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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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