countyscore

Best Counties for Families in Iowa 2026

99 counties ranked by schools, safety, income, and affordability.

Top 5 Family Counties in Iowa

1Winneshiek County
67.8
2Chickasaw County
66.7
3Grundy County
69.1
4Howard County
68.1
5Shelby County
66.5

All 99 Family-Ranked Counties in Iowa

RankCountyPersona ScoreOverall Score
1Winneshiek County, IA7767.8
2Chickasaw County, IA7666.7
3Grundy County, IA7669.1
4Howard County, IA7668.1
5Shelby County, IA7566.5
6Worth County, IA7570.4
7Davis County, IA7456
8Calhoun County, IA7365.9
9Mitchell County, IA7366.2
10Franklin County, IA7265.5
11Winnebago County, IA7268.8
12Ida County, IA7271.2
13Kossuth County, IA7166.6
14Guthrie County, IA7160.2
15Louisa County, IA7061.3
16Pocahontas County, IA7065.2
17Madison County, IA7058.6
18Taylor County, IA7064.2
19Harrison County, IA7058.5
20Emmet County, IA7061.6
21Osceola County, IA6965.3
22Buchanan County, IA6962.4
23Boone County, IA6957.7
24Ringgold County, IA6960.8
25Cherokee County, IA6866.8
26Delaware County, IA6760.2
27Adair County, IA6762.5
28Carroll County, IA6761.5
29Butler County, IA6762.1
30Sac County, IA6763.9
31Hancock County, IA6761.6
32Marion County, IA6759.2
33Lyon County, IA6765.1
34Monroe County, IA6759
35Humboldt County, IA6663.4
36Jones County, IA6660.7
37Bremer County, IA6658.6
38Wayne County, IA6662.9
39Sioux County, IA6659.1
40Dickinson County, IA6559.1
41Palo Alto County, IA6562.4
42Tama County, IA6556.6
43Woodbury County, IA6450.9
44Decatur County, IA6459.4
45Wright County, IA6459.7
46Hamilton County, IA6457.6
47Allamakee County, IA6460.2
48O'Brien County, IA6461.5
49Iowa County, IA6356.6
50Adams County, IA6361.1
51Cedar County, IA6358
52Benton County, IA6356
53Fremont County, IA6358.6
54Monona County, IA6359.3
55Clay County, IA6259.7
56Lucas County, IA6155.8
57Crawford County, IA6155.3
58Warren County, IA6151.7
59Keokuk County, IA6158.5
60Fayette County, IA6057
61Clayton County, IA6059.9
62Jackson County, IA5955.6
63Van Buren County, IA5960.5
64Montgomery County, IA5853.5
65Washington County, IA5851.6
66Union County, IA5853.6
67Jasper County, IA5754.1
68Greene County, IA5758.4
69Floyd County, IA5656.7
70Henry County, IA5552.5
71Mills County, IA5446.7
72Audubon County, IA5259.7
73Story County, IA5246.9
74Mahaska County, IA5251.4
75Page County, IA5252.7
76Clarke County, IA5043.6
77Jefferson County, IA5048.4
78Hardin County, IA5048.1
79Johnson County, IA4941
80Dubuque County, IA4945.4
81Poweshiek County, IA4846.8
82Dallas County, IA4842
83Marshall County, IA4842
84Plymouth County, IA4847.3
85Linn County, IA4640.6
86Polk County, IA4536.6
87Buena Vista County, IA4446.7
88Appanoose County, IA4448.6
89Black Hawk County, IA4440.7
90Cerro Gordo County, IA4242.5
91Cass County, IA4242.7
92Lee County, IA4142.8
93Pottawattamie County, IA4136.1
94Webster County, IA4141.6
95Muscatine County, IA4141.3
96Scott County, IA4137.2
97Clinton County, IA3738.6
98Wapello County, IA3133.1
99Des Moines County, IA2934.7

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best county for families in Iowa?

Based on our analysis of school quality, safety, income, and cost of living, Winneshiek County ranks as the top family county in Iowa with a family score of 77.

How many counties in Iowa are ranked for families?

We rank 99 counties in Iowa for family suitability, scoring each on school quality (35%), safety (30%), income (20%), and cost of living (15%).

Also Browse Iowa Counties For

RetirementRemote WorkersBest Overall

Family Rankings by State

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Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019-2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.