Best Schools for Low-income Students in Iowa (2026)

These are the Iowa public schools where low-income students scored highest on the state reading and math tests, ranked by the average of the two proficiency rates. Only schools with at least 20 tested low-income students are included. The list reflects how students in this group perform at each school; it is not a ranking of schools by their demographic makeup.

Other lists: Asian · Black · Hispanic · Multiracial · American Indian / Alaska Native · White

Elementary schools

#	School	Reading	Math	Tested	Overall Repit grade
1	Ashland Ridge Elementary Ankeny	90%	90%	30	A
2	Dysart-Geneseo Elementary School Dysart	90%	90%	25	A+
3	Mitchellville Elementary Mitchellville	85%	95%	38	A+
4	Delhi Elementary School Delhi	87%	87%	64	C+
5	New Albin Elementary School New Albin	85%	85%	35	A+
6	Sibley Ocheyedan Elementary School Sibley	85%	85%	47	A+
7	MOC-Floyd Valley Elementary School Orange City	82%	87%	65	C+
8	Aurora Heights Elementary School Newton	87%	82%	67	A+
9	Cascade Elementary School Cascade	85%	85%	60	B
10	AHSTW Primary School Avoca	70%	90%	21	B+
11	Grundy Center Elementary School Grundy Center	90%	70%	27	A
12	Murray Elementary School Murray	70%	90%	28	C+
13	Paton-Churdan Elementary Churdan	70%	90%	27	B
14	Madison Elementary School Pella	70%	90%	22	A+
15	Underwood Elementary School Underwood	90%	70%	29	C
16	Treynor Elementary School Treynor	90%	70%	26	A
17	Stanton Elementary School Stanton	70%	90%	21	B
18	Westwood Elementary School Ankeny	75%	85%	44	B+
19	La Porte City Elementary School La Porte City	75%	85%	38	A
20	Akron Westfield Elementary School Akron	75%	85%	44	C+
21	Bedford Elementary School Bedford	85%	75%	49	A+
22	Paul Norton Elementary School Bettendorf	75%	85%	42	C
23	Taft Elementary School Humboldt	82%	77%	67	A+
24	Montezuma Elementary School Montezuma	75%	85%	38	A+
25	Roland-Story Elementary School Story City	85%	75%	32	A+

Middle schools

#	School	Reading	Math	Tested	Overall Repit grade
1	Denver Middle School Denver	90%	90%	28	A+
2	Virgil Grissom Elementary School Princeton	90%	90%	25	B
3	Gilbert Middle School Gilbert	90%	90%	30	A+
4	Treynor Middle School Treynor	90%	90%	25	A
5	Pleasant View Elementary School Bettendorf	85%	85%	40	A+
6	Mount Ayr Elementary Mount Ayr	77%	87%	72	B+
7	Delwood Elementary School Delmar	70%	90%	25	A+
8	Whiting Elementary School Whiting	90%	70%	29	D
9	Van Meter Middle School Van Meter	70%	90%	23	A+
10	DC-G Oak View Grimes	75%	85%	43	A+
11	Cowles Elementary School Des Moines	85%	75%	43	A+
12	Maquoketa Valley Middle School Delhi	87%	72%	61	A+
13	North Polk Middle School Alleman	75%	85%	49	A+
14	RRMR Elementary School Rockford	75%	85%	51	C
15	Adair-Casey Jr. High School Adair	75%	85%	42	A+
16	Forest City Middle School Forest City	77%	77%	97	B+
17	Logan-Magnolia Elementary School Logan	77%	77%	71	C
18	Pella Middle School Pella	72%	82%	62	A+
19	Sigourney Elementary Sigourney	67%	87%	64	C
20	North Mahaska Elementary School New Sharon	75%	75%	60	C+
21	Lynnville-Sully Middle School Sully	75%	75%	33	A+
22	Harlan Community Middle School Harlan	77%	72%	127	B+
23	Guthrie Center Elementary School Guthrie Center	65%	85%	49	B
24	Harrison Elementary School Davenport	67%	82%	122	D
25	Prairie Ridge Middle School Ankeny	77%	72%	143	A+

High schools

#	School	Reading	Math	Tested	Overall Repit grade
1	Lawton-Bronson Junior-Senior High School Lawton	85%	85%	32	A+
2	Shenandoah High School Shenandoah	70%	90%	28	A+
3	MOC-Floyd Valley High School Orange City	90%	70%	26	A
4	Garner-Hayfield-Ventura High School Garner	70%	90%	23	A
5	Decorah High School Decorah	90%	70%	27	A+
6	Albia High School Albia	90%	70%	27	A
7	South Central Calhoun High School Lake City	90%	70%	23	A+
8	Iowa Valley Jr-Sr High School Marengo	75%	85%	49	A+
9	Logan-Magnolia Jr-Sr High School Logan	85%	75%	43	A
10	Williamsburg Jr-Sr High School Williamsburg	75%	85%	54	A+
11	Mount Ayr High School Mount Ayr	77%	82%	68	A
12	Calamus-Wheatland Sec Attendance Center Wheatland	75%	75%	37	A
13	Ballard High School Huxley	85%	65%	31	A+
14	Colo-NESCO Middle/High School Colo	75%	75%	53	A
15	Harlan High School Harlan	75%	75%	37	A+
16	Norwalk Senior High School Norwalk	75%	75%	40	A+
17	Hudson High School Hudson	75%	75%	38	A+
18	Cascade Junior-Senior High School Cascade	65%	85%	53	A
19	Waverly-Shell Rock Senior High School Waverly	75%	75%	43	A+
20	Sigourney Jr-Sr High Sch Sigourney	75%	75%	43	A
21	Western Dubuque High School Epworth	77%	67%	63	A+
22	Coon Rapids-Bayard 6-12 Attendance Center Coon Rapids	72%	72%	80	B+
23	Central Lee High School Donnellson	70%	70%	21	A
24	Clarksville High School Clarksville	70%	—	20	B+
25	Clear Creek Amana High School Tiffin	70%	70%	27	A+

Source: U.S. Department of Education EDFacts (state assessment results by student group) via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Small schools report results as ranges; we use the midpoint. Methodology

Best Schools for Low-income Students in Iowa (2026)

Elementary schools

Middle schools

High schools

Get the ZIP-level rental data BiggerPockets doesn’t show

What best describes you?

When are you looking to take action?

What interests you most?

You're in.