schoolsbycounty

Hamilton County Schools & Education

School Score

67/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

93.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

93.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 92.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,796

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,591

School Score

67/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 61/100

State Score Position

#35

of 99 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Hamilton County

Measured School Summary

Hamilton County performs at an average level with a school score of 67/100 and a solid graduation rate of 93.0%.

Funding Context

At $7,796 per pupil, Hamilton County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 10% above the Iowa average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 0.7 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 3% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Hamilton 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

8 public schools and 3 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

67/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #35 of 99 Iowa counties with school score data.

Completion

93.0%

0.7 pts above the state average

Funding context

$7,796

$205 above the state average

School coverage

8

3 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

Hamilton County has 8 public schools across 3 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.

Parent decision brief

What Hamilton 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

Webster City Comm School District carries most of the listed public-school system, with 5 of 8 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#35

of 99 Iowa counties with school score data. The county score is 6 points above 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.

Webster City Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

1,731 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 1Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

South Hamilton Comm School District

Elementary and high visible

690 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

Stratford Comm School District

Elementary school only in this slice

80 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 0Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

Webster City Comm School District is the largest listed district slice, with 5 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 Hamilton County?

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

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

If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?

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

Education Overview

About Schools in Hamilton 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.

Educational Hub of Hamilton County

Hamilton County educates 2,501 students within eight public schools across three districts. The framework includes five elementary schools, one middle school, and two high schools.

Webster City as the District Anchor

The Webster City Community School District serves 1,731 students across five schools, making it the largest in the county. South Hamilton and Stratford districts provide smaller alternatives, with no charters present in the area.

A Mix of Town and Rural Learning

Schools are split evenly between four town and four rural settings, with an average enrollment of 313. Webster City High School is the largest with 547 students, while Stratford Elementary is the smallest with just 80 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

8

in Hamilton County

Reported Enrollment

2,501

8 schools reporting

School Districts

3

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary5
Middle1
High2
Other0

3 School Districts in Hamilton County

Webster City Comm School District

5 schools
1,731 students

South Hamilton Comm School District

2 schools
690 students

Stratford Comm School District

1 school
80 students

8 Public Schools in Hamilton County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.

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

Level

Showing 8 of 8 matching schools

Webster City High School

Webster City Comm School District

Webster City, 50595 / Town: Distant

Record9–12High547 students

Webster City Middle School

Webster City Comm School District

Webster City, 50595 / Town: Distant

Record5–8Middle455 students

South Hamilton Elem

South Hamilton Comm School District

Jewell, 50130 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary362 students

South Hamilton Middle And High School

South Hamilton Comm School District

Jewell, 50130 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High328 students

Sunset Heights Elementary School

Webster City Comm School District

Webster City, 50595 / Town: Distant

Record2–4Primary288 students

Northeast Hamilton Elementary School

Webster City Comm School District

Webster City, 50595 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary225 students

Pleasant View Elementary School

Webster City Comm School District

Webster City, 50595 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–1Primary216 students

Stratford Elementary

Stratford Comm School District

Stratford, 50249 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary80 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,796

State avg $7,591

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Hamilton 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.

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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 Hamilton County?
Hamilton County has a school score of 67/100, 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 Hamilton County?
The high school graduation rate in Hamilton County is 93.0%, 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 Hamilton County spend per student?
Hamilton County spends $7,796 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 Hamilton County, Iowa — FAQ

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

Hamilton County educates 2,501 students within eight public schools across three districts. The framework includes five elementary schools, one middle school, and two high schools.

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

The Webster City Community School District serves 1,731 students across five schools, making it the largest in the county. South Hamilton and Stratford districts provide smaller alternatives, with no charters present in the area.

What is the school experience like in Hamilton County?

Schools are split evenly between four town and four rural settings, with an average enrollment of 313. Webster City High School is the largest with 547 students, while Stratford Elementary is the smallest with just 80 students.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed 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.