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

No. Use the Linn 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 Linn 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 Linn County?

Start with the 79 listed public schools and 11 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Linn County Schools & Education

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

Linn County, Iowa

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

School Score

63/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

92.8%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

92.8%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 92.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,511

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,591

School Score

63/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 61/100

State Score Position

#52

of 99 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Linn County

Measured School Summary

Linn County performs at an average level with a school score of 63/100 and a solid graduation rate of 92.8%.

Funding Context

At $7,511 per pupil, Linn County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 3% above the Iowa average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 0.5 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 1% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Linn 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

79 public schools and 11 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

63/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #52 of 99 Iowa counties with school score data.

Completion

92.8%

0.5 pts above the state average

Funding context

$7,511

$80 below the state average

School coverage

11 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

Linn County has 79 public schools across 11 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 Linn 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.

Large multi-district county

Linn County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.

State position

#52

of 99 Iowa counties with school score data. The county score is 2 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.

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

15,289 students

Elementary 21Middle 7High 4Other 1

33 listed schools in this county slice.

Linn-Mar Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

7,611 students

Elementary 7Middle 4High 1Other 0

12 listed schools in this county slice.

College Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

5,709 students

Elementary 5Middle 2High 1Other 2

10 listed schools in this county slice.

Marion Independent School District

Elementary to high school visible

2,229 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 1Other 1

6 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Cedar Rapids Comm School District is the largest listed district slice, with 33 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 Linn County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Linn 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?

Data Story

Linn County Manages 36,317 Students Across Urban and Suburban Locales

Education data brief for Linn County, Iowa.

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorPublished Jul 7, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Lead metric:District structure

Linn County is characterized by a high-volume district structure, serving 36,317 students across 79 public schools. This is the largest student population in the region, centered primarily in the Cedar Rapids Community School District, which manages 33 schools and 15,289 students. The county features a mix of 42 city-based schools and 17 suburban schools, with Linn-Mar High School being the largest individual facility at 2,271 students. Despite the high enrollment and urban concentration, the county graduation rate is 92.8%, exceeding the national average of 87.0% and the state average of 92.3%. Per-pupil expenditure is recorded at $7,511, which is roughly $5,400 lower than the national average of $13,000 and slightly below the Iowa state average of $7,591. No charter schools operate within the county, though one alternative school is present. See the NCES Common Core of Data for school-level records.

Sources

NCES Common Core of Data
U.S. Census Bureau ACS

School Overview

Total Schools

in Linn County

Reported Enrollment

36,317

79 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary43

Middle18

High14

Other4

11 School Districts in Linn County

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Linn-Mar Comm School District

College Comm School District

Marion Independent School District

6 schools

2,229 students

Center Point-Urbana Comm School District

4 schools

1,466 students

Mount Vernon Comm School District

3 schools

1,402 students

Alburnett Comm School District

3 schools

810 students

Lisbon Comm School District

2 schools

719 students

North Linn Comm School District

3 schools

535 students

Springville Comm School District

2 schools

438 students

79 Public Schools in Linn County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 6 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

Sort

Showing 20 of 79 matching schools

Public schools in Linn County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Linn-Mar High School	Profile	Linn-Mar Comm School District	Marion, 52302Suburb: Midsize	9–12	High	2,271
John F Kennedy High School	Profile	Cedar Rapids Comm School District	Cedar Rapids, 52402City: Midsize	9–12	High	1,714
Thomas Jefferson High School	Profile	Cedar Rapids Comm School District	Cedar Rapids, 52404City: Midsize	9–12	High	1,543
Prairie Point	Profile	College Comm School District	Cedar Rapids, 52404Rural: Fringe	7–9	Middle	1,324
Prairie High School	Profile	College Comm School District	Cedar Rapids, 52404City: Midsize	10–12	High	1,298
George Washington High School	Profile	Cedar Rapids Comm School District	Cedar Rapids, 52403City: Midsize	9–12	High	1,291
Prairie Creek	Record	College Comm School District	Cedar Rapids, 52404City: Midsize	5–6	Middle	834
Marion High School	Record	Marion Independent School District	Marion, 52302Suburb: Midsize	9–12	High	722
Harding Middle School	Record	Cedar Rapids Comm School District	Cedar Rapids, 52402City: Midsize	6–8	Middle	713
Vernon Middle School	Record	Marion Independent School District	Marion, 52302Suburb: Midsize	5–8	Middle	668
Excelsior Middle School	Record	Linn-Mar Comm School District	Marion, 52302Suburb: Midsize	7–8	Middle	617
Viola Gibson Elementary School	Record	Cedar Rapids Comm School District	Cedar Rapids, 52411City: Midsize	PK–5	Primary	591
Boulder Peak Intermediate School	Record	Linn-Mar Comm School District	Marion, 52302Rural: Fringe	5–6	Middle	586
Taft Middle School	Record	Cedar Rapids Comm School District	Cedar Rapids, 52405City: Midsize	6–8	Middle	578
Echo Hill Elementary	Record	Linn-Mar Comm School District	Marion, 52302Suburb: Midsize	PK–4	Primary	544
Hazel Point Intermediate School	Record	Linn-Mar Comm School District	Marion, 52302Suburb: Midsize	5–6	Middle	540
Franklin Middle School	Record	Cedar Rapids Comm School District	Cedar Rapids, 52402City: Midsize	6–8	Middle	537
Washington Elementary School	Record	Mount Vernon Comm School District	Mount Vernon, 52314Town: Fringe	PK–4	Primary	537
West Willow Elementary School	Record	Cedar Rapids Comm School District	Cedar Rapids, 52405City: Midsize	PK–5	Primary	534
Maple Grove Elementary	Record	Cedar Rapids Comm School District	Cedar Rapids, 52405City: Midsize	PK–5	Primary	529

Linn-Mar High School

Linn-Mar Comm School District

Marion, 52302 / Suburb: Midsize

Profile9–12High2,271 students

John F Kennedy High School

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52402 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,714 students

Thomas Jefferson High School

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52404 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,543 students

Prairie Point

College Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52404 / Rural: Fringe

Profile7–9Middle1,324 students

Prairie High School

College Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52404 / City: Midsize

Profile10–12High1,298 students

George Washington High School

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52403 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,291 students

Prairie Creek

College Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52404 / City: Midsize

Record5–6Middle834 students

Marion High School

Marion Independent School District

Marion, 52302 / Suburb: Midsize

Record9–12High722 students

Harding Middle School

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52402 / City: Midsize

Record6–8Middle713 students

Vernon Middle School

Marion Independent School District

Marion, 52302 / Suburb: Midsize

Record5–8Middle668 students

Excelsior Middle School

Linn-Mar Comm School District

Marion, 52302 / Suburb: Midsize

Record7–8Middle617 students

Viola Gibson Elementary School

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52411 / City: Midsize

RecordPK–5Primary591 students

Boulder Peak Intermediate School

Linn-Mar Comm School District

Marion, 52302 / Rural: Fringe

Record5–6Middle586 students

Taft Middle School

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52405 / City: Midsize

Record6–8Middle578 students

Echo Hill Elementary

Linn-Mar Comm School District

Marion, 52302 / Suburb: Midsize

RecordPK–4Primary544 students

Hazel Point Intermediate School

Linn-Mar Comm School District

Marion, 52302 / Suburb: Midsize

Record5–6Middle540 students

Franklin Middle School

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52402 / City: Midsize

Record6–8Middle537 students

Washington Elementary School

Mount Vernon Comm School District

Mount Vernon, 52314 / Town: Fringe

RecordPK–4Primary537 students

West Willow Elementary School

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52405 / City: Midsize

RecordPK–5Primary534 students

Maple Grove Elementary

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52405 / City: Midsize

RecordPK–5Primary529 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,511

State avg $7,591

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Linn 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 Linn County?

Linn County has a school score of 63/100, 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 Linn County?

The high school graduation rate in Linn County is 92.8%, 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 Linn County spend per student?

Linn County spends $7,511 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.

Counties with Similar School Profile

Calhoun County

Iowa

0 pts

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School score

Fayette County

Iowa

+0 pts

63/100

School score

Louisa County

Iowa

+0 pts

63/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Jul 7, 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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