Total enrollment
1,210
-40 (-3%) vs SY 2020-21
Monona County
Iowa · Public K-12
For a Iowa county, Monona County operates a compact public-school system: 7 schools and 1,210 students, broken out as 3 elementary, 1 middle, and 3 high.
4-year change in Monona County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
7
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Monona County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Iowa | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 71.2% | #51 of 89 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,210 | #83 of 90 | #2,630 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 7 | #67 of 90 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 11.4:1 | #1 of 90 | #377 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 46.8% | #25 of 90 | #1,789 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 27.3% | #43 of 89 | #1,889 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.
Residents
8,557
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
7
3 districts
Enrollment
1,210
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$68,377
Below Iowa avg
Free/reduced lunch
46.8%
Above Iowa avg
Elementary
3
612 students
Middle
1
120 students
High
3
478 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
West Monona Comm School District
633 students · 3 districts in Monona County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Monona 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+
19.6%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.4%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
1.6%
civilian labor
Median age
44
22.6% under 18
Test scores in Monona County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 5 schools ranked. Iowa state average: 73.7%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- West Monona High School· 84.6%
- West Monona Middle School· 81.6%
- Maple Valley-Anthon Oto High School· 79.5%
- Mapleton Elementary School· 77.9%
- West Monona Elementary· 68.5%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Monona Elementary | Onawa | Elementary | PK-05 | 352 | · |
| Maple Valley-Anthon Oto High School | Mapleton | High | 09-12 | 256 | · |
| Mapleton Elementary School | Mapleton | Elementary | PK-05 | 182 | · |
| West Monona High School | Onawa | High | 09-12 | 161 | · |
| West Monona Middle School | Onawa | Middle | 06-08 | 120 | · |
| Whiting Elementary School | Whiting | Elementary | PK-06 | 78 | · |
| Whiting Senior High School | Whiting | High | 07-12 | 61 | · |
Cities in Monona County
About Monona County
Across the sparse Iowa county of Monona County of about 8,557 residents, the public-school footprint covers 7 schools and about 1,210 students.
Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show the median household earns about $68,377 a year, about 20% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 6%.
On the school-mix side, Monona County consists of 3 elementary schools (612 students), 1 middle school (120), and 3 high schools (478).
The largest single district in Monona County is West Monona Comm School District, which alone enrolls about 633 students.
Over the past 4-year window. Combined enrollment now sits at 1,210 students, declined 3% from the 1,250 reported in SY 2020-21.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Monona County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data