Total enrollment
3,222
-47 (-1%) vs SY 2020-21
Fayette County
Iowa · Public K-12
Fayette County serves about 3,222 K-12 students across 15 public schools, an average of roughly 215 students per school. That works out to 6 elementary, 3 middle, and 4 high schools.
4-year change in Fayette County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
14
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Fayette County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Iowa | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 68.8% | #64 of 89 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 3,222 | #34 of 90 | #1,769 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 14 | #24 of 90 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.7:1 | #16 of 90 | #791 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 45.8% | #30 of 90 | #1,826 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 22.4% | #54 of 89 | #2,043 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.
Fayette County school rankings
Residents
19,288
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
15
4 districts
Enrollment
3,222
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$60,165
Below Iowa avg
Free/reduced lunch
45.8%
Above Iowa avg
Elementary
6
1,344 students
Middle
3
775 students
High
4
928 students
Combined / other
2
175 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Oelwein Comm School District
1,326 students · 4 districts in Fayette County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Fayette 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+
20.7%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
7.6%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.2%
civilian labor
Median age
44
21.4% under 18
Test scores in Fayette County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 13 schools ranked. Iowa state average: 73.7%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- North Fayette Valley High School· 83.2%
- Valley Elementary School· 82.6%
- Starmont Middle School· 79.1%
- North Fayette Valley Middle School· 77.2%
- West Union Elementary School· 77.1%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Oelwein Online School· 46.5%
- Oelwein Middle School· 56.4%
- Oelwein High School· 60.0%
- Starmont Elementary School· 66.6%
- West Central PK - 8 School· 67.8%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oelwein Middle School | Oelwein | Middle | 05-08 | 350 | · |
| Oelwein High School | Oelwein | High | 09-12 | 334 | · |
| North Fayette Valley High School | West Union | High | 09-12 | 323 | · |
| North Fayette Valley Middle School | Elgin | Middle | 05-08 | 312 | · |
| Wings Park Elementary School | Oelwein | Elementary | 01-04 | 294 | · |
| Starmont Elementary School | Arlington | Elementary | PK-05 | 244 | · |
| West Central PK - 8 School | Maynard | Elementary | PK-08 | 236 | · |
| West Union Elementary School | West Union | Elementary | PK-03 | 228 | · |
| Oelwein Online School | Oelwein | Combined | PK-12 | 175 | · |
| Starmont High School | Arlington | High | 09-12 | 174 | · |
| Little Husky Learning Center | Oelwein | Elementary | PK-KG | 173 | · |
| Valley Elementary School | Elgin | Elementary | PK-04 | 169 | · |
| Starmont Middle School | Arlington | Middle | 06-08 | 113 | · |
| West Central Charter High School | Maynard | High | 09-12 | 97 | · |
| Fayette Elementary | Fayette | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Fayette County
About Fayette County
In Iowa, Fayette County is a small county of about 19,288 residents. 15 public schools across the county serves about 3,222 students between them.
Zooming out, census numbers show the median household earns about $60,165 a year, roughly 21% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 16% noticeably below the Iowa median.
Looking at the level breakdown, Fayette County is made up of 6 elementary schools (1,344 students), 3 middle schools (775), 4 high schools (928), and 2 combined or other schools.
Oelwein Comm School District dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 1,326 students on its own.
Over the past 4-year window. Total public-school enrollment in Fayette County has stayed largely flat since SY 2020-21, moving from about 3,269 students to 3,222.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Fayette County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data