Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart

HECTOR, Minnesota — 2 schools

468
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$16,588
Per-Pupil Spending
Other
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart operates 2 public schools serving 468 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Minnesota. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 431 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Renville County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,588 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 23.4% local, 66.3% state, and 10.3% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $75,970 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 50/100, ranked #210 of 417 in Minnesota against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

a 186:1 student-counselor ratio that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 27.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 76.2% White, 17.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% African American across the district's schools.

Buffalo Lake-Hector Secondary accounts for 56.8% of all Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: other. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart student-counselor ratio is 186:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart chronic absenteeism rate is 27.6% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart is typically wider than the Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

10.3%
Federal
66.3%
State
23.4%
Local

Funding Equity

50
Equity Score
210 / 417
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Renville County county, where this district is located.

$776
Studio/mo
$781
1 BR/mo
$973
2 BR/mo
$1,353
3 BR/mo
$1,602
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$75,970
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart.

White 76.2%
Hispanic or Latino 17.3%
African American 1.0%
Multiracial 5.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

186:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
27.6%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart

School Enrollment
Buffalo Lake-Hector Secondary
245
Buffalo Lake-Hector Elementary
186

Nearby Districts in Minnesota

Top districts in the same state — compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Anoka-Hennepin School District
38,590 students · 52 schools · $16,817/pupil
Compare vs Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart →
Saint Paul Public Schools
32,316 students · 99 schools · $24,161/pupil
Compare vs Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart →
ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN
29,221 students · 41 schools · $16,310/pupil
Compare vs Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart →
OSSEO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
20,737 students · 33 schools · $18,446/pupil
Compare vs Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart →

Compare Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Anoka-Hennepin School District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart?

Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart has 2 schools, including 2 other. Total enrollment is 468 students.

How much does Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart spend per student?

Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart spends $16,588 per student. The district has an equity score of 50/100, ranking #210 in Minnesota.

What is the average teacher salary in Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart?

The average teacher salary in Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart is $75,970 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Renville County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart?

Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart students are 76.2% White, 17.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% African American, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart?

Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart has an equity score of 50/100, ranking #210 out of 417 districts in Minnesota. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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