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Clay County

Iowa · Public K-12

Inside Clay County, Iowa, public K-12 schools number 6 and serve about 2,147 students out of a population of 16,461. By grade band, the county runs 4 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools.

7-year change in Clay County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
2,147
-153 (-7%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
6
-1 (-14%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
84%
was 90%
% Hispanic
9%
was 7%
% Black
2%
was 2%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
6
2 districts
Enrollment
2,147
NCES CCD
Median income
$65,428
Below Iowa avg
Free/reduced lunch
50.7%
Above Iowa avg
Elementary
4
945 students
Middle
1
514 students
High
1
688 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Spencer Comm School District
2,094 students · 2 districts in Clay County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Clay County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".

County residents
White
93%
Hispanic
5%
Black
0%
Asian
1%
Two or more
4%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
School enrollment
White
84%
Hispanic
9%
Black
2%
Asian
1%
Two or more
4%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Bachelor's+
27.5%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.6%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.5%
civilian labor
Median age
42
23.3% under 18

Test scores in Clay County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 3 schools ranked. Iowa state average: 73.7%.

See all 3 schools in Clay County ranked by score →

All schools (6)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
Spencer High SchoolSpencerHigh09-12688·
Spencer Middle SchoolSpencerMiddle06-08514·
Lincoln Elementary SchoolSpencerElementary03-05442·
Fairview Park ElementarySpencerElementary01-02249·
Johnson ElementarySpencerElementaryPK-KG201·
Clay Central-Everly ElementaryRoyalElementaryPK-0653·

Cities in Clay County

Spencer5 schoolsRoyal1 school

About Clay County

Clay County is a compact Iowa county of about 16,461 residents, home to 6 public schools and roughly 2,147 students.

In context, census numbers show the median household earns about $65,428 a year, about 28% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 7%. That income level is 9% meaningfully below the Iowa median.

For a sense of the school types, Clay County comprises 4 elementary schools (945 students), 1 middle school (514), and 1 high school (688).

The largest single district in Clay County is Spencer Comm School District, which alone enrolls about 2,094 students.

Five-year track record. Total public-school enrollment in Clay County has shrank 7% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 2,300 students to 2,147. The school count fell from 7 to 6 across the same 7-year window. Demographically, the White share of enrollment contracted from 90% to 84%.

On this page, the community for Clay County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.

Frequently asked questions

How many public schools are in Clay County?
Clay County, Iowa has 6 public K-12 schools serving approximately 2,147 students.
How many high schools are in Clay County?
Clay County, Iowa has 1 public high school, serving approximately 688 students.
How many middle schools are in Clay County?
Clay County, Iowa has 1 public middle school, serving approximately 514 students.
How many elementary schools are in Clay County?
Clay County, Iowa has 4 public elementary schools, serving approximately 945 students.
What is the largest school district in Clay County?
Spencer Comm School District is the largest school district in Clay County, serving approximately 2,094 students. The county contains 2 school districts overall.
What is the population of Clay County?
Clay County, Iowa has a population of approximately 16,461, with a median age of 42. About 23.3% of residents are under 18.
What is the median household income in Clay County?
Median household income in Clay County is $65,428, below the Iowa average of $71,592. About 6.6% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Clay County?
Approximately 27.5% of adults 25 and older in Clay County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Clay County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 50.7% of students in Clay County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is higher than the Iowa county average of 41.8%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Clay County schools?
Across Clay County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 15.4 to 1.
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data