Total enrollment
77,436
-547 (-1%) vs SY 2020-21
Polk County
Iowa · Public K-12
Polk County, Iowa's 137 public schools span elementary through high school (91 elementary, 21 middle, and 22 high). Total enrollment is roughly 77,436 students.
4-year change in Polk County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
132
+3 (+2%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Polk County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Iowa | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 65.0% | #76 of 89 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 77,436 | #1 of 90 | #133 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 132 | #1 of 90 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 15.4:1 | #87 of 90 | #1,905 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 49.1% | #21 of 90 | #1,674 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 64.4% | #3 of 89 | #347 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.
Polk County school rankings
Residents
503,175
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
137
13 districts
Enrollment
77,436
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$83,576
Above Iowa avg
Free/reduced lunch
49.1%
Above Iowa avg
Elementary
91
38,472 students
Middle
21
13,968 students
High
22
24,887 students
Combined / other
3
109 students
LARGEST DISTRICT
Des Moines Independent Comm School District
29,676 students · 13 districts in Polk County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Polk 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+
40.3%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
7.1%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.4%
civilian labor
Median age
36
24.4% under 18
Test scores in Polk County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 119 schools ranked. Iowa state average: 73.7%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Northview Middle School· 92.9%
- Runnells Elementary· 91.2%
- Mitchellville Elementary· 90.8%
- North Polk Middle School· 90.5%
- Prairie Trail Elementary· 90.2%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Edmunds Elementary School· 34.5%
- King Elementary School· 36.1%
- Monroe Elementary School· 39.0%
- Park Ave Elementary School· 39.0%
- Carver Elementary· 39.2%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School | Des Moines | High | 09-12 | 2,364 | · |
| Valley High School | West Des Moines | High | 10-12 | 2,178 | · |
| Roosevelt High School | Des Moines | High | 09-12 | 2,051 | · |
| East High School | Des Moines | High | 09-12 | 1,952 | · |
| Johnston Senior High School | Johnston | High | 10-12 | 1,820 | · |
| Southeast Polk High School | Pleasant Hill | High | 10-12 | 1,722 | · |
| Ankeny Centennial High School | Ankeny | High | 10-12 | 1,470 | · |
| North High School | Des Moines | High | 09-12 | 1,428 | · |
| Ankeny High School | Ankeny | High | 10-12 | 1,375 | · |
| Urbandale High School | Urbandale | High | 09-12 | 1,301 | · |
| Johnston Middle School | Johnston | High | 08-09 | 1,161 | · |
| Summit Middle School | Johnston | Middle | 06-07 | 1,118 | · |
| Southeast Polk Middle School | Altoona | Middle | 06-07 | 1,112 | · |
| Northview Middle School | Ankeny | High | 08-09 | 1,021 | · |
| Prairie Ridge Middle School | Ankeny | Middle | 06-07 | 1,004 | · |
| Southview Middle School | Ankeny | High | 08-09 | 913 | · |
| Hoover High School | Des Moines | High | 09-12 | 898 | · |
| Urbandale Middle School | Urbandale | Middle | 06-08 | 892 | · |
| Parkview Middle School | Ankeny | Middle | 06-07 | 865 | · |
| Bondurant-Farrar High School | Bondurant | High | 09-12 | 849 | · |
| Henry A Wallace Elementary School | Johnston | Elementary | PK-05 | 840 | · |
| Westridge Elementary | West Des Moines | Elementary | PK-06 | 744 | · |
| Clay Elementary | Altoona | Elementary | PK-05 | 700 | · |
| Weeks Middle School | Des Moines | Middle | 06-08 | 688 | · |
| Valley Southwoods | West Des Moines | High | 09-09 | 678 | · |
| McCombs Middle School | Des Moines | Middle | 06-08 | 670 | · |
| Timber Ridge Elementary | Johnston | Elementary | KG-05 | 667 | · |
| Meredith Middle School | Des Moines | Middle | 06-08 | 662 | · |
| Indian Hills Junior High School | Clive | Middle | 07-08 | 661 | · |
| Merrill Middle School | Des Moines | Middle | 06-08 | 657 | · |
| Jordan Creek Elementary School | West Des Moines | Elementary | PK-06 | 652 | · |
| Stilwell Junior High School | West Des Moines | Middle | 07-08 | 645 | · |
| North Polk High School | Alleman | High | 09-12 | 644 | · |
| Brody Middle School | Des Moines | Middle | 06-08 | 641 | · |
| Rock Creek Elementary | Ankeny | Elementary | KG-05 | 639 | · |
| Brubaker Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 622 | · |
| Olmsted Elementary School | Urbandale | Elementary | PK-05 | 622 | · |
| Horizon Elementary | Johnston | Elementary | KG-05 | 613 | · |
| Heritage Elementary | Ankeny | Elementary | KG-05 | 604 | · |
| Harding Middle School | Des Moines | Middle | 06-08 | 603 | · |
| Morris Elementary | Bondurant | Elementary | PK-02 | 601 | · |
| Valerius Elementary School | Urbandale | Elementary | PK-05 | 598 | · |
| Northeast Elementary | Ankeny | Elementary | KG-05 | 595 | · |
| Southeast Elementary School | Ankeny | Elementary | KG-05 | 585 | · |
| Beaver Creek Elementary School | Johnston | Elementary | KG-05 | 575 | · |
| Western Hills Elementary School | West Des Moines | Elementary | PK-06 | 570 | · |
| Studebaker Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 561 | · |
| Crestview School of Inquiry | Clive | Elementary | PK-06 | 558 | · |
| Cornell Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-04 | 555 | · |
| Callanan Middle School | Des Moines | Middle | 06-08 | 553 | · |
| Clive Learning Academy | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-06 | 551 | · |
| Westwood Elementary School | Ankeny | Elementary | KG-05 | 551 | · |
| Ashland Ridge Elementary | Ankeny | Elementary | KG-05 | 548 | · |
| Hillside Elementary School | West Des Moines | Elementary | PK-06 | 548 | · |
| Lawson Elementary School | Johnston | Elementary | KG-05 | 545 | · |
| Fairmeadows Elementary School | West Des Moines | Elementary | PK-06 | 542 | · |
| Garton Elementary | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-05 | 535 | · |
| Capitol View Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-05 | 533 | · |
| Anderson Elementary School | Bondurant | Elementary | 02-04 | 531 | · |
| Crossroads Park Elementary School | West Des Moines | Elementary | KG-06 | 530 | · |
| Heritage Elementary | Grimes | Elementary | PK-04 | 530 | · |
| Prairie Trail Elementary | Ankeny | Elementary | KG-05 | 526 | · |
| Willowbrook Elementary | Altoona | Elementary | PK-05 | 523 | · |
| Morris Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 519 | · |
| Webster Elementary School | Urbandale | Elementary | PK-05 | 519 | · |
| Goodrell Middle School | Des Moines | Middle | 06-08 | 511 | · |
| North Polk Middle School | Alleman | Middle | 06-08 | 504 | · |
| Four Mile Elementary | Pleasant Hill | Elementary | PK-05 | 495 | · |
| River Woods Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 493 | · |
| Jackson Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-05 | 490 | · |
| Crocker Elementary School | Ankeny | Elementary | KG-05 | 489 | · |
| Hiatt Middle School | Des Moines | Middle | 06-08 | 488 | · |
| Moulton Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-05 | 465 | · |
| Saydel High School | Des Moines | High | 09-12 | 458 | · |
| Hoyt Middle School | Des Moines | Middle | 06-08 | 455 | · |
| Abbie Grove Elementary | Ankeny | Elementary | KG-05 | 445 | · |
| Bondurant - Farrar Intermediate School | Bondurant | Middle | 05-06 | 445 | · |
| Delaware Elementary | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-05 | 440 | · |
| Perkins Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 438 | · |
| Carver Elementary | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-05 | 436 | · |
| South Prairie Elementary | Grimes | Elementary | KG-04 | 436 | · |
| Altoona Elementary | Altoona | Elementary | PK-05 | 429 | · |
| Centennial Elementary | Altoona | Elementary | PK-05 | 423 | · |
| South Union Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 422 | · |
| North Ridge Elementary | Grimes | Elementary | KG-04 | 412 | · |
| East Elementary School | Ankeny | Elementary | KG-05 | 409 | · |
| North Polk Central Elementary School | Alleman | Elementary | PK-05 | 408 | · |
| Bondurant-Farrar Junior High | Bondurant | Middle | 07-08 | 398 | · |
| North Polk West Elementary School | Polk City | Elementary | PK-02 | 396 | · |
| Woodside Middle School | Des Moines | Middle | 05-08 | 396 | · |
| Lovejoy Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 394 | · |
| Cowles Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-08 | 392 | · |
| Samuelson Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 386 | · |
| Park Ave Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 380 | · |
| Virtual Campus | Des Moines | High | 09-12 | 380 | · |
| Hubbell Elementary | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 362 | · |
| Terrace Learning Center | Ankeny | Elementary | PK-PK | 361 | · |
| Big Creek Elementary | Polk City | Elementary | 03-05 | 357 | · |
| Northwest Elementary School | Ankeny | Elementary | KG-05 | 346 | · |
| Monroe Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 341 | · |
Cities in Polk County
About Polk County
In Iowa, Polk County is a large county of about 503,175 residents. 137 public schools across the county teaches about 77,436 students between them.
Zooming out, census numbers show the median household earns about $83,576 a year, roughly 40% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate is around 7%. That income level is 17% above the Iowa median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Polk County comprises 91 elementary schools (38,472 students), 21 middle schools (13,968), 22 high schools (24,887), and 3 combined or other schools.
Des Moines Independent Comm School District dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 29,676 students on its own.
Trend over the past 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment held roughly steady: 77,983 students in SY 2020-21 versus 77,436 in SY 2024-25. Polk County now counts 132 public schools, up from 129 in SY 2020-21.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Polk County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data