Total enrollment
77,436
-1,494 (-2%) vs SY 2017-18
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.
7-year change in Polk County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
132
+2 (+2%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
54%
was 62%
% Hispanic
20%
was 16%
% Black
14%
was 11%
% Asian
6%
was 6%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
137
13 districts
Enrollment
77,436
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Findley Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-06 | 324 | · |
| King Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 315 | · |
| Cattell Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 314 | · |
| Hanawalt Elementary | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 312 | · |
| Jefferson Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-05 | 312 | · |
| Howe Elementary | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 297 | · |
| Stowe Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 297 | · |
| Greenwood Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-05 | 293 | · |
| Mitchell Early Childhood Center | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-PK | 292 | · |
| Oak Park | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 288 | · |
| Madison Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-05 | 285 | · |
| Moore Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 285 | · |
| Hillis Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 279 | · |
| McKinley Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-05 | 275 | · |
| Wright Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 265 | · |
| Phillips Elementary | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 263 | · |
| Runnells Elementary | Runnells | Elementary | PK-05 | 260 | · |
| Edmunds Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 259 | · |
| Walnut Street School | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-05 | 257 | · |
| Mitchellville Elementary | Mitchellville | Elementary | PK-05 | 255 | · |
| Windsor Elementary | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 254 | · |
| Willard Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 247 | · |
| Pleasant Hill Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-05 | 241 | · |
| McKee Elementary School | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-PK | 235 | · |
| Karen Acres Elementary School | Urbandale | Elementary | KG-05 | 233 | · |
| Woodlawn Early Childhood Center | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-PK | 216 | · |
| Downtown School | Des Moines | Elementary | KG-05 | 197 | · |
| Jessie Franklin Taylor | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-PK | 195 | · |
| Walnut Creek Campus | West Des Moines | High | 09-12 | 152 | · |
| Horizon Science Academy Des Moines | Des Moines | Elementary | PK-04 | 150 | · |
| Ruby Van Meter | Des Moines | Combined | KG-12 | 109 | · |
| Great Oaks High School and Career Center | Des Moines | High | 09-12 | 72 | · |
| Karen Acres Elementary School | Urbandale | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| Learning Resource Center | West Des Moines | Elementary | PK-PK | · | · |
| OEN - Des Moines Prep | Des Moines | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Southeast Polk Junior High | Pleasant Hill | High | 08-09 | · | · |
| Valerius Elementary School | Urbandale | Combined | M-M | · | · |
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 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment held roughly steady: 78,930 students in SY 2017-18 versus 77,436 in SY 2024-25. Polk County now counts 132 public schools, up from 130 in SY 2017-18. On the demographic side, White enrollment moved from 62% to 54% over the same window.
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
Polk County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data