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Pocahontas County

Iowa · Public K-12

Iowa's Pocahontas County runs 4 public K-12 schools between its districts, the largest being Pocahontas Area Comm School District at 659 students. That works out to 2 elementary and 2 high schools.

7-year change in Pocahontas County

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Total enrollment
806
-63 (-7%) vs SY 2017-18
School count
4
-1 (-20%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
80%
was 89%
% Hispanic
12%
was 6%
% Black
1%
was 2%
% Asian
0%
was 0%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
4
2 districts
Enrollment
806
NCES CCD
Median income
$61,875
Below Iowa avg
Free/reduced lunch
50.0%
Above Iowa avg
Elementary
2
412 students
Middle
0
schools
High
2
394 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Pocahontas Area Comm School District
659 students · 2 districts in Pocahontas County

County vs. school enrollment demographics

Left bar is the racial makeup of Pocahontas 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
White
90%
Hispanic
6%
Black
1%
Asian
0%
Two or more
5%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
1%
School enrollment
White
80%
Hispanic
12%
Black
1%
Asian
0%
Two or more
5%
Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
3%
Bachelor's+
18.7%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.2%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.4%
civilian labor
Median age
44
23.3% under 18

Test scores in Pocahontas County

Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 3 schools ranked. Iowa state average: 73.7%.

See all 3 schools in Pocahontas County ranked by score →

All schools (4)

LargestA-ZTop rated
NameCityLevelGradesEnrollmentRating
Pocahontas Area Middle/ High SchoolPocahontasHigh07-12367·
Pocahontas Area Elementary SchoolPocahontasElementaryKG-06265·
Laurens-Marathon Elementary SchoolLaurensElementaryPK-06147·
Pocahontas Area Regional Learning CenterPocahontasHigh09-1227·

Cities in Pocahontas County

Pocahontas3 schoolsLaurens1 school

About Pocahontas County

Pocahontas County is a small Iowa county of about 7,046 residents, home to 4 public schools and roughly 806 students.

Looking at the wider area, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $61,875, about 19% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 6%. That income level is 14% noticeably below the Iowa median.

On the level-by-level breakdown, Pocahontas County is built around 2 elementary schools (412 students), and 2 high schools (394).

The largest single district in Pocahontas County is Pocahontas Area Comm School District, which alone enrolls about 659 students.

Over the past 7-year window. Total public-school enrollment in Pocahontas County has decreased 7% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 869 students to 806. The school count fell from 5 to 4 across the same 7-year window. On the demographic side, White enrollment moved from 89% to 80% over the same window.

In the discussion threads here, the community for Pocahontas County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.

Frequently asked questions

How many public schools are in Pocahontas County?
Pocahontas County, Iowa has 4 public K-12 schools serving approximately 806 students.
How many high schools are in Pocahontas County?
Pocahontas County, Iowa has 2 public high schools, serving approximately 394 students.
How many elementary schools are in Pocahontas County?
Pocahontas County, Iowa has 2 public elementary schools, serving approximately 412 students.
What is the largest school district in Pocahontas County?
Pocahontas Area Comm School District is the largest school district in Pocahontas County, serving approximately 659 students. The county contains 2 school districts overall.
How many people live in Pocahontas County?
Pocahontas County has roughly 7,046 residents according to the latest Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What is the median household income in Pocahontas County?
Median household income in Pocahontas County is $61,875, below the Iowa average of $71,592. About 6.2% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
How educated are residents of Pocahontas County?
Approximately 18.7% of adults 25 and older in Pocahontas County hold a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
What share of students in Pocahontas County qualify for free or reduced lunch?
Roughly 50.0% of students in Pocahontas County public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common proxy for low-income enrollment. This is higher than the Iowa county average of 41.8%.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Pocahontas County schools?
Across Pocahontas County public schools, the enrollment-weighted student-teacher ratio is approximately 14.5 to 1.
What is the racial makeup of Pocahontas County?
Pocahontas County residents are approximately 90% White, 6% Hispanic, 1% Black, 0% Asian, 5% two or more races according to the Census ACS 5-year estimate.
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data