State district guide

Iowa public school districts

Compare district systems across Iowa by enrollment scale, school count, county context, generated guide coverage, and the parent checks that matter before choosing where to live.

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Direct answer for parents

What this district ranking can and cannot tell you

If you are searching for the best school districts in Iowa, start with the largest and most data-rich district systems below, then verify the specific school assigned to each address. SchoolsByCounty orders districts by reported enrollment and school count because those fields are consistent in NCES. It does not convert district size into a quality rating.

Start with scale

Des Moines Independent Comm School District

30,278 reported students

Check county context

Winneshiek County

80/100 county score

Verify locally

Address fit

Attendance boundaries and transfers are not in NCES

District table

Largest public school districts in Iowa

The first 60 rows show the largest district systems by reported enrollment. Open district guides where available, or use the county profile when a detailed district page is not generated yet.

328 districts in state file

Iowa public school districts ranked by reported enrollment.
Rank	District	County context	Students	Schools	Parent lens
1	Des Moines Independent Comm School District LEA ID 1908970 Polk County59 schools	Polk County 47/100 county score	30,278	59	Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 virtual Open district guide
2	Cedar Rapids Comm School District LEA ID 1906540 Linn County33 schools	Linn County 63/100 county score	15,289	33	Elementary, middle, and high school records 2 virtual Open district guide
3	Sioux City Comm School District LEA ID 1926400 Woodbury County22 schools	Woodbury County 53/100 county score	14,718	22	Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 virtual Open district guide
4	Iowa City Comm School District LEA ID 1914700 Johnson County29 schools	Johnson County 69/100 county score	14,701	29	Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 virtual Open district guide
5	Davenport Comm School District LEA ID 1908580 Scott County30 schools	Scott County 53/100 county score	13,744	30	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
6	Waukee Comm School District LEA ID 1930510 Dallas County17 schools	Dallas County 68/100 county score	13,082	17	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
7	Ankeny Comm School District LEA ID 1903690 Polk County17 schools	Polk County 47/100 county score	12,750	17	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
8	Waterloo Comm School District LEA ID 1930480 Black Hawk County18 schools	Black Hawk County 57/100 county score	10,527	18	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
9	Dubuque Comm School District LEA ID 1909480 Dubuque County18 schools	Dubuque County 55/100 county score	10,024	18	Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 virtual Open district guide
10	West Des Moines Comm School District LEA ID 1930930 Polk County14 schools	Polk County 47/100 county score	9,120	14	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
11	Council Bluffs Comm School District LEA ID 1908220 Pottawattamie County15 schools	Pottawattamie County 57/100 county score	8,733	15	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
12	Linn-Mar Comm School District LEA ID 1917220 Linn County12 schools	Linn County 63/100 county score	7,611	12	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
13	Johnston Comm School District LEA ID 1915450 Polk County8 schools	Polk County 47/100 county score	7,431	8	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
14	Southeast Polk Comm School District LEA ID 1926820 Polk County11 schools	Polk County 47/100 county score	7,397	11	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
15	Cedar Falls Comm School District LEA ID 1906510 Black Hawk County11 schools	Black Hawk County 57/100 county score	5,884	11	Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 virtual Open district guide
16	College Comm School District LEA ID 1907860 Linn County10 schools	Linn County 63/100 county score	5,709	10	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
17	Pleasant Valley Comm School District LEA ID 1923110 Scott County8 schools	Scott County 53/100 county score	5,651	8	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
18	Marshalltown Comm School District LEA ID 1918720 Marshall County10 schools	Marshall County 51/100 county score	5,078	10	Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 virtual Open district guide
19	Ottumwa Comm School District LEA ID 1922110 Wapello County11 schools	Wapello County 45/100 county score	4,959	11	Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 virtual Open district guide
20	Ames Comm School District LEA ID 1903540 Story County8 schools	Story County 70/100 county score	4,645	8	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
21	Muscatine Comm School District LEA ID 1920130 Muscatine County9 schools	Muscatine County 32/100 county score	4,580	9	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
22	Bettendorf Comm School District LEA ID 1904860 Scott County7 schools	Scott County 53/100 county score	4,432	7	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
23	Urbandale Comm School District LEA ID 1928680 Polk County7 schools	Polk County 47/100 county score	4,258	7	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
24	Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School District LEA ID 1908520 Dallas County7 schools	Dallas County 68/100 county score	3,747	7	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
25	Indianola Comm School District LEA ID 1914640 Warren County6 schools	Warren County 59/100 county score	3,665	6	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
26	Western Dubuque Comm School District LEA ID 1931350 Dubuque County8 schools	Dubuque County 55/100 county score	3,629	8	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
27	Fort Dodge Comm School District LEA ID 1911820 Webster County7 schools	Webster County 47/100 county score	3,527	7	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
28	Mason City Comm School District LEA ID 1918780 Cerro Gordo County9 schools	Cerro Gordo County 56/100 county score	3,526	9	Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 virtual Open district guide
29	Norwalk Comm School District LEA ID 1921240 Warren County5 schools	Warren County 59/100 county score	3,508	5	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
30	North Scott Comm School District LEA ID 1920940 Scott County7 schools	Scott County 53/100 county score	3,389	7	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
31	Burlington Comm School District LEA ID 1905790 Des Moines County8 schools	Des Moines County 38/100 county score	3,334	8	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Open district guide
32	Clinton Comm School District LEA ID 1907710 Clinton County6 schools	Clinton County 49/100 county score	3,286	6	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
33	Lewis Central Comm School District LEA ID 1916680 Pottawattamie County4 schools	Pottawattamie County 57/100 county score	3,022	4	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
34	Clear Creek Amana Comm School District LEA ID 1907590 Iowa County7 schools	Iowa County 68/100 county score	3,014	7	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
35	Newton Comm School District LEA ID 1920610 Jasper County7 schools	Jasper County 59/100 county score	2,809	7	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
36	Storm Lake Comm School District LEA ID 1927390 Buena Vista County6 schools	Buena Vista County 27/100 county score	2,794	6	Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 charter Detailed guide not generated yet
37	Bondurant-Farrar Comm School District LEA ID 1905070 Polk County5 schools	Polk County 47/100 county score	2,731	5	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
38	Pella Comm School District LEA ID 1922470 Marion County5 schools	Marion County 69/100 county score	2,491	5	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
39	Carlisle Comm School District LEA ID 1906270 Warren County4 schools	Warren County 59/100 county score	2,369	4	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
40	Waverly-Shell Rock Comm School District LEA ID 1930540 Bremer County7 schools	Bremer County 72/100 county score	2,304	7	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
41	Adel DeSoto Minburn Comm School District LEA ID 1903150 Dallas County5 schools	Dallas County 68/100 county score	2,254	5	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
42	Denison Comm School District LEA ID 1908910 Crawford County4 schools	Crawford County 53/100 county score	2,245	4	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
43	Le Mars Comm School District LEA ID 1916530 Plymouth County6 schools	Plymouth County 69/100 county score	2,236	6	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
44	Spencer Comm School District LEA ID 1926910 Clay County5 schools	Clay County 74/100 county score	2,230	5	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
45	Marion Independent School District LEA ID 1918690 Linn County6 schools	Linn County 63/100 county score	2,229	6	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
46	North Polk Comm School District LEA ID 1920910 Polk County5 schools	Polk County 47/100 county score	2,224	5	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
47	Oskaloosa Comm School District LEA ID 1921870 Mahaska County5 schools	Mahaska County 57/100 county score	2,081	5	Elementary, middle, and high school records 1 virtual Detailed guide not generated yet
48	Glenwood Comm School District LEA ID 1912690 Mills County4 schools	Mills County 46/100 county score	2,071	4	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
49	Boone Comm School District LEA ID 1905130 Boone County5 schools	Boone County 71/100 county score	1,976	5	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
50	Ballard Comm School District LEA ID 1904200 Story County4 schools	Story County 70/100 county score	1,871	4	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
51	Mount Pleasant Comm School District LEA ID 1919890 Henry County7 schools	Henry County 58/100 county score	1,851	7	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
52	Fort Madison Comm School District LEA ID 1911850 Lee County4 schools	Lee County 54/100 county score	1,797	4	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
53	Keokuk Comm School District LEA ID 1915630 Lee County5 schools	Lee County 54/100 county score	1,781	5	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
54	Perry Comm School District LEA ID 1922530 Dallas County3 schools	Dallas County 68/100 county score	1,746	3	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
55	Webster City Comm School District LEA ID 1930630 Hamilton County5 schools	Hamilton County 67/100 county score	1,731	5	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
56	Carroll Comm School District LEA ID 1906330 Carroll County4 schools	Carroll County 72/100 county score	1,722	4	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
57	Gilbert Comm School District LEA ID 1912510 Story County4 schools	Story County 70/100 county score	1,697	4	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
58	Benton Comm School District LEA ID 1904830 Benton County5 schools	Benton County 49/100 county score	1,682	5	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
59	Knoxville Comm School District LEA ID 1915840 Marion County4 schools	Marion County 69/100 county score	1,674	4	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet
60	Winterset Comm School District LEA ID 1931860 Madison County4 schools	Madison County 62/100 county score	1,669	4	Elementary, middle, and high school records No charter, magnet, or virtual flags reported Detailed guide not generated yet

— = enrollment not reported in the district record. District rows are informational and must be paired with local assignment tools before a housing decision.

Methodology

How to use district rankings without overreading them

District-level data is useful because it shows the operating system around a public school search: how many schools exist, which county record anchors the district, how much enrollment is reported, and whether a detailed district guide is available. It is not enough to decide where a student should enroll.

Ranking basis

Rows are ordered by reported enrollment, then school count. The method favors broad, data-rich systems because those are the districts parents most often need to research before relocation.

County context

Each district is attached to a primary county record when available. County school scores are context signals, not district ratings, and nearby counties can still matter for commute and housing decisions.

Grade pathway

Elementary, middle, and high school counts help parents spot whether a district looks like a full K-12 pathway or a narrower operating unit. Feeder patterns still require local verification.

Address verification

The final decision happens at the address level. Confirm attendance zones, open-enrollment rules, magnet admissions, charter lotteries, and transfer windows with official district sources.

County context

Districts anchored in higher-scoring county contexts

These rows pair district records with the county-level SchoolsByCounty score. Treat this as a shortlist for deeper research, not a district quality ranking.

Decorah Community School District

Winneshiek County

Students: 1,589
Schools: 4

South Winneshiek Comm School District

Winneshiek County

Students: 531
Schools: 3

Turkey Valley Comm School District

Winneshiek County

Students: 375
Schools: 2

Creston Comm School District

Union County

Students: 1,379
Schools: 4

East Union Comm School District

Union County

Students: 489
Schools: 2

Howard-Winneshiek Comm School District

Howard County

Students: 1,040
Schools: 3

Parent checklist before relying on a district ranking

Use this page to narrow the field, then answer these local questions before treating any district as a fit for a specific home.

Which school does this address actually feed into?

Use the district address lookup and confirm edge cases near attendance-zone borders.

What happens at transition grades?

A strong elementary fit can split into several middle or high school paths.

Are choice programs realistic for this student?

Magnet, charter, virtual, and transfer options can involve lotteries, applications, or deadlines.

Is the county context aligned with housing tradeoffs?

Pair school research with taxes, commute, home prices, and safety before choosing where to live.

Frequently Asked Questions About Iowa School Districts

What are the best school districts in Iowa?

Des Moines Independent Comm School District, Cedar Rapids Comm School District, Sioux City Comm School District are the largest Iowa district systems by reported enrollment in the NCES file. SchoolsByCounty does not call them the best districts; use this page to find data-rich district systems, then verify assigned schools, program rules, and local fit.

How are Iowa districts ranked here?

Districts are ordered by reported student enrollment, then school count, using NCES public school district records. This is a research-priority ranking, not a quality rating.

Why do only 31 Iowa districts have district guide links?

SchoolsByCounty statically generates detailed district guides for the largest district systems nationally so the pages stay fast and substantive. Districts without guide links remain represented through county and state context pages.

Do these district pages show attendance boundaries?

No. Attendance zones, transfer rules, magnet eligibility, charter admission, transportation, and program availability must be verified with official district or local assignment tools before choosing a home.

Does a large district mean better schools?

No. Larger districts usually have more school options and more public data, but enrollment size is not a school-quality measure. Compare school-level records and official local sources before treating a district as a fit.

How many districts are included for Iowa?

This page includes 328 Iowa public school districts from the current NCES district file, alongside county context and generated district-guide availability where available.

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorPublished Jun 9, 2026

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

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