Total enrollment
35,989
+489 (+1%) vs SY 2020-21
Linn County
Iowa · Public K-12
Of the public K-12 schools operating across Iowa, 83 sit inside Linn County, collectively enrolling roughly 36,480 students (47 elementary, 18 middle, and 16 high).
4-year change in Linn County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
77
+2 (+3%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Linn County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Iowa | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 69.5% | #61 of 89 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 36,480 | #2 of 90 | #290 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 81 | #2 of 90 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 14.6:1 | #76 of 90 | #1,619 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 39.9% | #51 of 90 | #2,098 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 51.3% | #15 of 89 | #1,037 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.
Linn County school rankings
Residents
230,004
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
83
13 districts
Enrollment
36,480
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$77,649
Above Iowa avg
Free/reduced lunch
39.9%
Below Iowa avg
Elementary
47
16,050 students
Middle
18
8,748 students
High
16
11,615 students
Combined / other
2
67 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Cedar Rapids Comm School District
15,494 students · 13 districts in Linn County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Linn 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+
34.7%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.2%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.5%
civilian labor
Median age
39
22.5% under 18
Test scores in Linn County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 68 schools ranked. Iowa state average: 73.7%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Mount Vernon Middle School· 92.4%
- Echo Hill Elementary· 92.3%
- Prairie View Elementary School· 91.9%
- Alburnett Middle School· 90.9%
- North-Linn Middle School· 90.7%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Cedar River Academy at Taylor· 31.9%
- Johnson STEAM Academy School· 35.9%
- Grant Elementary School· 39.9%
- Van Buren Elementary School· 41.9%
- Cleveland Elementary School· 45.8%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linn-Mar High School | Marion | High | 09-12 | 2,229 | · |
| Prairie High School | Cedar Rapids | High | 09-12 | 1,766 | · |
| John F Kennedy High School | Cedar Rapids | High | 09-12 | 1,648 | · |
| Thomas Jefferson High School | Cedar Rapids | High | 09-12 | 1,501 | · |
| George Washington High School | Cedar Rapids | High | 09-12 | 1,182 | · |
| Prairie Point | Cedar Rapids | Middle | 07-08 | 868 | · |
| Prairie Creek | Cedar Rapids | Middle | 05-06 | 846 | · |
| Marion High School | Marion | High | 09-12 | 735 | · |
| Harding Middle School | Cedar Rapids | Middle | 06-08 | 710 | · |
| Boulder Peak Intermediate School | Marion | Middle | 05-06 | 613 | · |
| Excelsior Middle School | Marion | Middle | 07-08 | 594 | · |
| Taft Middle School | Cedar Rapids | Middle | 06-08 | 593 | · |
| Vernon Middle School | Marion | Middle | 05-08 | 587 | · |
| Viola Gibson Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | PK-05 | 565 | · |
| Hazel Point Intermediate School | Marion | Middle | 05-06 | 563 | · |
| West Willow Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | PK-05 | 555 | · |
| Washington Elementary School | Mount Vernon | Elementary | PK-04 | 543 | · |
| Maple Grove Elementary | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | PK-05 | 539 | · |
| Echo Hill Elementary | Marion | Elementary | PK-04 | 536 | · |
| Oak Ridge Middle School | Marion | Middle | 07-08 | 534 | · |
| Roosevelt Creative Corridor Business Academy | Cedar Rapids | Middle | 06-08 | 484 | · |
| Mount Vernon High School | Mount Vernon | High | 09-12 | 470 | · |
| Franklin Middle School | Cedar Rapids | Middle | 06-08 | 469 | · |
| Prairie Hill Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | PK-04 | 466 | · |
| Lisbon Elementary School | Lisbon | Elementary | PK-06 | 461 | · |
| Westfield Elementary School | Robins | Elementary | KG-04 | 445 | · |
| Center Point-Urbana High School | Center Point | High | 09-12 | 440 | · |
| Prairie Ridge Elementary | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | PK-04 | 438 | · |
| Prairie Crest Elementary | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | PK-04 | 434 | · |
| Prairie View Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | PK-04 | 430 | · |
| Trailside Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | KG-05 | 429 | · |
| Van Buren Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | KG-05 | 429 | · |
| McKinley STEAM Academy | Cedar Rapids | Middle | 06-08 | 426 | · |
| Mount Vernon Middle School | Mount Vernon | Middle | 05-08 | 425 | · |
| Wilson Middle School | Cedar Rapids | Middle | 06-08 | 422 | · |
| Hoover Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | KG-05 | 420 | · |
| Bowman Woods Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | PK-04 | 413 | · |
| Prairie Heights Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | PK-04 | 403 | · |
| Alburnett Elementary School | Alburnett | Elementary | PK-05 | 395 | · |
| Kenwood Leadership Academy School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | PK-05 | 386 | · |
| Linn Grove Elementary School | Marion | Elementary | PK-04 | 385 | · |
| Center Point-Urbana Primary School | Center Point | Elementary | PK-02 | 365 | · |
| Grant Wood Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | PK-05 | 356 | · |
| Cedar River Academy at Taylor | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | PK-05 | 355 | · |
| Indian Creek Elementary School | Marion | Elementary | KG-04 | 354 | · |
| Wilkins Elementary School | Marion | Elementary | PK-04 | 348 | · |
| Novak Elementary School | Marion | Elementary | KG-04 | 347 | · |
| Hiawatha Elementary School | Hiawatha | Elementary | PK-05 | 334 | · |
| Pierce Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | KG-05 | 334 | · |
| Johnson STEAM Academy School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | KG-05 | 324 | · |
| Francis Marion Intermediate School | Marion | Elementary | 03-04 | 320 | · |
| Grant Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | KG-05 | 312 | · |
| Erskine Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | KG-05 | 308 | · |
| Lisbon Secondary School | Lisbon | High | 07-12 | 301 | · |
| Springville Elementary School | Springville | Elementary | PK-06 | 294 | · |
| Alburnett Senior High School | Alburnett | High | 09-12 | 293 | · |
| Center Point-Urbana Middle School | Center Point | Middle | 06-08 | 290 | · |
| Nixon Elementary School | Hiawatha | Elementary | PK-05 | 289 | · |
| Metro High School | Cedar Rapids | High | 09-12 | 288 | · |
| Wright Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | PK-05 | 282 | · |
| North Linn Elementary | Troy Mills | Elementary | PK-05 | 281 | · |
| Truman Early Learning Center | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | PK-PK | 279 | · |
| Harrison Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | KG-05 | 277 | · |
| Parkview Elementary School | Marion | Elementary | PK-02 | 267 | · |
| Cleveland Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | KG-05 | 254 | · |
| Longfellow Elementary | Marion | Elementary | PK-02 | 254 | · |
| Arthur Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | KG-05 | 229 | · |
| Garfield Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | KG-05 | 202 | · |
| Central City High School | Central City | High | 06-12 | 200 | · |
| Springville Secondary School | Springville | High | 07-12 | 184 | · |
| Central City Elementary School | Central City | Elementary | KG-05 | 170 | · |
| Alburnett Middle School | Alburnett | Middle | 06-08 | 169 | · |
| North-Linn Senior High School | Troy Mills | High | 09-12 | 158 | · |
| Madison Elementary School | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | KG-05 | 153 | · |
| Empowering Excellence Charter School | Cedar Rapids | High | 09-12 | 120 | · |
| North-Linn Middle School | Troy Mills | Middle | 06-08 | 111 | · |
| City View High | Cedar Rapids | High | 09-11 | 100 | · |
| Prairie Early Childhood Center | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | PK-PK | 74 | · |
| Prairie Crossing | Cedar Rapids | Combined | KG-12 | 67 | · |
| Cedar Rapids Virtual Academy Middle | Cedar Rapids | Middle | 06-08 | 44 | · |
| Cedar Rapids Virtual Academy Elementary | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | KG-05 | 16 | · |
| Emerson Learning Center (HSAP) | Marion | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| OEN - Cedar Rapids Prep | Cedar Rapids | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Linn County
About Linn County
Linn County is a middle-population county of about 230,004 residents in Iowa. Its public-school system serves approximately 36,480 students across 83 schools.
For perspective, census numbers show the median household earns about $77,649 a year, roughly 35% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 6% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 8% noticeably above the Iowa median.
In terms of grade levels, Linn County is built around 47 elementary schools (16,050 students), 18 middle schools (8,748), 16 high schools (11,615), and 2 combined or other schools.
Cedar Rapids Comm School District dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 15,494 students on its own.
Trend over the past 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment stayed largely flat: 35,500 students in SY 2020-21 versus 35,989 in SY 2024-25. The school count climbed from 75 to 77 across the same 4-year window.
On allk12, the community for Linn County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data