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.
Why It Matters
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.
What To Know
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. 125
Glenbrook High School District 225
Evanston Township High School District No. 202
East Williston Union Free School District
Syosset Central School District
Ladue School District
Eanes Independent School District
Palo Alto Unified School District
Township High School District 113
Jericho Union Free School District
Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District
Hinsdale Township High School District No. 86
San Dieguito Union High School District
West Lafayette Community School Corporation
Roslyn Union Free School District
Community High School District 128
Radnor Township School District
Township High School District No. 211
Scarsdale Union Free School District
Half Hollow Hills Central School District
Novi Community School District
Buford City Schools
Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District
North Allegheny School District
Great Neck Public Schools
Niles Township Community High School District 219
South Texas Independent School District
Barrington Community Unit School District No. 220
Indian Prairie Community Unit School District No. 204
New Canaan Public Schools
School District of Clayton
Tredyffrin-Easttown School District
Homewood City Schools
Westport School District
Hewlett-Woodmere Union Free School District
Weston Public Schools
Northern Valley Regional High School District
Princeton Public Schools
Public Schools of Brookline
Redondo Beach Unified School District
Naperville Community Unit School District No. 203
Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District
Wayzata Public Schools
Northville Public Schools
Fremont Unified High School District
Township High School District No. 214
Herricks Union Free School District
South Pasadena Unified School District
Northern Utah Academy for Math Engineering & Science
Elmbrook School District
Stock photo showing students with their hands raised in a classroom. Stock photo showing students with their hands raised in a classroom. Jacob Wackerhausen/Getty
What People Are Saying
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.”
What Happens Next
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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