Best Schools in Marion, Iowa
16 schools · 9 Elementary · 5 Middle · 2 High
Choosing a school in Marion?
Use this page to compare every school in Marion by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Hazel Point Intermediate School
Middle · Linn-mar Comm School District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Echo Hill Elementary
Elementary · Linn-mar Comm School District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Oak Ridge Middle School
Middle · Linn-mar Comm School District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Marion for 2026 are Hazel Point Intermediate School (8.7/10), Echo Hill Elementary (8.5/10), and Oak Ridge Middle School (8.1/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 15 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
16
15 public · 1 private
Avg Score
6.8
out of 10
Median Home
$232,900
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Schools
16
15 public · 1 private
Avg Score
6.8
out of 10
Median Home
$232,900
home value · ACS
Districts
2
serving the city
Rates 7.0/10 despite 46% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.3 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Marion schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Marion
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (15 of 16). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hazel Point Intermediate School | 8.7 / 10 |
| 2 | Echo Hill Elementary | 8.5 / 10 |
| 3 | Oak Ridge Middle School | 8.1 / 10 |
| 4 | Excelsior Middle School | 8.1 / 10 |
| 5 | Boulder Peak Intermediate School | 7.8 / 10 |
| 6 | Novak Elementary School | 7.7 / 10 |
| 7 | Indian Creek Elementary School | 7.4 / 10 |
| 8 | St Joseph Catholic School | 7.1 / 10 |
| 9 | Francis Marion Intermediate School | 7.0 / 10 |
| 10 | Vernon Middle School | 6.4 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 6.8/10
- Median household income
- $87,463
- Median home value
- $232,900
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 39%
- Avg commute
- 19 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 78%
63% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Marion compares
Iowa rank
#64 of 175
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.5
above Iowa avg (6.3)
Median household income
$87k
115% of Iowa median
Schools in this city
16
About Schools in Marion, Iowa
Marion, Iowa has 15 ranked public schools, spanning elementary through middle grades. The city averages 6.9 out of 10 across all ranked schools — a solid baseline that tells parents the floor here is competitive. Nearly half the schools clear the high-performing threshold: 7 of 15, or 47%, score 7 or above. That concentration of strong schools is meaningful for a city this size.
Francis Marion Intermediate School leads the city with an 8.8 — the highest score among all ranked public schools in Marion. Novak Elementary (8.1) and Echo Hill Elementary (8.0) closely follow, giving the city three elementary schools above 8.0. Hazel Point Intermediate rounds out the top tier at the middle school level with a 7.7, and Wilkins Elementary adds a fifth high-performer at 7.2. The top five represent a clear performance cluster that separates them from the rest of the ranked field.
The elementary tier is where Marion shows its clearest strength. Four of the five top-ranked schools are elementary programs. Parents with younger children have real options — multiple schools scoring 8.0 or above means the strong performers aren't concentrated in just one building. The middle school picture is thinner by comparison, with Hazel Point Intermediate as the only ranked middle school in the top five, though its 7.7 still clears the city average.
With 47% of schools scoring 7 or higher and the city average at 6.9, Marion's school landscape skews toward the stronger end of the range. Parents should treat the 6.9 city average as a baseline, not a ceiling. The gap between the top school (8.8) and the city mean is nearly two full points — school selection within Marion matters more than the citywide number suggests. Use individual school scores, not the average, when evaluating neighborhoods and enrollment boundaries.
Elementary Schools
9 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 519 students · Pre-K–4th | 8.5 | ||
| 2 | 365 students · Kindergarten–4th | 7.7 | ||
| 3 | 376 students · Kindergarten–4th | 7.4 | ||
| 4 | 297 students · Pre-K–2nd | 7.2 | ||
| 5 | 284 students · 3rd–4th | 7.0 | ||
| 6 | 349 students · Pre-K–4th | 6.1 | ||
| 7 | 245 students · Kindergarten–2nd | 4.7 | ||
| 8 | 399 students · Pre-K–4th | 4.5 | ||
| Private Schools 1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | St Joseph Catholic School
Private
123 students · Pre-K–8th | 7.1 | ||
Middle Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 558 students · 5th–6th | 8.7 |
| 2 | 537 students · 7th–8th | 8.1 |
| 3 | 605 students · 7th–8th | 8.1 |
| 4 | 646 students · 5th–6th | 7.8 |
| 5 | 621 students · 5th–8th | 6.4 |
High Schools
2 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2,222 students · 9th–12th | 5.0 |
| 2 | 720 students · 9th–12th | 5.0 |
Schools in Marion
Marion, Iowa · 16 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code
Median Income
$87,463
Median Home Value
$232,900
Median Rent
$963/mo
Population
42,732
College Educated
39%
Homeownership
78%
Avg Commute
19 min
Poverty Rate
7.2%
Community Profile
Marion has a median household income of $87,463. It is an area where 39% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $232,900, with a median rent of $963/month. The local poverty rate of 7.2% is relatively low. Residents enjoy a short average commute of 19 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Iowa
- Elementary
- 9
- Middle
- 5
- High
- 2
Resources
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in Iowa
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Marion, Iowa
How many schools are in Marion, Iowa?
Marion has 16 schools, including 15 public and 1 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Marion, Iowa?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Marion is 6.8 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Marion, Iowa?
The top-ranked school in Marion on MySchoolScout is Hazel Point Intermediate School with a composite score of 8.7/10.
What is the best elementary school in Marion, Iowa?
The top-ranked elementary school in Marion on MySchoolScout is Echo Hill Elementary with a composite score of 8.5/10.
What is the best middle school in Marion, Iowa?
The top-ranked middle school in Marion on MySchoolScout is Hazel Point Intermediate School with a composite score of 8.7/10.
What is the best high school in Marion, Iowa?
The top-ranked high school in Marion on MySchoolScout is Linn-mar High School with a composite score of 5.0/10.
How many school districts serve Marion, Iowa?
Marion is served by 2 school districts: Linn-mar Comm School District, Marion Independent School District.
What is the education level in Marion, Iowa?
According to Census data, 39% of adults in Marion have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Marion, Iowa?
The median household income in Marion is approximately $87,463 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Marion, Iowa?
Yes, Marion has 1 private school alongside 15 public schools. The top-rated private school is St Joseph Catholic School with a score of 7.1/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Marion, Iowa?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Marion is 13.7:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Marion, Iowa?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Iowa Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.