Best Schools in Bemidji, Minnesota
24 schools · 10 Elementary · 4 Middle · 7 High · 3 Other
Choosing a school in Bemidji?
Use this page to compare every school in Bemidji by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Gene Dillon Elementary School
Elementary · Bemidji Public School District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Aurora Waasakone Community of Learn
Elementary · Aurora Waasakone Community of Learn. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Lincoln Elementary
Elementary · Bemidji Public School District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Bemidji for 2026 are Gene Dillon Elementary School (8.3/10), Aurora Waasakone Community of Learn (7.7/10), and Lincoln Elementary (7.0/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 19 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
24
22 public · 2 private
Avg Score
5.6
out of 10
Median Home
$242,400
home value · ACS
Districts
6
serving the city
Schools
24
22 public · 2 private
Avg Score
5.6
out of 10
Median Home
$242,400
home value · ACS
Districts
6
serving the city
Rates 8.3/10 despite 51% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.4 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Bemidji schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Bemidji
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (19 of 24). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gene Dillon Elementary School | 8.3 / 10 |
| 2 | Aurora Waasakone Community of Learn | 7.7 / 10 |
| 3 | Lincoln Elementary | 7.0 / 10 |
| 4 | Northern Elementary | 6.6 / 10 |
| 5 | Bemidji Middle | 6.6 / 10 |
| 6 | Schoolcraft Learning Community | 6.0 / 10 |
| 7 | Bemidji Senior High | 5.9 / 10 |
| 8 | First City School | 5.9 / 10 |
| 9 | Voyageurs Expeditionary School | 5.8 / 10 |
| 10 | Treknorth High School | 5.7 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 5.6/10
- Median household income
- $69,782
- Median home value
- $242,400
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 38%
- Avg commute
- 20 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 67%
16% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Bemidji compares
Minnesota rank
#185 of 229
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.6
below Minnesota avg (6.2)
Median household income
$70k
83% of Minnesota median
Schools in this city
19
About Schools in Bemidji, Minnesota
Bemidji's public school system spans 17 ranked schools, with performance spread wide enough to matter when choosing where to live. The city average sits at 5.8 out of 10 — a middle-of-the-road baseline that masks real variation at the school level. Parents who dig past the average find a meaningful tier of high performers: 5 schools, or 29% of the ranked total, score 7 or above.
Elementary schools dominate the top of Bemidji's performance ladder. Solway Elementary leads the city with an 8.8 rating, the highest score among all 17 ranked schools and a strong result by any measure. Gene Dillon Elementary follows at 8.3, establishing back-to-back high performers in the elementary tier. Aurora Waasakone Community of Learning (7.7), Lincoln Elementary (7.5), and Schoolcraft Learning Community (7.4) round out the top five — all elementary, all clearing the 7-point threshold. The concentration of strength at the elementary level gives families with young children a genuine set of options.
Below the top tier, performance drops toward the city average of 5.8. That gap between the 8.8 leader and the citywide mean is substantial — roughly three full rating points — which means school selection carries real weight here. Families in the middle and lower portions of the range will see meaningful differences in outcomes depending on assignment or enrollment choices.
For parents evaluating Bemidji, the practical picture is clear: the elementary landscape offers several strong options, led by Solway and Gene Dillon. With 29% of schools scoring 7 or above, Bemidji performs better than its 5.8 average might suggest, but those gains are concentrated at the top. Research the specific school serving your address, check whether open enrollment applies to your situation, and weight elementary placement heavily — the top performers here are genuinely strong, and the gap to the middle is real.
Elementary Schools
10 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 679 students · 4th–5th | 8.3 | ||
| 2 | 141 students · Kindergarten–8th | 7.7 | ||
| 3 | 320 students · Pre-K–3rd | 7.0 | ||
| 4 | 285 students · Pre-K–3rd | 6.6 | ||
| 5 | 196 students · Kindergarten–8th | 6.0 | ||
| 6 | 146 students · Pre-K–3rd | 5.3 | ||
| 7 | 307 students · Pre-K–3rd | 4.8 | ||
| 8 | 258 students · Pre-K–3rd | 4.6 | ||
| Private Schools 2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | St Philip's School
Private
377 students · Pre-K–8th | 4.8 | ||
| 2 | St Mark Lutheran School
Private
33 students · Kindergarten–8th | 3.5 | ||
Middle Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,035 students · 6th–8th | 6.6 |
| 2 | 42 students · 6th–8th | 4.9 |
| 3 | 108 students · 6th–8th | 2.8 |
| 4 | 1 students · 6th–8th | — |
High Schools
7 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,516 students · 9th–12th | 5.9 |
| 2 | 71 students · 9th–12th | 5.8 |
| 3 | 145 students · 9th–12th | 5.7 |
| 4 | 67 students · 9th–12th | 5.7 |
| 5 | 54 students · 5th–12th | 5.1 |
| 6 | 7 students · 6th–12th | — |
| 7 | 5 students · 7th–12th | — |
Other Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 42 students · 3rd–12th | 5.9 |
| 2 | 24 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | — |
| 3 | 90 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | — |
Schools in Bemidji
Bemidji, Minnesota · 24 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code
Median Income
$69,782
Median Home Value
$242,400
Median Rent
$1,033/mo
Population
34,700
College Educated
38%
Homeownership
67%
Avg Commute
20 min
Poverty Rate
13.6%
Community Profile
Bemidji has a median household income of $69,782. It is an area where 38% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $242,400, with a median rent of $1,033/month. The area has a poverty rate of 13.6%. The average commute for residents is 20 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Minnesota
- Elementary
- 10
- Middle
- 4
- High
- 7
- Other
- 3
Resources
School Districts (6)
BEMIDJI REGIONAL INTERDIST. COUNCIL
1 school · 24 students
SCHOOLCRAFT LEARNING COMMUNITY CHTR
1 school · 196 students
TREKNORTH HIGH SCHOOL
2 schools · 253 students
VOYAGEURS EXPEDITIONARY
2 schools · 113 students
Aurora Waasakone Community of Learn
1 school · 141 students
BEMIDJI PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
15 schools · 4,812 students
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in Minnesota
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Bemidji, Minnesota
How many schools are in Bemidji, Minnesota?
Bemidji has 24 schools, including 22 public and 2 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Bemidji, Minnesota?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Bemidji is 5.6 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Bemidji, Minnesota?
The top-ranked school in Bemidji on MySchoolScout is Gene Dillon Elementary School with a composite score of 8.3/10.
What is the best elementary school in Bemidji, Minnesota?
The top-ranked elementary school in Bemidji on MySchoolScout is Gene Dillon Elementary School with a composite score of 8.3/10.
What is the best middle school in Bemidji, Minnesota?
The top-ranked middle school in Bemidji on MySchoolScout is Bemidji Middle with a composite score of 6.6/10.
What is the best high school in Bemidji, Minnesota?
The top-ranked high school in Bemidji on MySchoolScout is Bemidji Senior High with a composite score of 5.9/10.
How many school districts serve Bemidji, Minnesota?
Bemidji is served by 6 school districts: Bemidji Regional Interdist. Council, Schoolcraft Learning Community Chtr, Treknorth High School, Voyageurs Expeditionary, Aurora Waasakone Community of Learn, Bemidji Public School District.
What is the education level in Bemidji, Minnesota?
According to Census data, 38% of adults in Bemidji have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Bemidji, Minnesota?
The median household income in Bemidji is approximately $69,782 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Bemidji, Minnesota?
Yes, Bemidji has 2 private schools alongside 22 public schools. The top-rated private school is St Philip's School with a score of 4.8/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Bemidji, Minnesota?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Bemidji is 16.0:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Bemidji, Minnesota?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Minnesota Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.