Map Shows the 50 Best School Districts Across US
A new map created by Newsweek reveals the locations of the nation's top school districts according to a report published last fall, showing that some states are seen as clear leaders in education according to the report's parameters.
Top school districts were frequently found in New York, Illinois, and California, with other states across the Upper Midwest and Northeast also showing strong educational findings.
The top three districts retained their ranking from the previous year, Niche PR Manager Zach Chatham told Newsweek.
For many American families, the quality of a local school district is a major factor when deciding where to live. Educational opportunities can affect not only children's immediate learning experiences but also their future career prospects and earning potential.
As students nationwide continue to recover from academic setbacks experienced during the pandemic, transparent and holistic evaluations of school districts have become especially valuable. Rankings provide parents with a tool for comparison, enabling them to identify districts that best align with their priorities and values as they make decisions about relocation and their children's education.
Niche, an educational research platform, has done a 2025 report ranking the top 50 school districts in the United States, evaluating over 11,000 districts nationwide. This is the 11th year of the report.
To create these rankings, Niche combined several data points from both subjective and objective sources. The methodology incorporated ratings from current students, alumni, and parents, as well as quantitative data collected from the U.S. Department of Education.
Niche's comprehensive evaluation assessed various aspects of each district, including academic performance, teacher quality, availability of clubs and extracurricular activities, college preparation resources, and administrative effectiveness. The platform weighed both qualitative user input and detailed quantitative statistics to provide what it describes as a "well-rounded perspective" on educational institutions nationwide.
The Best 50 School Districts in America, according to Niche's ratings:
Adlai E. Stevenson High School District No. 125Glenbrook High School District 225Evanston Township High School District No. 202East Williston Union Free School DistrictSyosset Central School DistrictLadue School DistrictEanes Independent School DistrictPalo Alto Unified School DistrictTownship High School District 113Jericho Union Free School DistrictMountain View-Los Altos Union High School DistrictHinsdale Township High School District No. 86San Dieguito Union High School DistrictWest Lafayette Community School CorporationRoslyn Union Free School DistrictCommunity High School District 128Radnor Township School DistrictTownship High School District No. 211Scarsdale Union Free School DistrictHalf Hollow Hills Central School DistrictNovi Community School DistrictBuford City SchoolsLos Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School DistrictNorth Allegheny School DistrictGreat Neck Public SchoolsNiles Township Community High School District 219South Texas Independent School DistrictBarrington Community Unit School District No. 220Indian Prairie Community Unit School District No. 204New Canaan Public SchoolsSchool District of ClaytonTredyffrin-Easttown School DistrictHomewood City SchoolsWestport School DistrictHewlett-Woodmere Union Free School DistrictWeston Public SchoolsNorthern Valley Regional High School DistrictPrinceton Public SchoolsPublic Schools of BrooklineRedondo Beach Unified School DistrictNaperville Community Unit School District No. 203Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School DistrictWayzata Public SchoolsNorthville Public SchoolsFremont Unified High School DistrictTownship High School District No. 214Herricks Union Free School DistrictSouth Pasadena Unified School DistrictNorthern Utah Academy for Math Engineering & ScienceElmbrook School District
Niche founder and CEO Luke Skurman, in a press release: "Developing and publishing these lists is one of my favorite things we do at Niche, because it's all about making a big decision easier and less stressfu. Choosing the right school for our children can have a real ripple effect on their lives - from career path and earning potential to how they'll contribute to society. Our annual K-12 rankings empower families to make informed decisions and help lay a strong foundation for their children's futures."
Niche PR Manager Zach Chatham told Newsweek: "Access to quality education plays a central role for many homebuyers, with reports like ours empowering families to make more informed decisions. For example, Niche also publishes an annual Places to Live report, which includes rankings for Best Places to Buy a House. Public school grades are one of the two most heavily weighted factors in our methodology, reflecting our mission to help students and families find the right schools and communities."
The 2026 list of top school districts will be released this fall. It remains to be seen whether the top districts from this year will retain their positions for the coming year.
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