Best counties to raise a family in Iowa

- Population: 15,073
- Median home value: $105,600 (74% own)
- Median rent: $769 (26% own)
- Median household income: $62,183
- Top public schools: South Hamilton Elementary School (grade B+), South Hamilton Middle/High School (grade B+), Northeast Hamilton Elementary School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: St. Thomas Aquinas School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Webster City (grade B), Lyon Township (grade B+), Jewell Junction (grade B)

- Population: 9,622
- Median home value: $113,800 (73% own)
- Median rent: $619 (27% own)
- Median household income: $60,008
- Top public schools: Taft Elementary School (grade A minus), Humboldt Middle School (grade B+), Humboldt High School (grade B)
- Top private schools: St. Mary Catholic School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Humboldt (grade B+), Delana Township (grade B), Weaver Township (grade B)

- Population: 20,756
- Median home value: $143,700 (76% own)
- Median rent: $644 (24% own)
- Median household income: $61,157
- Top public schools: Carroll Middle School (grade B+), Coon Rapids-Bayard Elementary School (grade B+), Fairview Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Kuemper Catholic School (grade B)
- Top places to live: Carroll (grade B+), Manning (grade B+), Grant Township (grade B+)

- Population: 17,508
- Median home value: $146,400 (83% own)
- Median rent: $702 (17% own)
- Median household income: $69,319
- Top public schools: Johnston Elementary School (grade A), Delhi Elementary School (grade A), Earlville Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Happy Hearts Smiling Faces Preschool (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Manchester (grade B), Hazel Green Township (grade B+), Hopkinton (grade B)

- Population: 20,723
- Median home value: $126,300 (69% own)
- Median rent: $737 (31% own)
- Median household income: $53,645
- Top public schools: Newell-Fonda High School (grade B+), Albert City-Truesdale Elementary School (grade B+), Storm Lake High School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Storm Lake St. Mary's Schools (grade A)
- Top places to live: Storm Lake (grade B), Hayes Township (grade B+), Lakeside (grade B+)

- Population: 46,589
- Median home value: $128,900 (75% own)
- Median rent: $703 (25% own)
- Median household income: $56,345
- Top public schools: Delwood Elementary School (grade A minus), Central Dewitt Middle School (grade B+), Ekstrand Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Prince of Peace Catholic School (grade B), St. Joseph Catholic School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: De Witt (grade B+), Camanche (grade B minus), Clinton (grade B minus)

- Population: 18,628
- Median home value: $153,400 (68% own)
- Median rent: $753 (32% own)
- Median household income: $56,080
- Top public schools: Montezuma Elementary School (grade A minus), Grinnell Community Senior High School (grade A minus), Davis Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Central Iowa Christian School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Grinnell (grade A minus), Sheridan Township (grade A), Malcom (grade B+)

- Population: 14,139
- Median home value: $122,900 (75% own)
- Median rent: $634 (25% own)
- Median household income: $62,292
- Top public schools: East Elementary School (grade A minus), Sheldon Middle School (grade B+), Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Sheldon Christian School (grade unavailable), Sanborn Christian School (grade unavailable), Zion-St. John Lutheran School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Sheldon (grade B+), Highland Township (grade A minus), Summit Township (grade A minus)

- Population: 12,978
- Median home value: $90,900 (75% own)
- Median rent: $658 (25% own)
- Median household income: $55,395
- Top public schools: Clarion-Goldfield-Dows High School (grade B+), Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Middle School (grade B+), Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Eagle Grove (grade B+), Clarion (grade B+), Grant Township (grade B+)
- Top places to live: grade B

- Population: 14,658
- Median home value: $190,300 (82% own)
- Median rent: $815 (18% own)
- Median household income: $77,926
- Top public schools: West Elementary School (grade B+), Glenwood Middle School (grade B), East Mills Elementary School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Glenwood (grade B), Oak Township (grade A minus), Plattville Township (grade B+)
- Top places to live: grade B+

- Population: 16,555
- Median home value: $101,200 (70% own)
- Median rent: $690 (30% own)
- Median household income: $55,552
- Top public schools: Schleswig Elementary School (grade B), Denison High School (grade B), Boyer Valley Elementary School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Zion Lutheran School (grade unavailable), St. Rose of Lima School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Denison (grade B minus), Schleswig (grade B+), Stockholm Township (grade B)

- Population: 12,336
- Median home value: $148,300 (84% own)
- Median rent: $709 (16% own)
- Median household income: $74,552
- Top public schools: Grundy Center Middle School (grade B+), Dike Elementary School (grade B+), Grundy Center Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Timothy Christian School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Grant Township (grade A minus), Melrose Township (grade A minus), Dike (grade B+)

- Population: 11,750
- Median home value: $137,900 (75% own)
- Median rent: $778 (25% own)
- Median household income: $62,222
- Top public schools: Harlan Community Middle School (grade A minus), Harlan High School (grade A minus), Irwin Elementary School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Shelby County Catholic School (grade unavailable), Victory Christian School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Harlan (grade B), Fairview Township (grade A), Center Township (grade A minus)

- Population: 20,100
- Median home value: $196,100 (78% own)
- Median rent: $737 (22% own)
- Median household income: $65,330
- Top public schools: Decorah High School (grade A), Decorah Middle School (grade A minus), Carrie Lee Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: St. Benedict Catholic School (grade unavailable), St. Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School (grade unavailable), Crossroads Academy (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Decorah (grade A), Decorah Township (grade A minus), Springfield Township (grade B+)

- Population: 9,962
- Median home value: $88,900 (79% own)
- Median rent: $620 (21% own)
- Median household income: $60,434
- Top public schools: South Central Calhoun High School (grade A minus), South Central Calhoun Middle School (grade B), South Central Calhoun Elementary School (grade B minus)
- Top private schools: Garfield Township (grade A minus), Lake City (grade B+), Twin Lakes Township (grade B)
- Top places to live: grade B+

- Population: 33,381
- Median home value: $163,500 (75% own)
- Median rent: $767 (25% own)
- Median household income: $66,822
- Top public schools: Pella Middle School (grade A minus), Jefferson Intermediate School (grade A minus), Madison Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Pella Christian High School (grade B+), Pella Christian Grade School (grade unavailable), Peoria Christian School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Pella (grade A), Knoxville (grade B), Lake Prairie Township (grade A)

- Population: 51,862
- Median home value: $210,800 (81% own)
- Median rent: $854 (19% own)
- Median household income: $85,189
- Top public schools: Lakewood Elementary School (grade A minus), Norwalk Senior High School (grade A minus), Norwalk Middle School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Victory Christian Academy (grade unavailable), Cadence Academy Before & After School - Norwalk (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Norwalk (grade A minus), Indianola (grade B+), Carlisle (grade B+)

- Population: 11,953
- Median home value: $167,900 (85% own)
- Median rent: $724 (15% own)
- Median household income: $69,113
- Top public schools: George-Little Rock Senior High School (grade A minus), George Elementary School (grade A minus), West Lyon Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Inwood Christian School (grade unavailable), Northwest Iowa Protestant Reformed School (grade unavailable), Doon Christian School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Wheeler Township (grade B), Larchwood Township (grade B), Larchwood (grade B)

- Population: 40,137
- Median home value: $106,900 (72% own)
- Median rent: $783 (28% own)
- Median household income: $63,591
- Top public schools: West Marshall High School (grade A minus), East Marshall Elementary School (grade B+), West Marshall Middle School (grade B)
- Top private schools: Marshalltown Area Catholic School (grade unavailable), Marshalltown Christian School (grade unavailable), Clemons Lutheran School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Marshalltown (grade B minus), Minerva Township (grade A minus), Vienna Township (grade B+)

- Population: 105,102
- Median home value: $139,600 (69% own)
- Median rent: $838 (31% own)
- Median household income: $63,061
- Top public schools: Sergeant Bluff-Luton Middle School (grade A minus), Clark Early Childhood Center (grade B+), Lawton Junior/Senior High School (grade B+)
- Top private schools: Bishop Heelan Catholic High School (grade A), Siouxland Community Christian School (grade B minus), Mater Dei School Nativity Center (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Sergeant Bluff (grade A), Sioux City (grade B), Woodbury Township (grade A minus)

- Population: 25,543
- Median home value: $176,800 (76% own)
- Median rent: $760 (24% own)
- Median household income: $74,239
- Top public schools: Le Mars High School (grade A minus), Akron Westfield Elementary School (grade A minus), Franklin Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Gehlen Catholic Schools (grade A minus), St. Mary's High School (grade B), St. Catherine-St. Mary's Grade School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Le Mars (grade B+), Johnson Township (grade B+), Washington Township (grade B+)

- Population: 24,863
- Median home value: $173,600 (83% own)
- Median rent: $755 (17% own)
- Median household income: $76,782
- Top public schools: Denver Middle School (grade A), Denver Elementary School (grade A minus), Margaretta Carey Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: St. Paul's Lutheran School (grade unavailable), Community Lutheran School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Waverly (grade A), Jefferson Township (grade A minus), Washington Township (grade A minus)

- Population: 228,567
- Median home value: $167,000 (75% own)
- Median rent: $824 (25% own)
- Median household income: $70,360
- Top public schools: Oak Ridge School (grade A), John F. Kennedy High School (grade A), Indian Creek Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Xavier High School (grade A minus), Cedar Valley Christian School (grade B), LaSalle Middle School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Mount Vernon (grade A), Marion (grade A minus), Robins (grade A minus)

- Population: 35,647
- Median home value: $194,700 (80% own)
- Median rent: $744 (20% own)
- Median household income: $78,179
- Top public schools: Orange City Elementary School (grade A), Hospers Elementary School (grade A), MOC-Floyd Valley Middle School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Unity Christian High School (grade B+), Western Christian High School (grade B), Trinity Christian High School (grade B minus)
- Top places to live: Orange City (grade A), Sioux Center (grade A), Alton (grade B+)

- Population: 151,833
- Median home value: $248,100 (59% own)
- Median rent: $1,031 (41% own)
- Median household income: $67,414
- Top public schools: West Senior High School (grade A+), Lincoln Elementary School (grade A), Wickham Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Hillcrest Academy (grade A minus), Regina Catholic Education Center (grade A minus), Regina Catholic Elementary School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: University Heights (grade A+), Coralville (grade A+), North Liberty (grade A)

- Population: 98,687
- Median home value: $183,700 (74% own)
- Median rent: $836 (26% own)
- Median household income: $68,198
- Top public schools: Cascade Elementary School (grade A), Peosta Elementary School (grade A), Farley Elementary School (grade A minus)
- Top private schools: Wahlert Catholic High School (grade A minus), Beckman Catholic School (grade B), St. Francis Xavier Elementary School (grade A)
- Top places to live: Asbury (grade A minus), Dubuque (grade B+), Dyersville (grade B+)

- Population: 98,106
- Median home value: $205,300 (56% own)
- Median rent: $947 (44% own)
- Median household income: $62,578
- Top public schools: Gilbert Elementary School (grade A), Gilbert Intermediate School (grade A), Gilbert Middle School (grade A)
- Top private schools: St. Cecilia Elementary School (grade unavailable), Ames Christian School (grade unavailable), Nevada Seventh-day Adventist School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Ames (grade A), Huxley (grade A), Gilbert (grade A)

- Population: 174,170
- Median home value: $172,100 (70% own)
- Median rent: $852 (30% own)
- Median household income: $67,675
- Top public schools: Hopewell Elementary (grade A+), Pleasant View Elementary (grade A+), Pleasant Valley Junior High School (grade A+)
- Top private schools: Rivermont Collegiate (grade A+), Assumption High School (grade A minus), Morning Star Academy (grade B+)
- Top places to live: Bettendorf (grade A+), Eldridge (grade A minus), Le Claire (grade A minus)

- Population: 488,871
- Median home value: $201,300 (67% own)
- Median rent: $977 (33% own)
- Median household income: $73,015
- Top public schools: Northeast Elementary School (grade A), Prairie Trail Elementary School (grade A), Prairie Ridge Middle School (grade A)
- Top private schools: Dowling Catholic High School (grade A), Grand View Christian School (grade A minus), Des Moines Christian School (grade A minus)
- Top places to live: West Des Moines (grade A+), Waterbury (grade A+), Urbandale (grade A)

- Population: 96,604
- Median home value: $273,800 (71% own)
- Median rent: $1,078 (29% own)
- Median household income: $93,492
- Top public schools: Grant Ragan Elementary School (grade A), Waukee South Middle School (grade A), Brookview Elementary School (grade A)
- Top private schools: St. Francis of Assisi School (grade unavailable), St. Patrick's Catholic School (grade unavailable), Dallas Center Christian School (grade unavailable)
- Top places to live: Clive (grade A+), Waukee (grade A+), Adel (grade B+)