Fairmont Area School District

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Fairmont, Minnesota - 2 schools

An equity score of 49/100 ranks Fairmont Area School District #208 of 410 districts in Minnesota (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,163 per pupil, Fairmont Area School District ranks #260 of 504 Minnesota districts by per-pupil spending (Minnesota districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,815
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$14,163
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Fairmont Area School District operates 2 public schools serving 1,815 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Minnesota. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Martin County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,163 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 504 Minnesota districts by per-pupil spending. See how Minnesota compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 20.8% local, 65.8% state, and 13.4% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 49/100, ranked #208 of 410 in Minnesota against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 2 schools offering Advanced Placement (5 AP courses district-wide), and 31.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 70.4% White, 25.0% Hispanic or Latino, 1.2% African American across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Fairmont Elementary School, enrolling 1,007 students (55% of the district's total enrollment).

Fairmont Elementary School accounts for 54.6% of all Fairmont Area School District student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Fairmont Area School District a distant remainder — means Fairmont Area School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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

Fairmont Area School District chronic absenteeism rate is 31.7% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Where does the funding come from?

13.4%
Federal
65.8%
State
20.8%
Local

Funding Equity

49
Equity Score
208 / 410
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Fairmont Area School District.

White 70.4%
Hispanic or Latino 25.0%
African American 1.2%
Multiracial 2.4%
Other 0.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 2
Schools with AP
5 AP courses total
31.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Fairmont Area School District

School Enrollment
Fairmont Elementary School
1,007
Fairmont Jr./Sr. High School
839

How Fairmont Area School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Minnesota districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Thief River Falls School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
St. Anthony-New Brighton Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Pequot Lakes Public Schools Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Albany Public School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Jordan Public School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Fairmont Area School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

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 · $14,265/pupil
Compare vs Fairmont Area School District →
Saint Paul Public Schools
32,316 students · 99 schools · $20,457/pupil
Compare vs Fairmont Area School District →
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan
29,221 students · 41 schools · $14,314/pupil
Compare vs Fairmont Area School District →
Osseo Public School District
20,737 students · 33 schools · $15,525/pupil
Compare vs Fairmont Area School District →

Compare Fairmont Area School District

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 Fairmont Area School District?

Fairmont Area School District has 2 schools, including 2 combined. Total enrollment is 1,815 students.

How much does Fairmont Area School District spend per student?

Fairmont Area School District spends $14,163 per student. The district has an equity score of 49/100, ranking #208 in Minnesota.

What is the demographic composition of Fairmont Area School District?

Fairmont Area School District students are 70.4% White, 25.0% Hispanic or Latino, 1.2% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Fairmont Area School District?

Fairmont Area School District has an equity score of 49/100, ranking #208 out of 410 districts in Minnesota.