Total enrollment
4,678
-467 (-9%) vs SY 2017-18
Webster County
Iowa · Public K-12
Webster County, Iowa's 12 public schools span elementary through high school (7 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high). Total enrollment is roughly 4,678 students.
7-year change in Webster County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
11
0 (0%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
73%
was 77%
% Hispanic
13%
was 10%
% Black
5%
was 6%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
12
4 districts
Enrollment
4,678
NCES CCD
Median income
$68,975
Below Iowa avg
Free/reduced lunch
49.7%
Above Iowa avg
Elementary
7
2,239 students
Middle
2
1,079 students
High
2
1,360 students
Combined / other
1
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Fort Dodge Comm School District
3,385 students · 4 districts in Webster County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Webster 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+
22.0%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.4%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
4.8%
civilian labor
Median age
40
21.4% under 18
Test scores in Webster County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 9 schools ranked. Iowa state average: 73.7%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Southeast Valley Middle School· 76.7%
- Feelhaver Elementary School· 68.0%
- Fort Dodge High School· 65.2%
- Fort Dodge Middle School· 64.7%
- Dayton Center· 62.4%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Cooper Elementary School· 41.5%
- Duncombe Elementary School· 45.1%
- Butler Elementary School· 45.4%
- Southeast Valley High School· 57.0%
- Dayton Center· 62.4%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Dodge High School | Fort Dodge | High | 09-12 | 1,020 | · |
| Fort Dodge Middle School | Fort Dodge | Middle | 06-08 | 765 | · |
| Manson Northwest Webster Elementary | Barnum | Elementary | PK-06 | 439 | · |
| Duncombe Elementary School | Fort Dodge | Elementary | 01-05 | 438 | · |
| Early Childhood Center | Fort Dodge | Elementary | PK-KG | 376 | · |
| Southeast Valley High School | Gowrie | High | 09-12 | 340 | · |
| Butler Elementary School | Fort Dodge | Elementary | 01-05 | 328 | · |
| Southeast Valley Middle School | Burnside | Middle | 05-08 | 314 | · |
| Cooper Elementary School | Fort Dodge | Elementary | 01-05 | 231 | · |
| Feelhaver Elementary School | Fort Dodge | Elementary | 01-05 | 227 | · |
| Dayton Center | Dayton | Elementary | PK-04 | 200 | · |
| Southeast Valley High School | Gowrie | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Webster County
About Webster County
In Iowa, Webster County is a small county of about 36,886 residents. 12 public schools across the county hosts about 4,678 students between them.
Looking at the wider area, census numbers show the median household earns about $68,975 a year, 22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the federal-poverty share is near 6%.
For a sense of the school types, Webster County consists of 7 elementary schools (2,239 students), 2 middle schools (1,079), 2 high schools (1,360), and 1 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Webster County is Fort Dodge Comm School District, which alone enrolls about 3,385 students.
Trend over the past 7 years. Across the same 7-year window, public-school enrollment declined 9%: 5,145 students in SY 2017-18 versus 4,678 in SY 2024-25. The White share of public-school enrollment decreased from 77% to 73%.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Webster County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
Webster County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data