Online company grades Mount Ayr a ‘B’
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An online company dedicated to “connecting colleges and schools with students and families” has some positive comments about Mount Ayr in general and the Mount Ayr in particular.
Calculated on a set of 12 criteria, Niche.com grades Mount Ayr a “B.”
In its opening statement, Niche reports: “Mount Ayr is a town in Iowa with a population of 2,056. Mount Ayr is in Ringgold County. Living in Mount Ayr offers residents a rural feel and most residents own their homes. In Mount Ayr there are a lot of coffee shops and parks. Many retirees live in Mount Ayr and residents tend to be conservative. The public schools in Mount Ayr are above average.”
Education
Mount Ayr Elementary School was graded a “B+.” The school was graded a “B+” in academics, an “A” in teachers, and a “C+” in diversity. Niche rated the MAC elementary teachers 52nd out of 632 for the Best Public Elementary School Teachers in Iowa and ranked the overall school at #160 out of 638 among the Best Public Elementary Schools in Iowa.
Mount Ayr High School was given a “B-” based on grades of “B-” in academics, “B+” in teachers, “B” on clubs and activities, “C+” in diversity, “C” in college prep, “A-” in health and safety, “B” in administration, “A-” in sports, and “B+” in resources and facilities.
Niche ranked MACHS 84th of 362 for the Best High Schools for Athletes in Iowa and 91st of 327 of the Best Public High School Teachers in Iowa.
Real estate
Niche grades housing as an “A-” and estimates the median home value in Mount Ayr at $87,200.
[A median average finds the middle number in a set of numbers, with an equal total of numbers above and below the median.]
Rent is estimated at $636 per month, with 27 percent of the population renting.
Residents
Mount Ayr received a “B-” for ethnic and economic diversity in the Niche report.
A significant plurality (24 percent) of residents are aged 65 or older, with only 20 percent 17 or younger.
Other age groups included 18-24 (8 percent), 25-34 (10 percent), 35-44 (8 percent), 45-54 (14 percent), 55-64 (16 percent).
Seven percent of Mount Ayr residents hold a masters degree or higher, whereas nine percent hold less than a high school diploma.
Those holding a high school diploma or equivalent account for 37 percent of the population, followed closely with some college or associate degree with 32 percent. The remaining 15 percent hold a bachelor’s degree.
Jobs
Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living, Niche graded Mount Ayr an “A-.”
The report estimated a median household income of $49,181 for Mount Ayr residents.
The unemployment rate was estimated at 3.4 percent.
The poverty rate was tabbed at 4.8 percent.
Data
Niche.com states its data comes from the federal Department of Education, U.S. Census, and FBI, as well as student and parent surveys nationwide, but the site did not include dates for its statistics in order to judge the timeliness of its rankings.
