Best High Schools in Iowa

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Find the best Iowa high schools with SchoolDigger.com! Focused on test scores for accurate rankings, our user-friendly site simplifies your search. Empower your decisions by exploring top-rated schools, only on SchoolDigger.com - the ultimate guide to K-12 schools!

Year after year, SchoolDigger is always the first to publish Iowa test scores and rankings. Other sites use stale test score data that are several years old! Be in the know with the very latest performance metrics.

The list is updated annually upon the release of the ISASP test scores by the Iowa Department of Education. The most recent update was on Wednesday, August 20, 2025.

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School	Students/Teachers	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)	Ranking (2025 vs 2024)	ID
181	North Iowa High School	Public	9-12	111 3rd Ave NW	Buffalo Center	50424	Winnebago County	North Iowa Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 562-2525	124	8	15.5	41.1%	100 (80.6%)	1 (0.8%)	21 (16.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.6%)	$17,022	$541	$16,481	54.6	53.5	175	6	190575000177
182	Northwood-Kensett MIddle/High School	Public	6-12	704 7th Street North	Northwood	50459	Worth County	Northwood-Kensett Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 324-2142	265	21	12.8	30.2%	230 (86.8%)	8 (3.0%)	20 (7.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.3%)	$13,460	$270	$13,190	54.5	61.7	137	45	192121001271
183	Independence Junior Senior High School	Public	7-12	700 20th Ave SW	Independence	50644	Buchanan County	Independence Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 334-7405	712	45	15.8	29.4%	644 (90.4%)	8 (1.1%)	31 (4.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (3.9%)	$15,700	$579	$15,121	54	66.2	113	70	191458000866
184	West Sioux High School	Public	9-12	1300 Falcon Drive	Hawarden	51023	Sioux County	West Sioux Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 551-1181	242	21	11.5	51.2%	137 (56.6%)	3 (1.2%)	99 (40.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	$17,507	$446	$17,061	53.5	39.2	242	58	193129001821
185	North Butler Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	201 N 5th St	Greene	50636	Butler County	North Butler Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 816-5631	254	21	11.9	27.6%	237 (93.3%)	3 (1.2%)	8 (3.1%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.0%)	$16,937	$247	$16,689	53.3	52.6	177	8	190345000785
186	Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School	Public	9-12	300 N 8th Ave W	Hartley	51346	O'Brien County	Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 928-3406	203	18	11.2	50.2%	159 (78.3%)	3 (1.5%)	31 (15.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.9%)	$33,752	$177	$33,576	53.2	54.2	174	12	191366001963
187	Nashua-Plainfield Junior-Senior High School	Public	6-12	612 Greeley St	Nashua	50658	Chickasaw County	Nashua-Plainfield Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 435-4166	311	22	14	29.3%	287 (92.3%)	4 (1.3%)	8 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.9%)	$15,197	$401	$14,797	53	48.6	202	15	192019001197
188	Pocahontas Area Middle/ High School	Public	7-12	205 2nd Ave NW	Pocahontas	50574	Pocahontas County	Pocahontas Area Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 335-4848	367	31	11.7	53.7%	296 (80.7%)	3 (0.8%)	36 (9.8%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	8 (2.2%)	22 (6.0%)	$15,785	$176	$15,609	52.7	42.8	232	44	192319001373
189	Sidney High School	Public	7-12	2754 Knox Road	Sidney	51652	Fremont County	Sidney Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 374-2731	196	18	10.7	48.0%	177 (90.3%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.1%)	$14,259	$200	$14,060	52.5	76.6	49	140	192625001489
190	Starmont High School	Public	9-12	3202 40th St	Arlington	50606	Fayette County	Starmont Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 933-4598	174	17	10.2	49.4%	165 (94.8%)	1 (0.6%)	7 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	$18,632	$658	$17,974	52.4	62.9	128	62	192727001592

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About our rankings:

Schooldigger calculates school rankings based on ISASP English Language Arts, ISASP Mathematics, ISASP Science test scores released by the Iowa Department of Education.
These rankings were last updated on August 20, 2025, and are based on the most recent test scores available. We update rankings as we receive new test scores from the Iowa Department of Education, usually on a yearly basis.
Our sources of data include the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education and the Iowa Department of Education.
For more information about our ranking process, please see our Ranking FAQ. Details about our methodology are here.

Educational resources:

Alternative Schools vs Public Schools: A Comparison

Charter Schools vs Regular Public Schools: Understanding the Key Differences

School														Students/Teachers											Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)							Ranking (2025 vs 2024)					ID
Rank (of 340)	School	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Disc Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel from Federal Funds	Total from Federal Funds	Personnel from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Total from State and Local Funds	Average Standard Score (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Rank (2024)	Rank Change from 2024	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	ID
181	North Iowa High School	Public	9-12	111 3rd Ave NW	Buffalo Center	50424	Winnebago County	North Iowa Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 562-2525	124	8	15.5	41.1%	100 (80.6%)	1 (0.8%)	21 (16.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.6%)	$17,022			$541			$16,481	54.6	53.5	175	6		190575000177
182	Northwood-Kensett MIddle/High School	Public	6-12	704 7th Street North	Northwood	50459	Worth County	Northwood-Kensett Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 324-2142	265	21	12.8	30.2%	230 (86.8%)	8 (3.0%)	20 (7.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.3%)	$13,460			$270			$13,190	54.5	61.7	137	45		192121001271
183	Independence Junior Senior High School	Public	7-12	700 20th Ave SW	Independence	50644	Buchanan County	Independence Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 334-7405	712	45	15.8	29.4%	644 (90.4%)	8 (1.1%)	31 (4.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (3.9%)	$15,700			$579			$15,121	54	66.2	113	70		191458000866
184	West Sioux High School	Public	9-12	1300 Falcon Drive	Hawarden	51023	Sioux County	West Sioux Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 551-1181	242	21	11.5	51.2%	137 (56.6%)	3 (1.2%)	99 (40.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	$17,507			$446			$17,061	53.5	39.2	242	58		193129001821
185	North Butler Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	201 N 5th St	Greene	50636	Butler County	North Butler Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 816-5631	254	21	11.9	27.6%	237 (93.3%)	3 (1.2%)	8 (3.1%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.0%)	$16,937			$247			$16,689	53.3	52.6	177	8		190345000785
186	Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School	Public	9-12	300 N 8th Ave W	Hartley	51346	O'Brien County	Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 928-3406	203	18	11.2	50.2%	159 (78.3%)	3 (1.5%)	31 (15.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.9%)	$33,752			$177			$33,576	53.2	54.2	174	12		191366001963
187	Nashua-Plainfield Junior-Senior High School	Public	6-12	612 Greeley St	Nashua	50658	Chickasaw County	Nashua-Plainfield Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 435-4166	311	22	14	29.3%	287 (92.3%)	4 (1.3%)	8 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.9%)	$15,197			$401			$14,797	53	48.6	202	15		192019001197
188	Pocahontas Area Middle/ High School	Public	7-12	205 2nd Ave NW	Pocahontas	50574	Pocahontas County	Pocahontas Area Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 335-4848	367	31	11.7	53.7%	296 (80.7%)	3 (0.8%)	36 (9.8%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	8 (2.2%)	22 (6.0%)	$15,785			$176			$15,609	52.7	42.8	232	44		192319001373
189	Sidney High School	Public	7-12	2754 Knox Road	Sidney	51652	Fremont County	Sidney Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 374-2731	196	18	10.7	48.0%	177 (90.3%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.1%)	$14,259			$200			$14,060	52.5	76.6	49	140		192625001489
190	Starmont High School	Public	9-12	3202 40th St	Arlington	50606	Fayette County	Starmont Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 933-4598	174	17	10.2	49.4%	165 (94.8%)	1 (0.6%)	7 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	$18,632			$658			$17,974	52.4	62.9	128	62		192727001592