Can I use Dubuque County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Dubuque County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Dubuque County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Dubuque County?

Start with the 25 listed public schools and 2 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Dubuque County Schools & Education

Name: Dubuque County, Iowa Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Dubuque County, Iowa

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

School Score

55/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

89.4%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

89.4%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 92.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$8,024

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,591

School Score

55/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 61/100

State Score Position

#72

of 99 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Dubuque County

Measured School Summary

Dubuque County performs at an average level with a school score of 55/100 and a solid graduation rate of 89.4%.

Funding Context

Dubuque County spends $8,024 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 10% below the Iowa average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 2.9 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 6% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Dubuque County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

25 public schools and 2 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

55/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #72 of 99 Iowa counties with school score data.

Completion

89.4%

2.9 pts below the state average

Funding context

$8,024

$433 above the state average

School coverage

2 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Dubuque County has 25 public schools across 2 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Dubuque County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Dominant-district county

Dubuque Comm School District carries most of the listed public-school system, with 18 of 25 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#72

of 99 Iowa counties with school score data. The county score is 6 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Dubuque Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

10,024 students

Elementary 12Middle 3High 3Other 0

18 listed schools in this county slice.

Western Dubuque Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

3,295 students

Elementary 4Middle 1High 2Other 0

7 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Dubuque Comm School District is the largest listed district slice, with 18 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Dubuque County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Dubuque County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Dubuque County, Iowa

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

A Large and Diverse Urban Network

Dubuque County manages 25 public schools serving 13,319 students across just two large districts. This infrastructure includes 16 elementary schools and five high schools to accommodate its significant population.

Strong Investment and Competitive Results

With $8,024 spent per pupil, Dubuque County invests more than the state average of $7,591. The graduation rate of 89.4% exceeds the national average, though it remains slightly behind the Iowa state benchmark.

The Dominance of Dubuque Community Schools

The Dubuque Community School District oversees 18 schools and 10,024 students, making it one of the largest in the region. No charter schools exist here, keeping the focus entirely on the two major public districts.

A Mix of City and Country

The county features 17 city-based schools and eight rural ones, with a relatively large average school size of 533 students. Hempstead High School is the county's largest campus, serving ,1584 students in an urban environment.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Dubuque County

Reported Enrollment

13,319

25 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary16

Middle4

High5

Other0

2 School Districts in Dubuque County

Dubuque Comm School District

Western Dubuque Comm School District

25 Public Schools in Dubuque County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 3 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Search schools

Level

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Showing 20 of 25 matching schools

Public schools in Dubuque County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Hempstead High School	Profile	Dubuque Comm School District	Dubuque, 52002City: Small	9–12	High	1,584
Dubuque Senior High School	Profile	Dubuque Comm School District	Dubuque, 52001City: Small	9–12	High	1,435
Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School	Profile	Dubuque Comm School District	Dubuque, 52002City: Small	6–8	Middle	1,093
Western Dubuque High School	Record	Western Dubuque Comm School District	Epworth, 52045Rural: Distant	9–12	High	920
Drexler Middle School	Record	Western Dubuque Comm School District	Farley, 52046Rural: Distant	6–8	Middle	655
George Washington Middle School	Record	Dubuque Comm School District	Dubuque, 52001City: Small	6–8	Middle	624
Eisenhower Elementary School	Record	Dubuque Comm School District	Dubuque, 52001City: Small	PK–5	Primary	566
John Kennedy Elementary School	Record	Dubuque Comm School District	Dubuque, 52002City: Small	PK–5	Primary	541
Carver Elementary School	Record	Dubuque Comm School District	Dubuque, 52002City: Small	PK–5	Primary	535
Thomas Jefferson Middle School	Record	Dubuque Comm School District	Dubuque, 52001City: Small	6–8	Middle	459
Irving Elementary School	Record	Dubuque Comm School District	Dubuque, 52001City: Small	PK–5	Primary	418
Table Mound Elementary School	Record	Dubuque Comm School District	Dubuque, 52003City: Small	PK–5	Primary	415
Cascade Junior-Senior High School	Record	Western Dubuque Comm School District	Cascade, 52033Rural: Distant	6–12	High	395
Peosta Elementary School	Record	Western Dubuque Comm School District	Peosta, 52068Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	389
Epworth Elementary School	Record	Western Dubuque Comm School District	Epworth, 52045Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	388
Prescott Elementary School	Record	Dubuque Comm School District	Dubuque, 52001City: Small	PK–5	Primary	370
Marshall Elementary School	Record	Dubuque Comm School District	Dubuque, 52001City: Small	PK–5	Primary	330
Bryant Elementary School	Record	Dubuque Comm School District	Dubuque, 52003City: Small	PK–5	Primary	314
Hoover Elementary School	Record	Dubuque Comm School District	Dubuque, 52001City: Small	PK–5	Primary	303
Sageville Elementary School	Record	Dubuque Comm School District	Dubuque, 52002Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	293

Hempstead High School

Dubuque Comm School District

Dubuque, 52002 / City: Small

Profile9–12High1,584 students

Dubuque Senior High School

Dubuque Comm School District

Dubuque, 52001 / City: Small

Profile9–12High1,435 students

Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School

Dubuque Comm School District

Dubuque, 52002 / City: Small

Profile6–8Middle1,093 students

Western Dubuque High School

Western Dubuque Comm School District

Epworth, 52045 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High920 students

Drexler Middle School

Western Dubuque Comm School District

Farley, 52046 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle655 students

George Washington Middle School

Dubuque Comm School District

Dubuque, 52001 / City: Small

Record6–8Middle624 students

Eisenhower Elementary School

Dubuque Comm School District

Dubuque, 52001 / City: Small

RecordPK–5Primary566 students

John Kennedy Elementary School

Dubuque Comm School District

Dubuque, 52002 / City: Small

RecordPK–5Primary541 students

Carver Elementary School

Dubuque Comm School District

Dubuque, 52002 / City: Small

RecordPK–5Primary535 students

Thomas Jefferson Middle School

Dubuque Comm School District

Dubuque, 52001 / City: Small

Record6–8Middle459 students

Irving Elementary School

Dubuque Comm School District

Dubuque, 52001 / City: Small

RecordPK–5Primary418 students

Table Mound Elementary School

Dubuque Comm School District

Dubuque, 52003 / City: Small

RecordPK–5Primary415 students

Cascade Junior-Senior High School

Western Dubuque Comm School District

Cascade, 52033 / Rural: Distant

Record6–12High395 students

Peosta Elementary School

Western Dubuque Comm School District

Peosta, 52068 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary389 students

Epworth Elementary School

Western Dubuque Comm School District

Epworth, 52045 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary388 students

Prescott Elementary School

Dubuque Comm School District

Dubuque, 52001 / City: Small

RecordPK–5Primary370 students

Marshall Elementary School

Dubuque Comm School District

Dubuque, 52001 / City: Small

RecordPK–5Primary330 students

Bryant Elementary School

Dubuque Comm School District

Dubuque, 52003 / City: Small

RecordPK–5Primary314 students

Hoover Elementary School

Dubuque Comm School District

Dubuque, 52001 / City: Small

RecordPK–5Primary303 students

Sageville Elementary School

Dubuque Comm School District

Dubuque, 52002 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary293 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$8,024

State avg $7,591

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Dubuque County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Iowa counties have the highest graduation rates?

Dallas County (97.3%), Clay County (97.0%), and Davis County (97.0%) currently lead Iowa among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in Iowa?

Across Iowa counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $7,591. The highest current county values are Kossuth County ($8,712), Cerro Gordo County ($8,682), and Franklin County ($8,627). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Dubuque County?

Dubuque County has a school score of 55/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.

What is the graduation rate in Dubuque County?

The high school graduation rate in Dubuque County is 89.4%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.

How much does Dubuque County spend per student?

Dubuque County spends $8,024 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Dubuque County, Iowa — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Dubuque County, Iowa?

How do schools in Dubuque County perform academically?

What are the major school districts in Dubuque County, Iowa?

What is the school experience like in Dubuque County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Cerro Gordo County

Iowa

+1 pts

56/100

School score

Lee County

Iowa

-1 pts

54/100

School score

Wright County

Iowa

-1 pts

54/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

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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