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Lester city, IA

ZIP 51242 — Schools & Education

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 5-Year Estimates. Page data updated 2026-08-02.

Middle ClassLow Snow Area

School district, nearby K-12 schools, and universities

Schools & Education in ZIP 51242

K-12 nearby
9
Public
7
Private
2
Avg enrollment
—

ZIP 51242 (Lester, IA) is associated with West Lyon Community School District (LEA 1931020) on US5’s NCES EDGE district mapping. District assignment is ZIP/ZCTA-based and can span multiple attendance boundaries — confirm school assignment with the district for enrollment.

Within about 10 miles, US5 lists 9 K-12 schools (7 public, 2 private). Median distance to listed schools is about 6.5 miles.

ACS estimates show about 0.0% of school-enrolled residents in this ZIP attending private school — a ZIP-level share, not a per-campus rate.

The nearest college/university on US5 is California Intercontinental University about 20.8 miles away (4yr-private).

District & higher education
School district
West Lyon Community School District
LEA ID
1931020
Private school share (ACS)
0.0%

Colleges & universities (29)

  • California Intercontinental University20.8 miles (33.5 km)4yr-private
  • Kairos University20.9 miles (33.7 km)4yr-private
  • Augustana University21.0 miles (33.8 km)4yr-private
  • University of Sioux Falls21.2 miles (34.1 km)4yr-private
  • Sanford Medical Center21.5 miles (34.6 km)2yr-private
  • Southeast Technical College24.0 miles (38.7 km)2yr-public
  • Dordt University26.2 miles (42.1 km)4yr-private
  • Northwest Iowa Community College28.9 miles (46.5 km)2yr-public
  • Northwestern College33.6 miles (54.0 km)4yr-private
  • Avalon School of Cosmetology39.0 miles (62.7 km)2yr-private
  • University of South Dakota54.2 miles (87.2 km)4yr-public
  • Dakota State University55.4 miles (89.2 km)4yr-public
Show all 29 colleges & universities
  • Briar Cliff University63.4 miles (102.0 km)4yr-private
  • St Luke's College63.7 miles (102.6 km)4yr-private
  • Institute of Lutheran Theology64.1 miles (103.1 km)4yr-private
  • South Dakota State University64.5 miles (103.8 km)4yr-public
  • Western Iowa Tech Community College66.2 miles (106.6 km)2yr-public
  • Morningside University66.8 miles (107.6 km)4yr-private
  • Mount Marty University66.8 miles (107.6 km)4yr-private
  • Avera Sacred Heart Hospital66.8 miles (107.6 km)2yr-private
  • Iowa School of Beauty-Sioux City69.1 miles (111.1 km)2yr-private
  • Iowa Lakes Community College75.3 miles (121.2 km)2yr-public
  • Southwest Minnesota State University75.6 miles (121.7 km)4yr-public
  • Buena Vista University79.3 miles (127.6 km)4yr-private
  • Little Priest Tribal College83.6 miles (134.6 km)2yr-public
  • Mitchell Technical College85.2 miles (137.1 km)2yr-public
  • Dakota Wesleyan University86.8 miles (139.6 km)4yr-private
  • Wayne State College89.8 miles (144.5 km)4yr-public
  • Nebraska Indian Community College91.5 miles (147.3 km)4yr-public
K-12 schools within ~10 miles

Sorted table with type, grades, enrollment, and distance. Data from NCES CCD / EDGE extracts.

Grades
HILLS CHRISTIAN SCHOOLprivate——5.8 miles (9.4 km)
West Lyon Junior High Schoolpublic——5.9 miles (9.4 km)
West Lyon Elementary Schoolpublic——5.9 miles (9.4 km)
West Lyon High Schoolpublic——5.9 miles (9.4 km)
HILLS-BEAVER CREEK SECONDARYpublic——6.5 miles (10.4 km)
Out of State Care and Treatmentpublic——6.5 miles (10.4 km)
Central Lyon Secondary Schoolpublic——8.4 miles (13.6 km)
Central Lyon Elementary Schoolpublic——8.4 miles (13.6 km)
IGNITE CHRISTIAN ACADEMYprivate——9.1 miles (14.6 km)

Schools FAQ for ZIP 51242

What school district is ZIP code 51242 in?
ZIP 51242 (Lester, IA) maps to West Lyon Community School District (LEA ID 1931020) in US5’s NCES EDGE ZCTA-to-district data. Always verify attendance zones with the district.
How many schools are near ZIP code 51242?
US5 lists 9 K-12 schools within about 10 miles — 7 public and 2 private. See the sortable table on this page for grades, enrollment, and distance.
What share of students in 51242 attend private school?
About 0.0% of school-enrolled residents in ZIP 51242 attend private school (ACS estimate).

Schools & Education key statistics

Education statistics
Education
Bachelor's or higher22.9%
High school42.0%
Less than HS4.5%
School districtWest Lyon Community School District