county score | 5,165 | 14 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 virtual Open district guide | |
| 30 | Calumet County 47/100 county score | 5,132 | 9 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 31 | Waukesha County 72/100 county score | 5,106 | 8 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 32 | Waukesha County 72/100 county score | 5,015 | 8 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 33 | Waukesha County 72/100 county score | 5,009 | 9 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 charter Open district guide | |
| 34 | Chippewa County 70/100 county score | 4,783 | 9 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 35 | Milwaukee County 41/100 county score | 4,781 | 8 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 36 | Waukesha County 72/100 county score | 4,767 | 6 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 37 | Manitowoc County 58/100 county score | 4,726 | 11 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 charter Open district guide | |
| 38 | Portage County 69/100 county score | 4,678 | 12 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 charter Open district guide | |
| 39 | Brown County 64/100 county score | 4,555 | 6 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 40 | Dane County 56/100 county score | 4,408 | 7 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 41 | Outagamie County 56/100 county score | 4,258 | 8 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 charter Open district guide | |
| 42 | Waukesha County 72/100 county score | 4,256 | 6 | elementary, high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 43 | Douglas County 43/100 county score | 4,155 | 9 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 44 | Dane County 56/100 county score | 4,147 | 7 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 45 | Green County 81/100 county score | 4,114 | 8 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 46 | Outagamie County 56/100 county score | 4,057 | 7 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 2 charter Open district guide | |
| 47 | Taylor County 63/100 county score | 3,963 | 5 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 charter, 1 virtual Open district guide | |
| 48 | Waukesha County 72/100 county score | 3,914 | 6 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 49 | Washington County 71/100 county score | 3,903 | 6 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 50 | La Crosse County 77/100 county score | 3,879 | 7 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 51 | Oconto County 69/100 county score | 3,775 | 7 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 52 | Wood County 70/100 county score | 3,764 | 8 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 53 | Walworth County 74/100 county score | 3,587 | 7 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 2 charter Open district guide | |
| 54 | Brown County 64/100 county score | 3,587 | 6 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 charter Open district guide | |
| 55 | Ozaukee County 78/100 county score | 3,562 | 6 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 56 | St. Croix County 66/100 county score | 3,554 | 7 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 57 | Dane County 56/100 county score | 3,539 | 7 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 charter Open district guide | |
| 58 | Milwaukee County 41/100 county score | 3,493 | 6 | Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide | |
| 59 | Pierce County 64/100 county score | 3,488 | 9 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 3 charter Open district guide | |
| 60 | Waukesha County 72/100 county score | 3,477 | 12 | Elementary, middle, and high school records 5 charter, 1 virtual Open district guide |
— = enrollment not reported in the district record. District rows are informational and must be paired with local assignment tools before a housing decision.
Methodology
How to use district rankings without overreading them
District-level data is useful because it shows the operating system around a public school search: how many schools exist, which county record anchors the district, how much enrollment is reported, and whether a detailed district guide is available. It is not enough to decide where a student should enroll.
Rows are ordered by reported enrollment, then school count. The method favors broad, data-rich systems because those are the districts parents most often need to research before relocation.
Each district is attached to a primary county record when available. County school scores are context signals, not district ratings, and nearby counties can still matter for commute and housing decisions.
Elementary, middle, and high school counts help parents spot whether a district looks like a full K-12 pathway or a narrower operating unit. Feeder patterns still require local verification.
The final decision happens at the address level. Confirm attendance zones, open-enrollment rules, magnet admissions, charter lotteries, and transfer windows with official district sources.
County context
Districts anchored in higher-scoring county contexts
These rows pair district records with the county-level SchoolsByCounty score. Treat this as a shortlist for deeper research, not a district quality ranking.
Northland Pines School District
Vilas County91
- Students
- 1,391
- Schools
- 8
Woodruff J1 School District
Vilas County91
- Students
- 521
- Schools
- 1
Lac du Flambeau #1 School District
Vilas County91
- Students
- 515
- Schools
- 1
North Lakeland School District
Vilas County91
- Students
- 153
- Schools
- 1
Phelps School District
Vilas County91
- Students
- 85
- Schools
- 2
Rhinelander School District
Oneida County87
- Students
- 2,227
- Schools
- 6
Parent checklist before relying on a district ranking
Use this page to narrow the field, then answer these local questions before treating any district as a fit for a specific home.
Use the district address lookup and confirm edge cases near attendance-zone borders.
A strong elementary fit can split into several middle or high school paths.
Magnet, charter, virtual, and transfer options can involve lotteries, applications, or deadlines.
Pair school research with taxes, commute, home prices, and safety before choosing where to live.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wisconsin School Districts
What are the best school districts in Wisconsin?
How are Wisconsin districts ranked here?
Why do only 62 Wisconsin districts have district guide links?
Do these district pages show attendance boundaries?
Does a large district mean better schools?
How many districts are included for Wisconsin?
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.