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Public high school · Mason City Comm School District · Mason City, Iowa

Mason City High School

Mason City High School rates 4.2, above the middle of Mason City Comm School District's high schools, whose rated median is 3.2.

High schools, 1 to 10This campus against public high schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
4.2this school

4.2 on a one-to-ten scale; the Mason City Comm School District median is 3.2.

#1,145 of 1,284 schools in Iowa · Mason City Comm School District: 3 high schools rated, median 3.2

The brief

A Mason City Comm School District high school where students score 5 points below what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 1,145 of 1,284 schools in Iowa and 7 of 9 in Mason City Comm School District.

Mason City High School is listed in Mason City Comm School District, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math59%8 points below the Iowa average of 67%Grades 9–11 · 629 students tested · 2025 ISASP
Reading71%3 points below the Iowa average of 74%Grades 9–11 · 627 students tested · 2025 ISASP
Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 8 points since 2020, reaching 65% in 2025.2025 ISASP; 35 test records from IA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
2.5
25% of the rating
Academics
4.2
25% of the rating
College Readiness
6.7
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
2.4
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2025

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 68% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 72% (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 ISASP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 ISASP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 ISASP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 ISASP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 50401; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Mason City High School and the 20 nearest high schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$63,807
Median home value
$134,100
Median rent
$868/mo
College educated
21.9%
Homeownership
68.2%
Poverty rate
10%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 50401; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
56
Somewhat Walkable
Transit Score
18
Minimal Transit
Bike Score
51
Bikeable
City reported crime
2,933/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Mason City. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Mason City), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

AP and IB
2 AP courses
7% participation · state average 1.7 AP courses · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics
20 sports
10 boys' · 10 girls' · 46 teams (incl. JV) · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM courses
5 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
45.1%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. Mason City High Schoolthis school
    4.2
  2. 3.2Compare →
  3. 2.6Compare →
Two grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and none rates higher than Mason City High School.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Mason City High School serve?

Mason City High School serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Mason City High School?

Mason City High School has an enrollment of approximately 967 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Mason City High School?

The student-teacher ratio at Mason City High School is 18.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Mason City High School rank in IA?

Mason City High School ranks #1,145 of 1,284 schools in IA.

What is Mason City High School's MySchoolScout rating?

Mason City High School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.2 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Mason City High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Mason City High School has 68% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 72% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Mason City High School a charter school?

No, Mason City High School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Mason City High School a Title I school?

No, Mason City High School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Mason City High School?

45.1% of students at Mason City High School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
967
Student-teacher ratio
18.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
53
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Remote Town
County
Cerro Gordo County
4-year graduation
90–94%
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#7 of 9
Schools in district
9
District spending per student
$15,155
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
14.7%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 50401)
28,818
Area average commute
13.9 min
Area median age
42.5

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

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.