Total enrollment
10,378
+200 (+2%) vs SY 2020-21
Warren County
Iowa · Public K-12
In Warren County, Iowa, the public-school system rolls up to 20 schools and roughly 10,473 K-12 students, with county median household income around $94,588. The level mix is 11 elementary, 4 middle, and 5 high schools.
4-year change in Warren County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
19
-1 (-5%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Warren County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Iowa | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 76.8% | #25 of 89 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 10,473 | #11 of 90 | #787 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 20 | #12 of 90 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 14.9:1 | #84 of 90 | #1,746 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 24.1% | #88 of 90 | #2,470 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 25.1% | #46 of 89 | #1,963 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.
Warren County school rankings
Residents
54,409
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
20
5 districts
Enrollment
10,473
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$94,588
Above Iowa avg
Free/reduced lunch
24.1%
Below Iowa avg
Elementary
11
4,763 students
Middle
4
2,255 students
High
5
3,455 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Indianola Comm School District
3,599 students · 5 districts in Warren County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Warren 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+
33.3%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
2.7%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.4%
civilian labor
Median age
39
24.4% under 18
Test scores in Warren County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 18 schools ranked. Iowa state average: 73.7%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Wilder Elementary School· 65.8%
- Emerson Elementary School· 67.3%
- Norwalk Middle School· 75.2%
- Carlisle Middle School· 76.0%
- Martensdale Elementary School· 77.1%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianola High School | Indianola | High | 09-12 | 1,165 | · |
| Norwalk Senior High School | Norwalk | High | 09-12 | 1,035 | · |
| Norwalk Middle School | Norwalk | Middle | 06-08 | 824 | · |
| Indianola Middle School | Indianola | Middle | 06-08 | 818 | · |
| Carlisle High School | Carlisle | High | 09-12 | 754 | · |
| Carlisle Elementary School | Carlisle | Elementary | PK-03 | 715 | · |
| Orchard Hills Elementary | Norwalk | Elementary | 02-03 | 558 | · |
| Lakewood Elementary School | Norwalk | Elementary | 04-05 | 554 | · |
| Oviatt Elementary School | Norwalk | Elementary | PK-01 | 548 | · |
| Carlisle Middle School | Carlisle | Middle | 06-08 | 518 | · |
| Wilder Elementary School | Indianola | Elementary | KG-05 | 456 | · |
| Emerson Elementary School | Indianola | Elementary | KG-05 | 396 | · |
| Irving Elementary School | Indianola | Elementary | KG-05 | 395 | · |
| Whittier Elementary School | Indianola | Elementary | PK-05 | 369 | · |
| Martensdale Elementary School | Martensdale | Elementary | PK-06 | 307 | · |
| Hartford Upper Elementary | Hartford | Elementary | 04-05 | 303 | · |
| Southeast Warren Jr-Sr High School | Liberty Center | High | 05-12 | 276 | · |
| Martensdale-St Marys Jr-Sr High School | Martensdale | High | 07-12 | 225 | · |
| Southeast Warren Primary | Milo | Elementary | PK-04 | 162 | · |
| Southeast Warren Intermediate | Lacona | Middle | 04-06 | 95 | · |
Cities in Warren County
About Warren County
In Iowa, Warren County is a compact county of about 54,409 residents. 20 public schools across the county instructs about 10,473 students between them.
In context, census numbers show median household income runs near $94,588, 33% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 3% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 32% above the Iowa median.
On the school-mix side, Warren County is made up of 11 elementary schools (4,763 students), 4 middle schools (2,255), and 5 high schools (3,455).
Indianola Comm School District is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 3,599 students across Warren County.
Looking at the last 4 years. Combined enrollment now sits at 10,378 students, stayed largely flat from the 10,178 reported in SY 2020-21. The school count fell from 20 to 19 across the same 4-year window.
On allk12, the community for Warren County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data