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

No. Use the Warren 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 Warren 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 Warren County?

Start with the 20 listed public schools and 5 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Warren County Schools & Education

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

Warren County, Iowa

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

School Score

59/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

95.7%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

95.7%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 92.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,503

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,591

School Score

59/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 61/100

State Score Position

#64

of 99 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Warren County

Measured School Summary

Warren County performs at an average level with a school score of 59/100 and a solid graduation rate of 95.7%.

Funding Context

At $6,503 per pupil, Warren County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 4% below the Iowa average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 3.4 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 14% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Warren 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

20 public schools and 5 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

59/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #64 of 99 Iowa counties with school score data.

Completion

95.7%

3.4 pts above the state average

Funding context

$6,503

$1,088 below the state average

School coverage

5 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

Warren County has 20 public schools across 5 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 Warren 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.

Mixed school landscape

Warren County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.

State position

#64

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

Indianola Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

3,665 students

Elementary 4Middle 1High 1Other 0

6 listed schools in this county slice.

Norwalk Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

3,508 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 1Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

Carlisle Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

2,369 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 1Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District

Elementary and high visible

580 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Indianola Comm School District is the largest listed district slice, with 6 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 Warren County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Warren 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 Warren 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.

Extensive Education Networks in Warren County

Warren County features a robust education system with 20 public schools serving 10,577 students across five districts. The infrastructure includes 11 elementary schools and four middle schools to support a growing student population.

Indianola and Norwalk Drive Enrollment

The Indianola Community School District is the largest with 3,665 students, closely followed by the Norwalk district with 3,508 students. There are no charter schools in the county, as the traditional public districts manage 100% of the enrollment.

Suburban Growth Meets Rural Roots

The county offers a diverse mix of nine rural, seven town, and four suburban schools. Indianola High School is the largest facility with 1,120 students, while the average school size across the county is 529 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Warren County

Reported Enrollment

10,577

20 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary11

Middle4

High5

Other0

5 School Districts in Warren County

Indianola Comm School District

Norwalk Comm School District

Carlisle Comm School District

4 schools

2,369 students

Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District

2 schools

580 students

Southeast Warren Comm School District

3 schools

455 students

20 Public Schools in Warren County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 2 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 20 matching schools

Public schools in Warren County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Indianola High School	Profile	Indianola Comm School District	Indianola, 50125Town: Fringe	9–12	High	1,120
Norwalk Senior High School	Profile	Norwalk Comm School District	Norwalk, 50211Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,035
Indianola Middle School	Record	Indianola Comm School District	Indianola, 50125Town: Fringe	6–8	Middle	849
Norwalk Middle School	Record	Norwalk Comm School District	Norwalk, 50211Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	787
Carlisle Elementary School	Record	Carlisle Comm School District	Carlisle, 50047Town: Fringe	PK–3	Primary	765
Carlisle High School	Record	Carlisle Comm School District	Carlisle, 50047Town: Fringe	9–12	High	743
Oviatt Elementary School	Record	Norwalk Comm School District	Norwalk, 50211Suburb: Large	PK–1	Primary	616
Lakewood Elementary School	Record	Norwalk Comm School District	Norwalk, 50211Suburb: Large	4–5	Primary	544
Carlisle Middle School	Record	Carlisle Comm School District	Carlisle, 50047Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	543
Orchard Hills Elementary	Record	Norwalk Comm School District	Norwalk, 50211Rural: Fringe	2–3	Primary	526
Wilder Elementary School	Record	Indianola Comm School District	Indianola, 50125Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	442
Emerson Elementary School	Record	Indianola Comm School District	Indianola, 50125Town: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	435
Whittier Elementary School	Record	Indianola Comm School District	Indianola, 50125Town: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	417
Irving Elementary School	Record	Indianola Comm School District	Indianola, 50125Town: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	402
Hartford Upper Elementary	Record	Carlisle Comm School District	Carlisle, 50047Rural: Distant	4–5	Primary	318
Martensdale Elementary School	Record	Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District	Martensdale, 50160Rural: Distant	PK–6	Primary	305
Martensdale-St Marys Jr-Sr High School	Record	Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District	Martensdale, 50160Rural: Distant	7–12	High	275
Southeast Warren Jr-Sr High School	Record	Southeast Warren Comm School District	Liberty Center, 50145Rural: Distant	7–12	High	233
Southeast Warren Primary	Record	Southeast Warren Comm School District	Milo, 50166Rural: Distant	PK–3	Primary	130
Southeast Warren Intermediate	Record	Southeast Warren Comm School District	Lacona, 50139Rural: Distant	4–6	Middle	92

Indianola High School

Indianola Comm School District

Indianola, 50125 / Town: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,120 students

Norwalk Senior High School

Norwalk Comm School District

Norwalk, 50211 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,035 students

Indianola Middle School

Indianola Comm School District

Indianola, 50125 / Town: Fringe

Record6–8Middle849 students

Norwalk Middle School

Norwalk Comm School District

Norwalk, 50211 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle787 students

Carlisle Elementary School

Carlisle Comm School District

Carlisle, 50047 / Town: Fringe

RecordPK–3Primary765 students

Carlisle High School

Carlisle Comm School District

Carlisle, 50047 / Town: Fringe

Record9–12High743 students

Oviatt Elementary School

Norwalk Comm School District

Norwalk, 50211 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–1Primary616 students

Lakewood Elementary School

Norwalk Comm School District

Norwalk, 50211 / Suburb: Large

Record4–5Primary544 students

Carlisle Middle School

Carlisle Comm School District

Carlisle, 50047 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle543 students

Orchard Hills Elementary

Norwalk Comm School District

Norwalk, 50211 / Rural: Fringe

Record2–3Primary526 students

Wilder Elementary School

Indianola Comm School District

Indianola, 50125 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary442 students

Emerson Elementary School

Indianola Comm School District

Indianola, 50125 / Town: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary435 students

Whittier Elementary School

Indianola Comm School District

Indianola, 50125 / Town: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary417 students

Irving Elementary School

Indianola Comm School District

Indianola, 50125 / Town: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary402 students

Hartford Upper Elementary

Carlisle Comm School District

Carlisle, 50047 / Rural: Distant

Record4–5Primary318 students

Martensdale Elementary School

Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District

Martensdale, 50160 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary305 students

Martensdale-St Marys Jr-Sr High School

Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District

Martensdale, 50160 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High275 students

Southeast Warren Jr-Sr High School

Southeast Warren Comm School District

Liberty Center, 50145 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High233 students

Southeast Warren Primary

Southeast Warren Comm School District

Milo, 50166 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–3Primary130 students

Southeast Warren Intermediate

Southeast Warren Comm School District

Lacona, 50139 / Rural: Distant

Record4–6Middle92 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,503

State avg $7,591

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Warren 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 Warren County?

Warren County has a school score of 59/100, 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 Warren County?

The high school graduation rate in Warren County is 95.7%, 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 Warren County spend per student?

Warren County spends $6,503 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 Warren County, Iowa — FAQ

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

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

What is the school experience like in Warren County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Henry County

Iowa

-0 pts

58/100

School score

Adair County

Iowa

-1 pts

58/100

School score

Jasper County

Iowa

+1 pts

59/100

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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