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The highest-poverty public schools in Iowa

Across Iowa, 1,225 public schools are ranked here, ranked by share of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Meskwaki Settlement School leads the list at 99.0%, against a median of 39.4% across the ranked schools.

The table below is sortable and filterable, and the full list downloads as a CSV. Figures come from federal NCES enrollment data and, where applicable, state assessment results for 2024-25.

Schools ranked
1,225
Iowa
Top % FRL
99.0%
Median % FRL
39.4%
HIGHEST POVERTY · IOWA
#SchoolCityDistrictLevelStudents% FRL
1Meskwaki Settlement SchoolTama, IAMeskwaki Settlement SchoolCombined29499.0%
2North Middle SchoolSioux City, IASioux City Comm School DistrictMiddle1,13697.2%
3King Elementary SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary31596.2%
4Moulton Elementary SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary46594.2%
5Edmunds Elementary SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary25993.8%
6Hiatt Middle SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictMiddle48893.4%
7Hunt Elementary SchoolSioux City, IASioux City Comm School DistrictElementary45192.9%
8Irving Elementary SchoolSioux City, IASioux City Comm School DistrictElementary60592.9%
9Carver ElementaryDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary43692.4%
10Capitol View Elementary SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary53392.3%
11Cunningham SchoolWaterloo, IAWaterloo Comm School DistrictElementary44391.4%
12Howe ElementaryDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary29790.9%
13George Washington Carver AcademyWaterloo, IAWaterloo Comm School DistrictMiddle45590.5%
14Monroe Elementary SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary34190.3%
15Highland Elementary SchoolWaterloo, IAWaterloo Comm School DistrictElementary44889.5%
16Garton ElementaryDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary53589.3%
17Lovejoy Elementary SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary39489.3%
18Irving Elementary SchoolWaterloo, IAWaterloo Comm School DistrictElementary35389.2%
19Madison Elementary SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary28588.8%
20Willard Elementary SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary24788.7%
21Harding Middle SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictMiddle60388.6%
22Jessie Franklin TaylorDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary19588.2%
23Morris Elementary SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary51987.7%
24Hoover Elementary SchoolCedar Rapids, IACedar Rapids Comm School DistrictElementary42087.6%
25Weeks Middle SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictMiddle68887.4%
26McKinley Elementary SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary27586.9%
27River Woods Elementary SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary49386.8%
28Cattell Elementary SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary31486.3%
29Studebaker Elementary SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary56186.3%
30Rogers Elementary SchoolMarshalltown, IAMarshalltown Comm School DistrictElementary25386.2%
31Garfield Elementary SchoolCedar Rapids, IACedar Rapids Comm School DistrictElementary20285.6%
32Findley Elementary SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary32485.2%
33Central Middle SchoolWaterloo, IAWaterloo Comm School DistrictMiddle46985.1%
34South Union Elementary SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary42284.8%
35Liberty Elementary SchoolSioux City, IASioux City Comm School DistrictElementary65984.8%
36Goodrell Middle SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictMiddle51184.7%
37Stowe Elementary SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary29784.2%
38Crestview School of InquiryClive, IAWest Des Moines Comm School DistrictElementary55884.1%
39North High SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictHigh1,42884.0%
40Anson Elementary SchoolMarshalltown, IAMarshalltown Comm School DistrictElementary28683.9%
41Cora B Darling ElementaryPostville, IAPostville Comm School DistrictElementary36383.7%
42Van Buren Elementary SchoolCedar Rapids, IACedar Rapids Comm School DistrictElementary42983.7%
43McCombs Middle SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictMiddle67083.3%
44Brubaker Elementary SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary62283.3%
45Hoyt Middle SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictMiddle45582.6%
46Park Ave Elementary SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary38082.6%
47Woodbury Elementary SchoolMarshalltown, IAMarshalltown Comm School DistrictElementary38782.2%
48Prescott Elementary SchoolDubuque, IADubuque Comm School DistrictElementary35281.5%
49Lincoln Elementary SchoolWaterloo, IAWaterloo Comm School DistrictElementary46381.0%
50Jackson Elementary SchoolDes Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School DistrictElementary49080.6%
Page 1 of 25 · top 1,225 of 1,225 ranked. NCES + state assessment data, 2024-25.↓ Download full CSV

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DATA NOTICE

allk12 is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NCES, the US Census Bureau, any state education agency or assessment program, or any other government agency. Source data is compiled from public records and provided "as is," without warranty of accuracy or completeness. You rely on it, and any analysis derived from it, at your own risk. See the full disclaimer.