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

No. Use the Webster 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 Webster 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 Webster County?

Start with the 11 listed public schools and 3 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Webster County Schools & Education

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

Webster County, Iowa

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

School Score

47/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

88.6%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

88.6%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 92.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,499

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,591

School Score

47/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 61/100

State Score Position

#88

of 99 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Webster County

Measured School Summary

Webster County performs at an average level with a school score of 47/100 and a solid graduation rate of 88.6%.

Funding Context

At $7,499 per pupil, Webster County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 23% below the Iowa average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 3.7 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 1% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Webster 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

11 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

47/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #88 of 99 Iowa counties with school score data.

Completion

88.6%

3.7 pts below the state average

Funding context

$7,499

$92 below the state average

School coverage

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

Webster County has 11 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.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Webster 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

Fort Dodge Comm School District carries most of the listed public-school system, with 7 of 11 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#88

of 99 Iowa counties with school score data. The county score is 14 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.

Fort Dodge Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

3,527 students

Elementary 5Middle 1High 1Other 0

7 listed schools in this county slice.

Southeast Webster Grand Comm School District

Elementary and middle visible

523 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 0Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

Manson Northwest Webster Comm School District

Elementary school only in this slice

429 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 0Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

Fort Dodge Comm School District is the largest listed district slice, with 7 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 Webster County?

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

Robust Infrastructure in Webster County

Webster County supports 4,810 students across 11 public schools, including seven elementary facilities. Three districts manage the county's schools, providing a mix of middle and high school options for the region.

Fort Dodge Community School District

The Fort Dodge Community School District is the dominant provider, serving 3,527 students across seven schools. This district operates without charter school competition, focusing resources on traditional public education for the majority of the county.

Town-Centered Schools with Rural Options

The county offers a balanced mix of six town-based and five rural schools, with an average enrollment of 437 students. Fort Dodge High School is the largest in the county, currently enrolling 1,072 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Webster County

Reported Enrollment

4,810

11 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary7

Middle2

High2

Other0

3 School Districts in Webster County

Fort Dodge Comm School District

Manson Northwest Webster Comm School District

2 schools

779 students

Southeast Webster Grand Comm School District

2 schools

523 students

11 Public Schools in Webster County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; 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 11 of 11 matching schools

Public schools in Webster County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Fort Dodge High School	Profile	Fort Dodge Comm School District	Fort Dodge, 50501Town: Remote	9–12	High	1,072
Fort Dodge Middle School	Record	Fort Dodge Comm School District	Fort Dodge, 50501Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	759
Duncombe Elementary School	Record	Fort Dodge Comm School District	Fort Dodge, 50501Town: Remote	1–5	Primary	461
Manson Northwest Webster Elementary	Record	Manson Northwest Webster Comm School District	Barnum, 50518Rural: Distant	PK–6	Primary	429
Early Childhood Center	Record	Fort Dodge Comm School District	Fort Dodge, 50501Town: Remote	PK–KG	Primary	385
Butler Elementary School	Record	Fort Dodge Comm School District	Fort Dodge, 50501Town: Remote	1–5	Primary	379
Southeast Valley High School	Record	Prairie Valley Comm School District	Gowrie, 50543Rural: Remote	9–12	High	331
Southeast Webster-Grand Southeast Valley Middle	Record	Southeast Webster Grand Comm School District	Burnside, 50521Rural: Distant	5–8	Middle	324
Cooper Elementary School	Record	Fort Dodge Comm School District	Fort Dodge, 50501Town: Remote	1–5	Primary	252
Feelhaver Elementary School	Record	Fort Dodge Comm School District	Fort Dodge, 50501Town: Remote	1–5	Primary	219
Dayton Center	Record	Southeast Webster Grand Comm School District	Dayton, 50530Rural: Distant	PK–4	Primary	199

Fort Dodge High School

Fort Dodge Comm School District

Fort Dodge, 50501 / Town: Remote

Profile9–12High1,072 students

Fort Dodge Middle School

Fort Dodge Comm School District

Fort Dodge, 50501 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle759 students

Duncombe Elementary School

Fort Dodge Comm School District

Fort Dodge, 50501 / Town: Remote

Record1–5Primary461 students

Manson Northwest Webster Elementary

Manson Northwest Webster Comm School District

Barnum, 50518 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary429 students

Early Childhood Center

Fort Dodge Comm School District

Fort Dodge, 50501 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–KGPrimary385 students

Butler Elementary School

Fort Dodge Comm School District

Fort Dodge, 50501 / Town: Remote

Record1–5Primary379 students

Southeast Valley High School

Prairie Valley Comm School District

Gowrie, 50543 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High331 students

Southeast Webster-Grand Southeast Valley Middle

Southeast Webster Grand Comm School District

Burnside, 50521 / Rural: Distant

Record5–8Middle324 students

Cooper Elementary School

Fort Dodge Comm School District

Fort Dodge, 50501 / Town: Remote

Record1–5Primary252 students

Feelhaver Elementary School

Fort Dodge Comm School District

Fort Dodge, 50501 / Town: Remote

Record1–5Primary219 students

Dayton Center

Southeast Webster Grand Comm School District

Dayton, 50530 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary199 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,499

State avg $7,591

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Webster 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 Webster County?

Webster County has a school score of 47/100, 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 Webster County?

The high school graduation rate in Webster County is 88.6%, 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 Webster County spend per student?

Webster County spends $7,499 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 Webster County, Iowa — FAQ

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

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

What is the school experience like in Webster County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Floyd County

Iowa

-0 pts

47/100

School score

Polk County

Iowa

+0 pts

47/100

School score

Adams County

Iowa

-1 pts

46/100

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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