countyscore

Schools · Minnesota

Best School Counties in Minnesota 2026

Ranked by graduation rates, per-pupil spending, and educational attainment.

Top 10 — Schools in Minnesota

Score reflects schools only — not overall county quality.

1Cook County, MN
90.8
2Cottonwood County, MN
83.5
3Norman County, MN
82.3
4Lac qui Parle County, MN
82
5Jackson County, MN
78.3
6Lake of the Woods County, MN
77.3
7Murray County, MN
76.5
8Big Stone County, MN
75.6
9Pope County, MN
73.8
10Lake County, MN
72.4

All Minnesota Counties — Schools Rankings

87 counties ranked by schools score. Overall Score shown for context.

#CountySchools ScoreOverall Score
1Cook County, MN
90.8
61.6
2Cottonwood County, MN
83.5
63.2
3Norman County, MN
82.3
68.8
4Lac qui Parle County, MN
82
72.5
5Jackson County, MN
78.3
72.5
6Lake of the Woods County, MN
77.3
74.3
7Murray County, MN
76.5
72.7
8Big Stone County, MN
75.6
68.8
9Pope County, MN
73.8
65.4
10Lake County, MN
72.4
65.5
11Yellow Medicine County, MN
70.8
66.5
12Fillmore County, MN
70.3
65.1
13Rock County, MN
69.3
70.7
14Wabasha County, MN
68
64.4
15Renville County, MN
67.8
57.4
16Red Lake County, MN
67.4
73.1
17Redwood County, MN
67.3
62.9
18Meeker County, MN
67.2
57.7
19Carver County, MN
66.8
56
20Sherburne County, MN
66.8
55.7
21Swift County, MN
64.7
65.2
22Grant County, MN
64.3
66.1
23Washington County, MN
64.1
47.6
24Aitkin County, MN
63.6
53.3
25Nicollet County, MN
63.5
54.4
26Traverse County, MN
63.4
68.1
27Wright County, MN
63.1
56.5
28Lyon County, MN
62.8
64.5
29Kittson County, MN
62.6
69.5
30Marshall County, MN
60.5
69.1
31Wilkin County, MN
60.4
65.3
32Roseau County, MN
59.5
56.2
33Douglas County, MN
57.7
56.4
34Koochiching County, MN
57.5
59.9
35Carlton County, MN
57.4
49.8
36Clay County, MN
57
41.8
37Itasca County, MN
56.8
56.5
38Goodhue County, MN
55
47.8
39Mille Lacs County, MN
54.6
42.6
40Dodge County, MN
53.7
58.4
41Dakota County, MN
53.3
43
42Stevens County, MN
52.5
65.6
43Benton County, MN
51.5
41
44Blue Earth County, MN
51
41.7
45Freeborn County, MN
51
47.5
46Martin County, MN
50.8
59.2
47Pipestone County, MN
50.4
67
48Becker County, MN
49.8
52.7
49St. Louis County, MN
49.8
40.7
50Anoka County, MN
49.3
43.7
51Polk County, MN
49.3
50.9
52Rice County, MN
49.3
49.3
53Le Sueur County, MN
49.2
56.3
54Steele County, MN
48.7
49.6
55Faribault County, MN
48
61.9
56Hennepin County, MN
47.9
36
57Scott County, MN
47.9
45.8
58Mower County, MN
47.1
44.7
59Brown County, MN
46.5
60.3
60Morrison County, MN
46.4
50.8
61Ramsey County, MN
46.2
32.6
62Lincoln County, MN
46
69.3
63Olmsted County, MN
45.9
43.7
64Crow Wing County, MN
45.6
49.3
65Todd County, MN
45.6
55.4
66Clearwater County, MN
44.9
65.2
67Kanabec County, MN
44.8
52.6
68Beltrami County, MN
44.6
36
69Chippewa County, MN
44.5
59.5
70Pine County, MN
43.5
46.9
71Mahnomen County, MN
43.3
47
72Cass County, MN
43
57.2
73Sibley County, MN
42.9
57.3
74Winona County, MN
42.3
48
75Waseca County, MN
41.3
52.5
76Kandiyohi County, MN
40.5
46.2
77Stearns County, MN
38.4
50.3
78Houston County, MN
38.2
59.8
79Wadena County, MN
38.1
62.5
80Pennington County, MN
37.6
43.9
81Nobles County, MN
37.4
50.4
82McLeod County, MN
37.1
50.1
83Isanti County, MN
36.5
43.6
84Chisago County, MN
35.3
46.2
85Hubbard County, MN
35.1
50.3
86Watonwan County, MN
34.5
53.6
87Otter Tail County, MN
33.9
51.7

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Best overall counties in MinnesotaFull Schools data on SchoolsByCounty