Schools

Wisconsin's Wealthiest and Poorest School Districts in 2017

You may be surprised to learn how many students are in poverty in your school district.

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WISCONSIN — You can now find out if your local Wisconsin school district deserves the moniker "wealthy" or "poor." Looking at the list below, you may be surprised to see how your school district compares to everybody else.

Patch put together a list of Wisconsin school districts and ranked each one based on the percentage of students who are living in poverty, from highest to lowest (see list below).

The numbers are U.S. Census poverty data derived from the most recent American Community Survey. The census listed all districts that responded to the survey. The survey calculates the estimated number of relevant children 5 to 17 years old in poverty who are related to the householder in each district.

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The list shows the gigantic income gap between rich and poor in Wisconsin - an issue that has taken center as school officials balance the needs of their district with the changing political and economic climate of the state. One in three Milwaukee Public School students lives in poverty. One in five in Racine.

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While Milwaukee has the highest number of students living in poverty, there are actually three more districts with a higher percentage of students living in poverty. Schools like the Elmbrook School District in Brookfield-Elm Grove are significantly better off - even when compared with its neighbors.

RANKDISTRICT NAME NUMBER OF
SCHOOL AGE
CHILDREN		NUMBER
IN
POVERTY		%IN
POVERTY
1
Menominee Indian School District1,02254253.03
2
Lac du Flambeau No. 1 School District42419646.23
3
Granton Area School District51617834.50
4
Milwaukee School District110,78737,94134.25
5
Hillsboro School District93931733.76
6
Winter School District35710429.13
7
Beloit School District6,8201,98029.03
8
Augusta School District88124828.15
9
Adams-Friendship Area School District1,55742026.97
10
Kickapoo Area School District56915226.71
11
Bayfield School District42211126.30
12
Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District1,07128126.24
13
Mellen School District2687026.12
14
Royall School District68617825.95
15
Gilman School District59314925.13
16
Hayward Community School District1,99749924.99
17
La Farge School District3298224.92
18
Necedah Area School District75818324.14
19
Frederic School District56813724.12
20
Cashton School District1,03124623.86
21
Goodman-Armstrong School District1263023.81
22
Bruce School District52812523.67
23
Birchwood School District2385623.53
24
White Lake School District1704023.53
25
Flambeau School District73617123.23
26
Independence School District44210122.85
27
Washington School District801822.50
28
Crandon School District77717422.39
29
Seneca School District2465421.95
30
Washburn School District54311821.73
31
Ashland School District2,05344421.63
32
Marion School District61613321.59
33
Lake Holcombe School District3978521.41
34
Racine School District23,8135,04121.17
35
Tigerton School District2876020.91
36
Tri-County Area School District60812720.89
37
River Ridge School District62513020.80
38
Wautoma Area School District1,44529820.62
39
Montello School District85417620.61
40
Loyal School District96719920.58
41
Siren School District4028220.40
42
Northwood School District3737620.38
43
North Crawford School District4869920.37
44
Greenwood School District72714820.36
45
Viroqua Area School District1,57031720.19
46
Superior School District4,92798820.05
47
Grantsburg School District77815620.05
48
Twin Lakes No. 4 School District4198420.05
49
Wausaukee School District51410320.04
50
Markesan School District1,27325520.03
51
Richland School District1,75234819.86
52
Shell Lake School District52510419.81
53
Cornell School District4939719.68
54
Spooner Area School District1,35626619.62
55
Chequamegon School District81415919.53
56
Laona School District1853619.46
57
Fennimore Community School District90617619.43
58
Antigo School District2,70752419.36
59
Butternut School District1863619.35
60
Cudahy School District2,66451319.26
61
Cambria-Friesland School District4859319.18
62
De Soto Area School District70713519.09
63
Westby Area School District1,45327719.06
64
Hurley School District54410318.93
65
Weston School District4638718.79
66
Cumberland School District91817118.63
67
Boscobel Area School District88416418.55
68
Abbotsford School District69712918.51
69
Gresham School District3195918.50
70
Gillett School District64411918.48
71
Green Bay Area School District23,4614,33218.46
72
New Auburn School District3376218.40
73
Whitehall School District89216418.39
74
Riverdale School District76714118.38
75
Kenosha School District23,3004,26718.31
76
Crivitz School District66412118.22
77
Paris Joint No. 1 School District1873418.18
78
Walworth Joint No. 1 School District5469918.13
79
Wonewoc-Union Center School District4708518.09
80
Prentice School District4498118.04
81
Delavan-Darien School District2,89452017.97
82
Ladysmith School District81414617.94
83
Janesville School District10,6151,90317.93
84
Potosi School District4207517.86
85
Marshall School District1,25122317.83
86
Woodruff Joint No. 1 School District4558117.80
87
Bowler School District4077217.69
88
Wild Rose School District60010617.67
89
Sharon Joint No. 11 School District3015317.61
90
Wisconsin Dells School District1,62928517.50
91
Florence School District5108917.45
92
Rib Lake School District4427717.42
93
Berlin Area School District1,83531817.33
94
Osseo-Fairchild School District1,03717917.26
95
Darlington Community School District86614917.21
96
Alma Center School District5659717.17
97
Westfield School District1,31022417.10
98
Shullsburg School District4277317.10
99
New Lisbon School District64611017.03
100
Suring School District4768117.02
101
Linn Joint No. 6 School District1001717.00
102
Marinette School District2,33039617.00
103
Menasha School District4,04168616.98
104
Belmont Community School District4868216.87
105
Webster School District65511016.79
106
Chetek-Weyerhaeuser Area School District1,13519016.74
107
Cassville School District3355616.72
108
Niagara School District4016716.71
109
Owen-Withee School District99716616.65
110
Unity School District1,06617716.60
111
Wabeno Area School District4347216.59
112
South Shore School District2303816.52
113
Mauston School District1,48924616.52
114
Blair-Taylor School District76012516.45
115
Elcho School District3355516.42
116
Menomonie Area School District3,43956416.40
117
Mercer School District1222016.39
118
Shawano School District2,55941716.30
119
Edgar School District73211916.26
120
Rhinelander School District2,75144616.21
121
Neillsville School District1,12418216.19
122
Northland Pines School District1,32921516.18
123
Gilmanton School District1983216.16
124
Prairie du Chien Area School District1,32121316.12
125
Sparta Area School District3,00548116.01
126
Barron Area School District1,45023216.00
127
Athens School District86413815.97
128
Black River Falls School District1,83329215.93
129
West Allis School District9,4631,50615.91
130
Oconto School District1,11417715.89
131
Tomah Area School District3,67758415.88
132
Luck School District5488715.88
133
Thorp School District99015715.86
134
Nekoosa School District1,35821515.83
135
Bangor School District71411215.69
136
Wisconsin Rapids School District5,50886115.63
137
South Milwaukee School District3,35852115.52
138
Almond-Bancroft School District4787415.48
139
Wausau School District8,6021,33115.47
140
Phelps School District1231915.45
141
Manitowoc School District5,86390515.44
142
East Troy Community School District1,98930415.28
143
La Crosse School District7,4971,14015.21
144
Phillips School District78511915.16
145
Randall Joint No. 1 School District6419614.98
146
Clayton School District3425114.91
147
Platteville School District1,63424314.87
148
Baraboo School District3,46451514.87
149
Reedsburg School District3,04145214.86
150
Auburndale School District86212814.85
151
Madison Metropolitan School District27,3334,04414.80
152
St. Francis School District99914714.71
153
Lake Geneva Joint No. 1 School District2,02729814.70
154
Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District1,35719914.66
155
Mondovi School District1,01014814.65
156
Clintonville School District1,59223214.57
157
Two Rivers School District1,88227214.45
158
Lancaster Community School District1,03014814.37
159
Rice Lake Area School District2,44835114.34
160
Stanley-Boyd Area School District1,19617114.30
161
Geneva Joint No. 4 School District1121614.29
162
Durand School District1,24017714.27
163
Wauzeka-Steuben School District3164514.24
164
Greenfield School District3,42048714.24
165
Brown Deer School District1,81925914.24
166
Pepin Area School District2393414.23
167
Algoma School District75410714.19
168
Clear Lake School District6078614.17
169
Ithaca School District3334714.11
170
Colby School District1,40619714.01
171
Eau Claire Area School District11,6201,62513.98
172
Greendale School District2,36633013.95
173
Black Hawk School District4386113.93
174
Argyle School District3524913.92
175
Whitewater School District2,07828913.91
176
Iowa-Grant School District84311713.88
177
Reedsville School District82411413.83
178
Seymour Community School District2,60435913.79
179
Sturgeon Bay School District1,12715513.75
180
Fond du Lac School District8,2881,13613.71
181
Boyceville Community School District78810813.71
182
Coleman School District74510213.69
183
Altoona School District1,56221313.64
184
Randolph School District5968113.59
185
Drummond Area School District5697713.53
186
Medford Area School District2,53534313.53
187
Oshkosh Area School District10,8991,47413.52
188
Bonduel School District1,13715313.46
189
Neosho Joint No. 3 School District2092813.40
190
Juda School District2543413.39
191
Turtle Lake School District4876513.35
192
Lakeland Union High School District82010913.29
193
Big Foot Union High School District5206913.27
194
Sevastopol School District5847713.18
195
Melrose-Mindoro School District81510713.13
196
Gibraltar Area School District5577313.11
197
Beecher-Dunbar-Pembine School District3234213.00
198
Sheboygan Area School District10,4431,35512.98
199
Appleton Area School District16,1422,08712.93
200
Pardeeville Area School District1,14914812.88
201
Cameron School District85411012.88
202
Omro School District1,35417312.78
203
Trevor-Wilmot Consolidated School District5527012.68
204
Beloit Turner School District1,49118912.68
205
Portage Community School District2,61433112.66
206
Linn Joint No. 4 School District1111412.61
207
Dodgeland School District1,00112612.59
208
Solon Springs School District3344212.57
209
Manawa School District7899912.55
210
Highland School District2643312.50
211
Three Lakes School District5146412.45
212
Prairie Farm School District3003712.33
213
Elk Mound Area School District1,07413212.29
214
Wheatland Joint No. 1 School District4896012.27
215
Minocqua Joint No. 1 School District4835912.22
216
Merrill Area School District3,14438212.15
217
Glendale-River Hills School District1,15714012.10
218
Spring Valley School District7449012.10
219
River Valley School District1,59619312.09
220
Colfax School District83010012.05
221
Chippewa Falls Area School District5,63567712.01
222
Waupaca School District2,32427811.96
223
Brodhead School District1,15013711.91
224
Watertown School District5,38864011.88
225
Edgerton School District2,02123911.83
226
Burlington Area School District4,15749111.81
227
Cadott Community School District94711111.72
228
Benton School District2573011.67
229
Glenwood City School District7578811.62
230
Beaver Dam School District3,92545611.62
231
Tomorrow River School District93910911.61
232
Little Chute Area School District1,49217311.60
233
Eleva-Strum School District6797811.49
234
Mineral Point School District7398411.37
235
Lake Geneva-Genoa City Union High School District1,38615711.33
236
Tomahawk School District1,23914011.30
237
Monroe School District2,58129111.27
238
Port Edwards School District6547311.16
239
Spencer School District8879811.05
240
Peshtigo School District1,06011711.04
241
St. Croix Falls School District1,10312110.97
242
Bloomer School District1,32914510.91
243
Salem School District1,13912410.89
244
Amery School District1,56717010.85
245
Parkview School District1,05111310.75
246
D.C. Everest Area School District6,10264710.60
247
Stevens Point Area School District7,80482710.60
248
Maple School District1,38114610.57
249
North Cape School District76810.53
250
Rio Community School District4755010.53
251
Whitnall School District2,57627110.52
252
Silver Lake Joint No. 1 School District4855110.52
253
Maple Dale-Indian Hill School District2482610.48
254
Fontana Joint No. 8 School District2582710.47
255
Arcadia School District1,07411210.43
256
Marshfield School District4,28244510.39
257
Fort Atkinson School District3,08631910.34
258
Alma School District1841910.33
259
Jefferson School District2,21622610.20
260
Princeton School District4434510.16
261
Weyauwega-Fremont School District1,07510910.14
262
North Lakeland School District1481510.14
263
Clinton Community School District1,11411210.05
264
Pecatonica Area School District491499.98
265
Oconto Falls School District1,6991699.95
266
Stone Bank School District322329.94
267
New London School District2,7702749.89
268
Genoa City Joint No. 2 School District739739.88
269
Lena School District428429.81
270
North Fond du Lac School District1,3071279.72
271
Shiocton School District793779.71
272
Ripon Area School District1,6831629.63
273
Plum City School District313309.58
274
Elkhorn Area School District3,2943139.50
275
Cochrane-Fountain City School District632609.49
276
Sauk Prairie School District2,7722619.42
277
Pittsville School District638609.40
278
Brighton No. 1 School District149149.40
279
Southern Door County School District1,1401079.39
280
Neenah School District7,6087139.37
281
Horicon School District956899.31
282
Rubicon Joint No. 6 School District108109.26
283
Wisconsin Heights School District1,008939.23
284
Oakfield School District558519.14
285
Sun Prairie Area School District8,0057269.07
286
Bristol No. 1 School District619569.05
287
Iola-Scandinavia School District719659.04
288
Wilmot Union High School District1,1551049.00
289
Dodgeville School District1,5251378.98
290
Mayville School District1,3261198.97
291
Elmwood School District335308.96
292
Fall Creek School District808728.91
293
Williams Bay School District599538.85
294
Ashwaubenon School District2,6452328.77
295
Albany School District494438.70
296
Waterloo School District986858.62
297
Waukesha School District14,4741,2308.50
298
Lomira School District1,1781008.49
299
Oak Creek-Franklin School District6,4805508.49
300
Milton School District3,6793088.37
301
Kaukauna Area School District4,9404138.36
302
Union Grove Joint No. 1 School District698588.31
303
Galesville-Ettrick-Trempealeau School District1,4701228.30
304
Fall River School District543458.29
305
Raymond No. 14 School District388328.25
306
Cuba City School District850708.24
307
Campbellsport School District1,7551438.15
308
Waupun School District2,3601928.14
309
Green Lake School District332278.13
310
Onalaska School District3,1072508.05
311
Stratford School District1,001807.99
312
Shorewood School District1,8401467.93
313
Whitefish Bay School District3,0882457.93
314
Hartford Joint No. 1 School District2,1851737.92
315
Johnson Creek School District746597.91
316
Chilton School District1,157917.87
317
Mosinee School District2,1401687.85
318
Valders Area School District1,197937.77
319
Kewaunee School District1,085847.74
320
Luxemburg-Casco School District2,0721607.72
321
Hustisford School District535417.66
322
Denmark School District1,5491187.62
323
Mishicot School District1,018767.47
324
Rosholt School District657497.46
325
Fox Point Joint No. 2 School District1,308977.42
326
Poynette School District1,106827.41
327
Franklin Public School District4,7213497.39
328
Osceola School District1,7121257.30
329
Cambridge School District999727.21
330
New Richmond School District3,3262397.19
331
New Holstein School District1,5591117.12
332
Stoughton Area School District3,9192797.12
333
River Falls School District3,3262357.07
334
Evansville Community School District1,8081277.02
335
Columbus School District1,369956.94
336
West De Pere School District3,3842346.91
337
Plymouth School District2,6931856.87
338
West Salem School District1,9591346.84
339
Brillion School District999686.81
340
Kiel Area School District1,404946.70
341
Westosha Central High School District1,256846.69
342
Palmyra-Eagle Area School District1,378926.68
343
Belleville School District1,064716.67
344
Herman No. 22 School District181126.63
345
Pulaski Community School District4,0492686.62
346
Verona Area School District6,9574596.60
347
Holmen School District3,9692616.58
348
Lodi School District1,7501156.57
349
West Bend School District8,7405716.53
350
Port Washington-Saukville School District2,7001766.52
351
Baldwin-Woodville Area School District1,6931106.50
352
Monona Grove School District3,0811986.43
353
Dover No. 1 School District157106.37
354
Somerset School District1,7761096.14
355
Stockbridge School District278176.12
356
Prescott School District1,496916.08
357
Lake Mills Area School District1,559946.03
358
Howard-Suamico School District5,9603535.92
359
Hilbert School District608365.92
360
Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah School District566335.83
361
Oostburg School District1,198695.76
362
Wauwatosa School District7,1394075.70
363
Freedom Area School District1,9531115.68
364
Ellsworth Community School District1,9191095.68
365
Yorkville Joint No. 2 School District321185.61
366
Wrightstown Community School District1,561875.57
367
Monticello School District413235.57
368
New Glarus School District885495.54
369
Waterford Joint No. 1 School District1,8111005.52
370
St. Croix Central School District1,576875.52
371
Northern Ozaukee School District963535.50
372
Nicolet Union High School District1,343735.44
373
Random Lake School District1,069585.43
374
Winneconne Community School District1,624885.42
375
Grafton School District2,1231125.28
376
Kewaskum School District2,4461295.27
377
Merton Community School District994525.23
378
Cedar Grove-Belgium Area School District1,151605.21
379
Oregon School District3,8632005.18
380
Mount Horeb Area School District2,6281365.18
381
Hartford Union High School District1,701885.17
382
Southwestern Wisconsin School District684355.12
383
Middleton-Cross Plains School District7,0233565.07
384
Sheboygan Falls School District1,853935.02
385
Hortonville School District4,0291994.94
386
Marathon City School District773384.92
387
Oconomowoc Area School District5,8282844.87
388
Deerfield Community School District845414.85
389
Union Grove Union High School District838394.65
390
DeForest Area School District4,1841924.59
391
De Pere Unified School District4,6062094.54
392
Kimberly Area School District4,8242174.50
393
Slinger School District2,8461274.46
394
Lake Country School District486214.32
395
Waterford Union High School District1,164504.30
396
Muskego-Norway School District5,3702294.26
397
Hudson School District6,3652674.19
398
Pewaukee School District2,5721074.16
399
Hartland-Lakeside Joint No. 3 School District1,580644.05
400
Erin School District274114.01
401
Rosendale-Brandon School District1,027413.99
402
McFarland School District2,147843.91
403
Howards Grove School District1,053413.89
404
Menomonee Falls School District4,4561703.82
405
Washington-Caldwell School District265103.77
406
Hamilton School District4,6931753.73
407
Norway Joint No. 7 School District24593.67
408
Barneveld School District445163.60
409
Germantown School District4,8651703.49
410
Mequon-Thiensville School District4,5561533.36
411
New Berlin School District5,4861813.30
412
Cedarburg School District3,7631203.19
413
Friess Lake School District25683.13
414
Kettle Moraine School District4,9681432.88
415
Mukwonago School District5,3311532.87
416
Norris School District7022.86
417
North Lake School District371102.70
418
Waunakee Community School District4,3601152.64
419
Elmbrook School District7,8552032.58
420
Kohler School District544142.57
421
Arrowhead Union High School District2,335482.06
422
Richfield Joint No. 1 School District536101.87
423
Swallow School District61791.46
424
Richmond School District48961.23

Data Source: 2015 Poverty Estimates for School districts. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Program (SAIPE). Release date: December 2016

Image Source: Shutterstock.com

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