Total enrollment
3,007
-89 (-3%) vs SY 2020-21
Crawford County
Iowa · Public K-12
Combined enrollment across Crawford County's 11 public schools is roughly 3,007 students, an average of about 273 per school. Denison Comm School District runs the largest share. That works out to 6 elementary, 3 middle, and 2 high schools.
4-year change in Crawford County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
11
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Crawford County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Iowa | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 71.9% | #46 of 89 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 3,007 | #37 of 90 | #1,841 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 11 | #37 of 90 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 14.1:1 | #60 of 90 | #1,399 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 59.3% | #4 of 90 | #1,146 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 55.5% | #10 of 89 | #815 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Crawford County school rankings
Residents
16,277
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
11
5 districts
Enrollment
3,007
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$67,027
Below Iowa avg
Free/reduced lunch
59.3%
Above Iowa avg
Elementary
6
1,520 students
Middle
3
602 students
High
2
885 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Denison Comm School District
2,258 students · 5 districts in Crawford County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Crawford 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
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
17.7%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
12.6%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.8%
civilian labor
Median age
38
25.5% under 18
Test scores in Crawford County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 10 schools ranked. Iowa state average: 73.7%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Westside Junior-Senior High School· 92.4%
- Denison Middle School· 80.0%
- Schleswig Elementary School· 78.8%
- Denison High School· 78.5%
- Ar-We-Va Elementary Community School· 77.1%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denison High School | Denison | High | 09-12 | 777 | · |
| Denison Elementary School | Denison | Elementary | PK-03 | 691 | · |
| Denison Middle School | Denison | Middle | 06-08 | 502 | · |
| Broadway Elementary School | Denison | Elementary | 04-05 | 288 | · |
| Boyer Valley Elementary School | Dow City | Elementary | PK-05 | 208 | · |
| Ar-We-Va Elementary Community School | Westside | Elementary | PK-05 | 141 | · |
| Charter Oak-Ute Elementary School | Charter Oak | Elementary | PK-05 | 117 | · |
| Westside Junior-Senior High School | Westside | High | 06-12 | 108 | · |
| Schleswig Elementary School | Schleswig | Elementary | KG-04 | 75 | · |
| Schleswig Middle School | Schleswig | Middle | 05-08 | 51 | · |
| Charter Oak-Ute Junior High School | Charter Oak | Middle | 06-08 | 49 | · |
Cities in Crawford County
About Crawford County
Across the low-population Iowa county of Crawford County of about 16,277 residents, the public-school footprint covers 11 schools and about 3,007 students.
Looking at the wider area, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $67,027, about 18% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 13%. That income level is 6% meaningfully below the Iowa median.
Looking at the level breakdown, Crawford County comprises 6 elementary schools (1,520 students), 3 middle schools (602), and 2 high schools (885).
The largest single district in Crawford County is Denison Comm School District, which alone enrolls about 2,258 students.
Looking at the last 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment shrank 3%: 3,096 students in SY 2020-21 versus 3,007 in SY 2024-25.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Crawford County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data