Sweetwater County School District #1, WY

Original Research by School Decision on Sweetwater County School District #1

Sweetwater County School District #1 covers a broad stretch of southwestern Wyoming, anchored by Rock Springs and reaching out to smaller communities like Farson and Superior. The district runs fifteen schools from kindergarten through twelfth grade, with Rock Springs High School and Rock Springs Junior High serving as the main secondary campuses, Farson-Eden providing a smaller rural pathway at every grade level, and the remaining buildings spread across elementary and middle grades in the Rock Springs area.

The student body is largely white, with a sizable Hispanic population that makes up roughly a quarter of enrollment. Other racial and ethnic groups are present in small numbers. The district's total enrollment places it in the mid-range for a Wyoming district of this geographic reach. Free-or-reduced-price lunch counts, English learner figures, and special education rates were not available in the data provided, so those pieces of the picture are missing here. A parent wanting to understand the socioeconomic mix or language supports would want to ask the district directly.

On state assessments through Wyoming's WY-TOPP system, the district shows a mixed profile. In math, third graders perform strongest, with a majority reaching proficiency. That mark declines steadily through the upper elementary grades, bottoming out in sixth grade where fewer than a third of students test proficient. Proficiency then recovers partially in seventh and eighth grade but remains below the third-grade starting point. Reading tells a somewhat different story. Third graders start above the midpoint, dip in fourth grade, and then climb steadily year over year, with eighth graders finishing at the district's highest proficiency level in the subject. Science, tested in fourth and eighth grades, lands in the lower-middle range both times. Participation rates across all tested grades and subjects are strong, generally at or near full participation, which gives the results a reliable read.

The district-level data does not include a graduation rate, chronic absenteeism figures, or per-pupil spending. The comparison set labeled "among Sweetwater County's districts" could not produce meaningful peer benchmarks because Sweetwater County contains only this one district in the available data, so there is no county-level peer group to position it against. A parent looking at how this district stacks up against neighbors would need to look beyond the county line to find comparable Wyoming districts.

The housing market across the district's footprint is relatively affordable compared with state and national benchmarks. Typical home values in Rock Springs sit below the Wyoming state figure, while Farson's values run higher and Superior's run considerably lower, reflecting the range of communities the district serves. Rents in Rock Springs are modest relative to national norms, and the estimated rent-to-income ratio suggests housing costs remain manageable for working households. The price-to-income ratio for buyers sits below what many national buyers face, though current mortgage rates near six and a half percent add to monthly carrying costs. Home values across the district have been roughly flat to slightly declining recently, with some variation by community.

No district strategic priorities, bond referenda, or recent program changes surfaced in the available research, so there is nothing to report on that front. Program offerings such as AP courses, career and technical education pathways, or dual-credit arrangements were not included in the data, which leaves a gap for families trying to assess the upper-grade academic experience. A parent of a high schooler would want to ask Rock Springs High School or Farson-Eden High School directly about what advanced coursework and career pathways are available.

What the data does show is a district where reading outcomes strengthen as students move through the grades, math outcomes are more uneven and dip sharply in the transition to middle school, and participation in testing is solid. The district serves a mix of urban Rock Springs families and rural families from outlying areas, with a housing market that remains accessible by Wyoming standards. Families considering the area would benefit from conversations with individual schools about middle-grade math supports, high school course offerings, and services for English learners, since those pieces are not visible in what was available here.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

4,842

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 27%

Black 1%

White 67%

Asian 1%

Two+ 4%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

43%

60%

Gr 4

25%

51%

Gr 5

26%

54%

Gr 6

33%

57%

Gr 7

36%

63%

Gr 8

45%

73%

Math

Gr 3

43%

71%

Gr 4

26%

51%

Gr 5

24%

47%

Gr 6

18%

42%

Gr 7

29%

51%

Gr 8

25%

58%

Science

Gr 4

29%

56%

Gr 8

31%

63%

Schools in this District

15 schools are officially reported under this district.

Farson-Eden High School

Rock Springs High School

Rock Springs Junior High

Pilot Butte Elementary

Desert Elementary

Desert View Elementary

Walnut Elementary

Black Butte High School

Eastside Elementary

Northpark Elementary

Sage Elementary

Farson-Eden Elementary

Desert Middle School

Farson-Eden Middle School

Stagecoach Elementary

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

57%

Grade 3

38%

Grade 4

36%

Grade 5

30%

Grade 6

41%

Grade 7

42%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

51%

Grade 3

37%

Grade 4

41%

Grade 5

45%

Grade 6

51%

Grade 7

59%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

41%

Grade 4

48%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$260,533

Year-over-year change-0.1%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$90K to $425K

vs. state typical0.72x

vs. national typical0.71x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
82901	Rock Springs	$293K	-1.6%	25.4%
82301	Rawlins	$195K	+2.1%	22.7%
82932	Farson	$425K	+1.9%	10.8%
82945	Superior	$90K	-8.0%	4.7%
82943	Rock Springs	$146K	+2.2%	2.7%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,039/mo

Year-over-year change-5.4%

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
82901	Rock Springs	$1,039	-5.4%	25.4%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,315/mo

Home price / national median income3.1x

Annual rent / national median income14.9%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$276/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$363,685 (+1.4% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.