Total enrollment
13,164
-34 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Dubuque County
Iowa · Public K-12
Inside Dubuque County, Iowa, public K-12 schools number 26 and serve about 13,164 students out of a population of 99,030. By grade band, the county runs 17 elementary, 4 middle, and 5 high schools.
4-year change in Dubuque County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
26
+2 (+8%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Dubuque County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Iowa | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 69.8% | #58 of 89 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 13,164 | #9 of 90 | #664 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 26 | #9 of 90 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.9:1 | #20 of 90 | #859 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 39.5% | #54 of 90 | #2,119 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 38.4% | #27 of 89 | #1,532 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.
Dubuque County school rankings
Residents
99,030
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
26
2 districts
Enrollment
13,164
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$77,630
Above Iowa avg
Free/reduced lunch
39.5%
Below Iowa avg
Elementary
17
5,901 students
Middle
4
2,706 students
High
5
4,557 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Dubuque Comm School District
9,843 students · 2 districts in Dubuque County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Dubuque 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+
33.4%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
5.8%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.7%
civilian labor
Median age
39
22.5% under 18
Test scores in Dubuque County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 25 schools ranked. Iowa state average: 73.7%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Western Dubuque High School· 86.3%
- Peosta Elementary School· 82.8%
- Drexler Middle School· 82.7%
- Carver Elementary School· 82.2%
- Bryant Elementary School· 81.7%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Prescott Elementary School· 40.6%
- Audubon Elementary School· 43.5%
- Lincoln Elementary School· 49.0%
- Dubuque Online School· 50.0%
- Thomas Jefferson Middle School· 54.0%
Cities in Dubuque County
About Dubuque County
Dubuque County is a medium-population Iowa county of about 99,030 residents, home to 26 public schools and roughly 13,164 students.
Looking at the wider area, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $77,630, 33% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate is around 6%. That income level is 8% higher than the Iowa median.
On the school-mix side, Dubuque County consists of 17 elementary schools (5,901 students), 4 middle schools (2,706), and 5 high schools (4,557).
Dubuque Comm School District is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 9,843 students across Dubuque County.
Looking at the last 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment held roughly steady: 13,198 students in SY 2020-21 versus 13,164 in SY 2024-25. Dubuque County now counts 26 public schools, up from 24 in SY 2020-21.
On this page, the community for Dubuque County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data